Happy New Year! What an intense year 2023 was! There was so much turbulence. Google shook the SEO world with a multitude of updates we are still recovering from. At the same time, the introduction of ChatGPT and AI took us on another rollercoaster ride.
First, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your day to come to my site and read my content. Also, a very special thanks to those who have subscribed to my blog.
I started this site a year ago and it’s been a fun ride getting into the rhythm of posting at least once a week. I have a lot more content on the way!
So, what did we talk about last year, and what’s coming up in SEO for 2024? Let’s get to it.
2023 – A Year of Innovation and Adaptation
Embracing AI in SEO
In 2023, we jumped right into the future with the introduction of AI into the world of SEO. In “Maximize SEO with AI: ChatGPT Insights,” we explored leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities to enhance SEO strategies. Specifically, we looked into how to incorporate ChatGPT and other generative AI into our everyday SEO activities like keyword research, content creation, data analysis, and more.
There was also a significant amount of concern about the power of AI on the part of SEOs. There were several articles, YouTube videos and more published wondering if it’s the end of SEO. But, as we discussed in “Is SEO Dead with ChatGPT? Adapting & Thriving in the Age of AI,” SEO will survive and it will continue to thrive. For generative AI to provide answers to queries, websites need to provide value and optimize for SEO to be visible to AI.
To quote ol’ Ben Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.” We highlighted several ways to use AI responsibly to benefit both you and your clients. Always maintain that human element and be open about your usage with clients.
SEO Basics: Back to the Core
While we SEOs were working our tails off to prepare for the AI tsunami, 2023 also snapped us back to the core principles of SEO. We reviewed what ranking factors have essentially been confirmed (titles, headers, keywords, content, page speed, and more) and what don’t influence your rank including keyword density and word count (thanks to Search Engine Journal.)
Even more, amidst the Google lawsuit, several ranking insights were brought out into the open you can read about in “Google SEO Insights: Strategies for Top Rankings“. Keep the focus on relevance, providing value, and be adaptable to the constant changes in algorithms. While many of these were known or highly suspected, it was a great reminder to not forget to lose focus on SEO basics.
The 2024 SEO Outlook
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)
The effects of AI on SEO are going to continue. Last year, Google announced its Search Generative Experience which incorporates AI into its search results pages. We got a look at that and were able to try it out in the Google Labs. For an in-depth exploration of what this means for the future of search and SEO, check out my article on preparing for Google’s AI-driven Search Generative Experience.
If what we see in the end is anything like we see in the lab, we are likely to see a sizable impact on search. From how people seek out and acquire information, to SEO metrics like impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and position, the SEO world is going to change and needs to adapt.
The Introduction of Generative Engine Optimization
While there’s been a whole lot written about how to use ChatGPT and LLMs to complete tasks, there hasn’t been nearly as much about the other end – how to get your content visible in AI responses.
At the end of 2023, a study was published by Aggarwal et al. that provided some insights into how to increase visibility in generative AI. They termed the practice “Generative Engine Optimization, ” or just GEO. We discussed how to apply the GEO findings to optimize your content for AI visibility. We also learned how SEO and GEO work together and support each other.
What does this mean moving forward for AI visibility? Well, more real-world research needs to be done. Aggarwal’s study was limited in numerous ways which you can read about in my article “Generative Engine Optimization: A Critical Look.”
We need to tease out what impact their findings will have on visibility in places that are going to matter most in the foreseeable future. That’s primarily Google’s Search Generative Experience. Will applying their strategies be applicable in SGE? Content creators are going to want to be there when searchers come looking.
What’s Cooking on Rich Sanger SEO in 2024
I plan to keep delivering weekly posts. There will likely be an additional article on weeks when I feel particularly inspired or a lot is going on in the SEO world.
As for the YouTube channel mentioned on the homepage – it is now live! Be sure to subscribe. You can go check out my first video on the Generative Engine Optimization study. My goal is to use video to add something unique and of value to the SEO conversation. It might not be a full-on production, but it’ll be authentic.
Here’s to another year of SEO. I hope you all have a wonderful year in 2024!
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