Dear SEO Enthusiasts
Welcome to the latest edition of our expert newsletter, where we bring you the most important news, trends, and updates in the world of SEO. As the CEO of Eminent SEO, I strive to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead of the curve in the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing.
Good to Know in SEO
Latest AI Feature from Google
Google continues to push the boundaries of AI with its latest developments. One notable AI feature is Bard, an experimental conversational AI service powered by LaMDA. This exciting technology aims to enhance the search experience, making it more conversational and intuitive. Additionally, Google has introduced a new AI-powered grammar checker in its search engine, helping users ensure their content is error-free and polished.
I personally was invited to opt into AI generated search results a few weeks ago and when I search for common how to’s, this is how a typical result looks: (see next image)
As you can see, Google attempts to answer the query and then provides a few relevant websites, maybe a video and relevant follow up questions.
Initially it seems like this may mean less clicks. However, if you have the best content or video, you might also get a lot more clicks. It’ll be interesting to see how this impacts search volume and click through rate as a whole.
Latest Google Algorithm Updates
The August Google Update was launched on the 22nd according to the official Google Search Central X page (I still can’t believe we have to call Twitter X) and we are now in week two of the expected two week update.
Today we released the August 2023 core update. We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) August 22, 2023
Barry Schartz is saying Google August 2023 core update seemed to have touched down on Friday August 25th after being announced on August 22nd. Sites impacted can see gains or losses of 20-80% or so, but this update, so far, doesn’t seem as widespread as other core updates: Google August 2023 Core Update Hit Hard Around August 25th For Some Sites
How are your sites holding up?
Insights on Recent Ranking and Traffic Changes
Even before this update we observed significant shifts in search rankings and traffic patterns across various industries. These changes can be attributed to several factors, beyond what we know to be core algorithm updates. For example, the AI results shown in my example above. But, generally how user behavior is changing as a whole.
In case you missed it, on August 8th Google announced that they’d be showing FAQ’s in the search results only for “well known, authoritative government and health websites.” Some think that these changes also have something to do with it.
John Mueller, a prominent figure from Google, recently reaffirmed that relying solely on good technical SEO is not enough to achieve high rankings. Mueller emphasized that factors such as content quality, user experience, and reputation also play significant roles in determining rankings.
Actionable Tips for Boosting SEO Ranking
To help you navigate these changes and improve your website’s SEO ranking, in addition to the fundamentals (content, optimization and links) here are a few more specific actionable tips:
- User Experience Optimization: Enhance your website’s user experience by improving site speed, mobile responsiveness, and intuitive navigation. User-friendly websites tend to rank higher in search results.
- Technical SEO Best Practices: Regularly audit your website for technical issues such as broken links, duplicate content, and crawlability errors. Optimize your meta tags, headings, and URLs to ensure they are keyword-rich and concise.
- Internal Linking: Boost your page authority by strategically incorporating internal links within your content. This helps search engines understand the hierarchy and relevance of your web pages.
- Long-Tail Keywords and FAQ Sections: Expand your keyword strategy beyond broad terms. Incorporate long-tail keywords and create a dedicated FAQ section on your website to target specific user queries and increase visibility.
- Authoritativeness: Demonstrate expertise in your niche by creating valuable, accurate, and well-researched content. Present your credentials and showcase your knowledge and experience to establish yourself as an authority figure in your field.
- Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T): Google evaluates the E-E-A-T of websites, particularly for YMYL content. Highlight the qualifications and expertise of your authors or contributors. Ensure their credentials and affiliations are transparently displayed on your site.
- Authorship Markup: Consider implementing authorship markup on your website. This schema markup helps Google understand who the authors are and provides additional signals of credibility.
- Backlinks from Reputable Sources: Earn backlinks from authoritative websites within your industry. When reputable sites link to your content, it signals to Google that your content is trustworthy and valuable.
- User Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials. Display these prominently on your website to build social proof and trust among visitors.
- Secure Website: Implement HTTPS encryption to secure user data and demonstrate a commitment to data privacy and security. A secure website is more likely to be trusted by both users and search engines.
- Transparency and Accuracy: Be transparent about your sources of information and cite credible references where necessary. Ensure that your content is accurate, up-to-date, and free from misleading or false information.
- Optimize for Local SEO: If your business operates within a specific geographic area, optimize your website for local search results. Ensure your business information is consistently listed and accurate across online directories and leverage location-based keywords.
A Note About Systems Versus Algorithm Updates
I discovered this podcast today and I think it’s worth a listen. Google doesn’t operate with just one giant algorithm, but instead a set of individual systems that work together to give users the best results. They explain how updates really became systems they use and these individual systems are getting updated as they go. I think this is key moving forward in how we think about and speak about the Google algorithm.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Closing Thought
Remember, SEO is an ongoing journey that requires adaptability and continuous learning. By focusing on building trust and authority through these strategies, you can strengthen your website’s reputation with Google and improve your chances of ranking higher in search results.
The team at Eminent SEO is always here to support you on your quest to better search engine visibility!
Wishing you success in your SEO endeavors!
Jenny Weatherall
CEO, Eminent SEO
Social Media News Roundup
LinkedIn’s Feed Is Getting Smarter Thanks To AI
Elon Musk Confirms Removal Of Context For Links In X Posts
Threads is widely rolling out on the web
TikTok Shares the Top Tracks of the Summer, Based on In-App Trends
SEO Term of the Day
“Deep Linking”
Definition: Definition: A hyperlink that directs to an internal web page other than the home page of a website, generally “deeper” in the site, meaning, on a web page that is 2, 3 or more levels deep from the home page. The purpose is to help the search engines still find and index the page even though it may not be part of the primary navigation of the site.
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From Our Blog
The Importance of Online Reputation Management: Maintaining a Positive Image in the Digital Age
