Top SEO Trends in 2024: Boost Your SERP Ranking

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a fascinating process and its spectrum changes rapidly with time. In 2024, marketers are going to face some SEO evolutions. These changes will shape the way we approach online visibility, content optimization, and user experience.

Staying up to date with these latest trends in SEO will help you rank higher and stay ahead of the competitor curve.

So, what is new in SEO now? In this blog post, we will delve into the anticipated 2024 SEO trends.

Top 10 SEO Trends in 2024: Changing Ranking Game

Now, we will demonstrate the most impactful SEO trends to watch in 2024. You might be sick of hearing it for a few years, but this year its development is expected to reach another height.

Here are the top SEO strategies you should know in 2024:

1. Unleashing Ai-powered SEO

Last year, we witnessed several impacts of Ai advancements on SEO strategies. And, it will also be the top SEO trend in 2024 and one of the best ways how to improve SEO rankings in 2024. This year, Ai can be introduced in full swing, as SEO professionals are already prepared with real-world test data.

Ai SEO Trend Possibilities

Ai has been a significant player in your entire SEO game plan.

First, the blessings of Generative Ai have resulted in various SEO assistant software development. ChatGPT and Midjourney have pioneered a way to automate the content creation and creative assets. 

Afterward, tools like GetGenie Ai came to the game with advanced support like optimizing content with NLP keywords and attractive headings. 

And that’s not to mention that Ai’s integration with other mainstream software has paved the way for accessing deep trends and analyzing huge amounts of data. 

This year, Ai is bringing some major SEO advantages to the table. As Ai evolution and utilization continue to grow, it will empower the following SEO tasks:

• Automate text and image content creation.
• Optimize the content with NLP keywords and suggest improvements.
• Score your heading and optimize it.
• Help to come up with the entire content planning.
• Assist in analyzing your content in depth with competitors.
• Lets you create knowledge graphs to maximize the content production.
• Optimize all interlinking in your website.
• Automate the Schema structured data creation.

Using AI for SEO in 2024?

To get the most out of artificial intelligence technology in your SEO tasks in 2024, you can use Ai tools. Let’s see a practical experience:

One’s SEO efforts are mostly associated with the content creation and optimization. On such occasions, an advanced Ai writing tool like GetGenie Ai can greatly support you.

Let’s see its workaround for crafting a SEO optimized blog this year:

From the GetGenie Ai website, activate your license key and insert a new document. Then, start using the Blog Wizard template. Using this template, you can write a fully SEO-optimized blog in no time. 

From this editor screen of GetGenie, you will get some beneficial AI-powered SEO features like:

Keyword Research: Provide keywords through analyzing trend data, volume, competition, CPC, and other related keywords.

Competitor Analysis: Help you outshine the SERP competitors by showing their content gaps.

Content Score: Supports a built-in content score feature driven by AI and helps to improve the on-page SEO. 

NLP–based Suggestions: Suggest Ai-filtered NLP-based keywords to target the potential audience for better results.

2. Surviving Google’s March 2024 core update

Google’s March 2024 core update has to be considered another latest SEO trend for 2024. We are seeing some big concerns among SEO professionals. But, Google updates are nothing new. Periodically, they have been adjusting their set of rules for SERP visibility according to the latest technology and user experience. But, this time Google is even completely deindexing some websites. 

Some people are considering this update as Google’s steps against Ai content. However, in reality, this isn’t about Ai powered content. Rather, it’s Google’s mission to bring useful content forward for the searchers. Further, the current update also includes reducing spammy content and removing irrelevant content from SERPs.

Here’s what Elizabeth Tucker (Director of Product Management at Google) had to say on the matter:

So, the latest Google SEO trends 2024 will be focusing on giving content that gives value to searchers. Publishing Ai-written content on your website will not lower your website position in SERPs. The key is maintaining high-quality and error-free content for your website. The Google Search Central blog has cleared misconceptions:

3. Navigating the Evolution of Google Search Generative Experience (SGE)

The Search Generative Experience (SGE), a new experience in the Google SERP backed by Generative AI, has become a major concern in the SEO industry. This development is expected to set the new SEO trend of 2024. Google has already completed its beta testing in the labs mode in most US (English) locations over the past year.

SGE Progression in SEO Trend 2024

The AI-powered search result also gets a positive response from new-generation users, a survey report by Statista shows that approximately 40% of Millennials would like to experience an AI-driven search result.

So, it makes sense that search engines like Google are probably leading such developments.

In this experiment, Google aims to place information and sources within SERPs where searchers do not need to visit a web page. The result will vary depending on the search query. It can display a list, an explained answer, or a few key information sources.

After that, you can ask even more questions to get precise answers. Google seems to be prioritizing SGE more by including the large language model Gemini. And, few experts believe, instead of Bard the SGE could be the real competitor for ChatGPT.

In this scenario, SEO specialist shows concern about this development as there will be fewer visits to individual pages. But, it is also true that Ai generated snippets won’t meet the necessity of most queries. So, searchers will dig for more information. So, the impact wouldn’t be that great. 

However, one fact is that SGE will take more spots at the top of the SERP resulting in less exposure to other organic results. So, you must focus on it in this year.

Best Practices to Win SGE in 2024

• Optimize your content with long-tail and conversational keywords.
• Keep in mind real user’s questions to understand the search query.
• Give the most relevant answer to the search query.
• Use structured data or schema markup to help AI search engines understand content types.
• Support your content with external resources and data.
• Try to create content that covers all the related issues of user queries.

4. Exploring Zero-Click Searches

Like the previous one, Zero click also refers to instances in which a user’s query is satisfied directly on the search engine results page (SERP), eliminating the need for the visitors to navigate any website pages. 

Basically, the search engine will show a summary answer in the featured snippet also known as “Zero Postion”. The actual position is below the paid ads and above the organic search in the SERP. The content can be in any form like a list, paragraph, video, image, etc.

Having the featured snippet position can be beneficial for the following reasons:

• Help to increase brand authority and trust. 
• Content quality is appreciated by Google.
• Can be a great opportunity for local SEO.
• Possibility to appear in the voice search.

However, there are some challenges you will have less control over brand visibility and user experience. Plus, it will reduce the organic traffic of your website.

Best SEO Practices to Reach Zero Position

• Create your content in the most suitable format according to the user query.
• Have a clear, concise, and direct answer to the user’s query.
• Write your content in a conversational tone. 
• Monitor and analyze competitors’ featured snippets.
• Improve your overall brand identity and exposure.

5. Initiating Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) Practice

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is a subset of SEO. The purpose of AEO content is to answer users’ questions in the simplest possible way. It’s a method for creating content that provides direct answers to users’ questions. 

And, seeing search engine developments toward giving the best answer to the visitors, we can include AEO as a dominant factor in the SEO trend list of 2024.

Crafting Content For Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Practicing Answer Engine Optimization helps your SEO efforts with things like:

• Enhanced your brand visibility in SERP positions like featured snippets, knowledge panels, and other prominent positions.
• Increase click-through rates because of visible placements in the SERP.
• Improved reader experience with concise answers.
• Implementing question-answer style content assists in voice search optimization.
• Giving quick and concise information helps to increase mobile visibility.

But, there are some challenges too:

• Search engine defines the content length in the featured snippet box.
• Higher competition for featured snippets.
• No data-driven result or performance tracking system and system for AEO.

Therefore, you need to craft your content by following the practice given above for AEO and SGE. 

6. Growing Importance of EEAT for Tropical Authority

Tropical Authority is an evergreen SEO trend, but we need to focus specifically on it. In December 2022, Google updated the EEAT guidelines to bring more authenticity and depth to search query answers. 

As we know previously, it was EAT then gets an extra E for Experience. And, they are still bringing related updates like (HCU) Helpful Content Update. That means you need to show first-hand experience to remain in the Google search ranking game in 2024 as well.

This discussion gets more attention because of the automation of content with AI. EEAT factors will be the differentiator between AI and human-written content. Searchers are always looking for personal opinions and real experiences to better understand their search queries. Adding these will help to give a human touch to your content. 

EEAT involves taking a strategic approach to improvised content with experience, knowledge, authority, and trustworthiness (EEAT).

Prepare for Google HCU in 2024

Here are some tips on how to work with EEAT on your content:

• Developing high-quality content by experts.
• Cover content on interconnected topics and subtopics.
• Create site architecture that helps search engine bots discover relevance across a specific topic.
• Make interlinking content based on a specific topic area to help humans get relevant content.
• Regularly update content with current information and sources.
• Add the author’s social details and background expertise on the content topic.
• Get guest posts from the express on your niche.

7. Upcoming Impact of Google Helpful Content Update

Helpful Content is going to be one of the main elements along with visual assets and expertise in the SEO current trends of 2024.

Google introduces the Helpful Content Update to help prioritize and reward high-quality content. However, since last year, Google has started redefining its position on the term “Helpful“. Its algorithm considers the site-wide signals to determine your ranking. 

As per Google, 

This means that Google will reward people first content, but at the same time will not give space to any content that does not meet the expectations of the visitors. Also, the new addition of the E-Experience element in the EEAT guidelines gives more importance to the content that resonates with humans.

Writing Tips to Meet Google HCU Standards in 2024:

• Write to satisfy humans, not the algorithms.
• Write content focusing on a specific purpose.
• Target a certain group of audience.
• Don’t rely on content automation extensively.
• Provide only original information and data.
• Add credible and trustworthy external links.
• Identify the exact search intent and fulfill its query.

8. Redefining SEO Norms for Google Discover Feed

Simply put, Google Discover Feed is different from traditional search engine functions where users find answers to their queries. This mobile and tablet app-based feature creates a personalized social media feed-like experience by analyzing users’ mobile and web search activity, location history, and familiar topics. 

Apart from only showing content of interest to users, Google Discover feed can also come up with trendy and new content. This means users will get more relevant content in their preferred subject areas. Last year, Google also experimented with implementing this feed on the desktop homepage.

So, it could be an important SEO channel for the year 2024. Your content will be more likely to be seen by a potential audience and you will get more return visitors as users can set their preferences and topics.

Follow the guidelines below to raise the chances of your content being displayed in the Google Discover feed.

• Create high-quality and comprehensive content with in-depth research and data.
• Make your title engaging to spark the user’s curiosity.
• Must optimize your content for mobile devices.
• Add compelling thumbnail images for your Google Discover content. 
• Craft your content with EEAT guidelines and have an established author profile.
• Maintain consistency in publishing new and updating existing content.

9. Adapting to Search Engine Ranking Factors

When it comes to search engine ranking factors there could be many. For example, Google follows more than 200 ranking factors in its algorithm. And, this list can get bigger as search engines prioritize providing accurate and specific results for user queries.

Therefore, the 2024 SEO plan should be developed with the concern of upcoming search engine ranking factors. 

If you ask about the most influential ranking factors, it would be Machine Learning Ai, Core Web Vitals, and EEAT. And, there are more proven factors like quality content, backlinks, content relevance, page performance, mobile optimization, social signals, user experience, etc. Your understanding of these areas will determine your SERP ranking.

For example, in the latest algorithms update, Google has started to prioritize more on author entities. Therefore, content with expert and knowledgeable authors will rank higher as Google sees it as more trustworthy and credible.

Let’s see another instance, 2021 was the year when Google introduced Core Web Vitals as an important factor for web ranking. Since then, the page experience has become an important point.

So, apart from following Google search core updates, keep your eye on industry updates and news as well.

10. Alternative to Google Search

A lion’s share of online surfers is indeed using Google. But, things have been slowly changing. So, the new search engine optimization trends of 2024 are recommending other platforms like Bing, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, etc, where your potential visitors are roaming.

Getting an audience group from these sources can positively influence your overall SEO. 

Here are some benefits:

• Minimize the impact of algorithm changes or penalties by not relying solely on Google.
• Attract various audience types with different preferences to get more opportunities.
• Broaden your social media engagement and gain essential insights from real users.
• Keep you updated with upcoming trends and changes.

Let’s see how to display your content on other platforms:

• Check if your website pages are indexed in other search engines.
• Create platform-specific content, like videos for YouTube and reels for TikTok.
• Make your web pages mobile-friendly. 
• Categorize your audience persona and their preferred social media channels.

11. Changes in User Search Intent

Matching user’s intent in your content is always been crucial. But, in 2024, we need to understand the reason behind the shifting of users’ intent for our SEO Planning. In recent times, we see, surfers are moving towards transactional and commercial queries rather than informational queries.

Thus, we need to focus on a more human-centric approach to understand your audience’s query keywords. Some while back, Google introduced machine learning algorithms like BERT and MUM to optimize the search engine for humans. 

To understand the search intent, you can use a keyword tool. It will provide other related keywords which can give you a larger overview of a keyword. Otherwise, you can look at the existing results of the search query, to have an idea of ​​what the search engine thinks is the best satisfying content for that query.

Here, you need to identify the content type and format. In some occasions, video content can fulfill a search intent where the blog article may fail. Or, your content format may need to be in a tutorial or list format.

Also, if the search intent is transactional, you need to be smart about choosing a phrase for the selling point in your content, such as cheapest or best.

In this part, we will unravel the following timeless SEO 2024 trends. For sustained online success, these SEO practices will guide you to encounter the ever-changing algorithms.

Voice search

The possibilities with voice search in SEO have been growing day by day. Optimizing your website for voice search will higher the chances of appearing your content on mobile and location-based results. And, your content will ranked for the natural language queries and the chances will increase to appear in featured snippets.

Programmatic SEO

Although programmatic SEO is nothing new, we want to add this advanced SEO tactic to the SEO trends in 2024. As, companies like Zaiper, Zillow, and G2 implement this method to generate millions of page views.

Programmatic SEO is about executing AI-based algorithms to analyze data and analytics to generate untapped keywords and automated content creation to improve website performance.

Image search

Visual search helps users discover related content based on images. It opens up an opportunity to reach your content to an additional audience group. This practice not only results positively in search engine pages but also increases brand visibility. And, if you have an e-commerce website, it will help to present your product in the SERP through the image. Thus, conversion will increase.

Broader Online Presence

As we already understand search engines are evaluating other factors for ranking factors. For example, an author profile plays a vital role in precise Google ranking. So, it will be a must to have a broader online presence in the online. Must include your business or services in social media and other related platforms.

Refresh Previous Content

It is the most common practice and is recommended in SEO trends every year. You should assess your content regularly and include additional details, more data, and optimized with the keywords. Also, try to figure out what your competitors are coming out more. It will help your content to outshine the competitors in the SERP trends.

Long-form content

Long-form content works best regardless of time. As it allows one to cover a topic comprehensively and answer all the queries of searchers. Apart from this, it helps to assist in other SEO practices like interlinking, natural keyword optimization, establishing authority, conversational content, and many more.

Video SEO

Video content benefits SEO by increasing user engagement, enhancing dwell time on your website, improving click-through rates, and providing opportunities for rich snippets. One important thing is that search engines prefer video content which increases the chances of higher rankings in the SERP.

Local SEO

Local SEO is very impactful for e-commerce and local business websites. So, there will be an eternal need for this type of SEP practice. Making a successful local SEO effort will improve the search engine rankings in geographic-specific searchers. It will attract nearby customers and enhance the online reputation. And, will bring, you will be able to bring the targeted customers to your physical locations.

Mobile-First SEO

If you want to stay competitive in the growing mobile-centric landscape, there isn’t any alternative to making mobile responsive websites. Your text and image content should be visible on mobile devices. If you’re running an e-commerce store must show your product image accurately on mobile and tablet devices.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is becoming more important for optimizing website structure, improving page speed, and ensuring mobile compatibility. Plus, it will protect you from duplicate content issues and vulnerable security issues. Apart from all these, you will also adapt to the search engine algorithms.

End of third-party cookies

Third-party cookies are already disabled by default on search engines like Firefox and Safari. Google is also its way for it. From 2023, they have started to third-party cookies.

Final Thoughts!

Making a winning SEO strategy requires an understanding of the ever-evolving search engine algorithms. However, observing the changes in the SEO industry is complicated. But, keeping your eye on the upcoming transformation can assist you in building a calculative approach.

You will be glad to know that GetGenie embraced all the core SEO trends last year and is gearing up to adapt to what’s SEO trending in 2024!