5 SEO Trends You Need to Know in 2024

Staying on top of SEO trends is essential for any business owner who wants to maintain or improve their online presence. SEO is not a one-and-done effort; it’s a constantly evolving field that requires ongoing attention. To help you navigate the landscape, we’ve highlighted the latest SEO trends you need to be aware of in 2024. Let’s dive in and explore how these trends can impact your business and what you can do to stay ahead.

1. AI-Powered Search Algorithms

Understanding AI in Search Algorithms

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a buzzword; it’s a reality that’s reshaping the way search engines operate. Google, in particular, has been heavily investing in AI to improve its search algorithms. You’ve probably heard about updates like BERT and MUM—these are just the beginning. These AI-driven technologies help Google better understand the context behind user queries, making search results more accurate and relevant.

What Does This Mean for Your Business

For business owners, this means that the days of stuffing keywords into your content are long gone. AI is getting smarter at understanding the intent behind a search query, which means your content needs to be more in-depth, contextually relevant, and genuinely helpful to the reader. If you’re still focusing on keyword density rather than content quality, you’ll find it harder to rank well in 2024.

How to Adapt to AI-Driven SEO

To keep up with AI-powered search algorithms, focus on creating content that addresses your customers’ real questions and needs. Here’s how you can do it:

• Understand User Intent: Before creating content, think about what your target audience is really searching for. Are they looking for detailed guides, quick answers, or product recommendations?
• Focus on Quality: Invest in well-researched, high-quality content that provides value. Google’s AI can now discern between superficial content and truly valuable information.
• Use Semantic SEO: Make use of related keywords and phrases that align with the topic you’re covering. This helps search engines understand the context of your content better.

2. The Rise of Voice Search

Voice Search is Growing Rapidly

With the increasing use of smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, as well as voice assistants on mobile devices, voice search is on the rise. As of this year (2024), it’s estimated that more than half of all online searches are conducted via voice. This trend is particularly important for local businesses, as many voice searches are location-based, like “near me” queries.

Why Voice Search Matters for Your Business

Voice search changes the way people search for information. Unlike traditional text searches, voice searches are more conversational and often longer. For example, instead of typing “best coffee shop Melbourne,” a user might say, “What’s the best coffee shop near me in Melbourne?”

If your content isn’t optimised for these types of queries, you could miss out on a significant amount of traffic. This is especially true for local businesses, where capturing voice search traffic can lead directly to foot traffic in your store.

How to Optimise for Voice Search

To tap into the growing voice search market, you’ll need to tweak your SEO strategy:

• Use Conversational Keywords: Optimise your content for natural language queries. Think about how people speak, not just how they type. Incorporate question phrases like “how,” “what,” “where,” and “why.”
• Focus on Local SEO: Make sure your Google My Business listing is up to date, as many voice searches are location-based. Include clear, concise information about your business, like your address, phone number, and hours of operation.
• Optimise for Featured Snippets: Voice assistants often pull answers from featured snippets. Structure your content in a way that directly answers common questions related to your industry.

3. E-A-T and Content Quality

What is E-A-T

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s a concept introduced by Google to help evaluate the quality of content. In 2024, E-A-T is a critical factor in determining how well your site ranks in search results.

Why E-A-T is Crucial for Your Business

Google wants to ensure that it’s providing users with reliable and accurate information, especially for topics that can impact someone’s health, finances, or well-being. If your website doesn’t demonstrate expertise, authority, or trustworthiness, it’s less likely to rank well, particularly for competitive keywords.

Improving Your E-A-T Score

To improve your E-A-T score and boost your rankings, focus on these strategies:

• Showcase Your Expertise: Highlight the credentials of your content creators. If you’re writing about a specialised topic, make sure the author has the necessary expertise. Consider adding author bios that showcase their qualifications.
• Build Authoritativeness: Get mentioned or linked to by other reputable sites in your industry. The more authoritative sites that link to you, the more authoritative your site appears to Google.
• Enhance Trustworthiness: Ensure your website is secure (use HTTPS), display clear contact information, and include customer reviews and testimonials. Trust signals like these help Google and your audience feel more confident in your business.

4. Mobile-First Indexing

Why Mobile-First Indexing Matters

Mobile-first indexing means that Google predominantly uses the mobile version of your website for indexing and ranking. Given that mobile traffic now makes up more than half of all web traffic globally, this shift makes perfect sense. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re likely missing out on both traffic and rankings.

It’s crucial to regularly test your website’s mobile-friendliness. Google offers a Mobile-Friendly Test tool that can help you identify any issues. Additionally, don’t forget to monitor your mobile analytics to understand how users are interacting with your site on mobile devices.

Best Practices for Mobile SEO

To ensure your site performs well under mobile-first indexing, follow these best practices:

• Responsive Design: Make sure your website adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes. A responsive design improves user experience on mobile devices, which can positively impact your rankings.
• Improve Page Speed: Mobile users expect fast-loading pages. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix any speed issues on your site.
• Mobile-Friendly Content: Consider the readability of your content on smaller screens. Use shorter paragraphs, larger fonts, and clear headings to make your content easy to digest on mobile devices.

5. Visual Search and Image SEO

The Growing Importance of Visual Search

Visual search is gaining traction as more consumers turn to platforms like Pinterest Lens, Google Lens, and other image-recognition tools. These technologies allow users to search using images instead of text, which can be particularly useful for e-commerce businesses, fashion, home decor, and more.

Why Visual Search Matters for Your Business

If you’re in an industry where visuals play a key role—think fashion, interior design, or retail—optimising for visual search can give you a competitive edge. Visual search can drive more traffic to your site, improve user engagement, and ultimately lead to higher conversion rates.

How to Optimise for Visual Search

To get the most out of visual search, you’ll need to pay close attention to your image SEO:

• High-Quality Images: Use clear, high-resolution images that accurately represent your products or services. Poor-quality images can hurt your chances of appearing in visual search results.
• Use Descriptive File Names: Rename your image files with descriptive, keyword-rich names before uploading them to your site. For example, instead of “IMG1234.jpg,” use “red-leather-sofa.jpg.”
• Optimise Alt Text: Alt text should be descriptive and include relevant keywords. This not only helps with SEO but also improves accessibility for users with visual impairments.
• Structured Data: Implement structured data (schema markup) to help search engines understand the context of your images. This can enhance your chances of appearing in rich search results.

Conclusion

2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year for SEO, with trends like AI-powered algorithms, voice search, and visual search taking centre stage. As a business owner, it’s crucial to stay informed and adapt your SEO strategy to these developments. By focusing on quality content, user experience, and the latest search technologies, you can ensure that your business stays visible and competitive in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Remember, SEO is not a set-and-forget task. It requires ongoing effort and adjustment to keep up with the latest trends. But with the right approach, you can turn these trends into opportunities to grow your business and reach more customers than ever before.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by these SEO trends or unsure where to start, MJH Digital is here to help. We specialise in creating tailored SEO strategies that keep your business ahead of the curve. Whether you need a FREE audit or want to discuss how these trends can benefit your business, our team is ready to assist. Jump on a call with us today, and let’s work together to boost your online presence and drive real results.