What to Expect from the World of SEO in 2023

The world of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is constantly changing, and staying ahead of the curve can be challenging. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been over a decade since the launch of Google’s first iteration of its search algorithm with this influential technology revolutionising how we find different types of content on the internet. As businesses around the world continue to adopt search engine optimisation practices as part of their digital strategy, it’s important to keep up with the changes that regularly alter the ways in which these systems function at a core level. No doubt 2023 will bring with it its own share of changes and in this blog piece, we’ll discuss the latest emerging trends in SEO as well as how the offline world may influence the online one.

Will the Economic Situation Affect SEO?

The UK’s current economic situation is having a profound effect on all businesses. In light of this, it is important for businesses in 2023 to not only be aware of their own financial limitations but also look out for cost-effective solutions which will allow them to continue their SEO campaigns without breaking the bank. For example, there are many services such as Google Ads and other PPC advertising options which may prove cheaper than traditional search engine optimisation methods while still proving effective results.

For those companies who are unable to invest in traditional SEO, it is important that they focus on other areas of their website which could bring them organic traffic. These areas include content creation, social media marketing and link-building with industry influencers. While these methods may not always guarantee immediate success, they can be very effective in driving targeted organic traffic if done correctly.

Google Update – Product Reviews

In August 2022, Google announced and rolled out a new update with the goal of better differentiating unhelpful content from helpful content to create a better user experience. This means that Google will target content that seems to be created for ranking well in the search engines and doesn’t add much value to the subject their discussing. However, Google will award content that is made for the user and adds value to a subject.

Google has been making major changes to product review functionality since 2021 with there being a focus on the quality of content within the review itself. With these fresh criteria being added, many businesses are changing the ways in which they collect reviews. With the intention of wanting more helpful content on their platform, Google has noticed that websites that have reviews of products include affiliate links that allow them to make money through SEO. This necessary isn’t a bad thing, however, these product review sites are not adding more insight or better information about the product. Instead, they say the same thing as the manufacturer or what other websites have said.

After reviewing this problem, Google has refined their algorithms to elevate the best product reviews on the internet. Google wants product reviews to be written by experts or enthusiasts that have insight into the products they are reviewing, they want the reviewer to spend a good amount of time analysing the product, and they want the reviewer to give new information that has not already been said by others and give evidence that they have used the product themselves. This evidence should include pictures or videos showing the search engine you have spent a good amount of time with the product. If you want to meet Google’s expectations of a good product review, follow the four tips above.

Due to this update, review websites have seen fluctuations within the search results with those utilising high-quality reviews with clear evidence of use seeing an increase in performance.

Google has also recently rolled out a new search engine update which includes the ability for users to access product reviews directly from the search results. This update is expected to significantly improve the user experience by providing more detailed information about products without having to navigate away from Google’s platform.

The product reviews feature works by displaying ratings and reviews of products sourced from various sites, such as Amazon or eBay when searching for an item on Google. Plus, these reviews are tailored towards each user based on their web browsing history, making it easier than ever to find reliable and trustworthy sources of feedback. Furthermore, this information can be used to compare different brands and make more informed buying decisions.

The new product review functionality will also help businesses to better understand how their products are received by customers, allowing them to identify customer trends and improve customer satisfaction.

Google Update – Core Updates

The main focus of this update is to ensure that users receive the most accurate and up-to-date information in their search results. To do so, Google has improved its algorithm to better understand natural language searches and interpret them correctly. Google’s existing algorithms can now identify concepts instead of solely using keywords which provides an improved level of accuracy for any given search query. Google will be taking into account synonyms when matching queries with relevant content, allowing users to find what they are looking for even when those keywords aren’t used.

When Google rolled out a new update, they always refer back to the article that gives 25 questions that the content creator should consider. If you are a website owner and your website has been affected by the core update, ask yourself has my website demonstrated E-A-T? Does my website have high-quality content? Is your content written for the user and not for the search engine? Sometimes Google determines a large-scale pattern of either valuable content or unhelpful content or by the absence of E-A-T, which means core updates may impact your rankings. It’s not because you have one bad article on your website that means it can drop your website rankings, it’s because Google has decided your website should not rank as well. Content quality is important to Google.

Staying on the topic of content quality, Google sees technical SEO as part of your content quality. This means Google wants websites to be easy for users and search engines to crawl through, have fast page speeds, good website navigation and good mobile optimisations. All these points factor into content quality which also links to a better user experience.

Google is also introducing a new indexing system that allows the search engine to update its results in real-time. This ensures that users receive the most up-to-date information available. For example, this is a benefit for news websites that are reporting on a situation. Moreover, Google will be leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to further refine its core algorithm, providing an even more accurate response to each search query.

The 2022 core update will streamline the entire search experience by allowing users to easily access content from multiple sources at once. A new integration feature connects different sites so that users can view all relevant information on one page rather than having to visit different pages separately. Additionally, this update includes an improved user interface which provides more relevant information to users in a concise and easy-to-view manner.

Offline Search Terms

The future of search engine optimisation (SEO) looks promising with new trends on the horizon. Offline search terms, in particular, are becoming more popular as people continue to prefer convenience over searching online. As such, marketers must stay abreast of these changes and tailor their SEO strategies accordingly in order to remain competitive.

A major trend that is set to continue into 2023 is the use of local SEO tactics for offline searches. This includes optimising websites for nearby geographic areas and using keywords that relate to a specific location. Also, this can be helpful for Google Maps. For example, if a user types in nearby restaurants on Google Maps, depending on the location will depend on how high your restaurant is ranked.

Staying on the topic of local SEO, offline navigational search terms with voice search will continue to grow. Due to the technology changing around us from tech-savvy cars to phones, people are using voice search more often than typing.  With this insight, many businesses of various sizes should look to invest in Hyper Local SEO to increase their navigational search terms.

Finally, geo-targeted ads have become a popular way for businesses to target customers within specific geographic areas. In 2023, companies should consider expanding their ad campaigns beyond traditional text ads and explore the use of video or audio ads targeting local audiences. By leveraging these strategies, businesses can increase visibility in their local market and attract more leads as a result.

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