SEO Trends That Will Impact Businesses in 2023

Search engine optimization (SEO) has come a long way since its inception, and the trends that we are seeing in 2023 are a testament to the ever-evolving nature of this digital marketing strategy. In this article, we will delve into the top SEO trends that businesses and marketers need to be aware of to stay ahead of the curve.

Voice Search Optimization

Voice search has been around for a few years now, but it is only in recent times that it has truly taken off. According to Google, 55% of teenagers and 41% of adults use voice search every day. With the advent of virtual assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, it is clear that voice search is the way of the future.

To optimize for voice search, businesses need to focus on long-tail keywords and natural language. For example, instead of optimizing for "best pizza restaurant in New York," businesses can optimize for "where can I find the best pizza restaurant in New York?" By doing so, they are more likely to rank for voice search queries.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in SEO

Artificial intelligence has already made its presence felt in many aspects of digital marketing, and SEO is no exception. AI can help businesses analyze large amounts of data to identify patterns and insights that can inform their SEO strategies. For example, AI-powered tools can help identify which keywords are driving traffic and conversions, and which ones are not.

Another way that AI is changing SEO is through chatbots. Chatbots can provide 24/7 customer support, answering customer queries in real-time. By doing so, they can help improve customer experience and reduce bounce rates.

Video Content Optimization

Video is quickly becoming the preferred format for consuming content online, and businesses that fail to optimize their video content for SEO risk falling behind. To optimize video content, businesses need to focus on video titles, descriptions, and tags. They should also ensure that videos are hosted on a fast and reliable platform, and that they are optimized for mobile devices.

Mobile-first Indexing

Mobile-first indexing has been a hot topic in SEO for a few years now, and it is only going to become more important in 2023 and beyond. Mobile-first indexing means that Google will use the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking, rather than the desktop version. This makes sense given that the majority of searches now happen on mobile devices.

To optimize for mobile-first indexing, businesses need to ensure that their website is mobile-friendly, with fast loading times and a responsive design. They should also prioritize mobile user experience, with clear and concise content that is easy to read on smaller screens.

E-A-T

E-A-T stands for expertise, authority, and trust, and it is an increasingly important factor in SEO. Google's algorithms are now better able to identify high-quality content from low-quality content, and websites that demonstrate E-A-T are more likely to rank well.

To demonstrate expertise, businesses need to ensure that their content is accurate, informative, and well-researched. To demonstrate authority, they need to have a strong backlink profile, with links from high-authority websites. To demonstrate trust, they need to have a secure website with clear contact information and a privacy policy.

Local SEO

Local SEO is becoming increasingly important as more people use their mobile devices to search for local businesses. According to Google, 46% of all searches have local intent. Optimizing for local SEO can help businesses improve their visibility and attract more local customers.

To optimize for local SEO, businesses should create a Google My Business listing and optimize it with accurate business information, including hours of operation, address, and phone number. They should also include location-specific keywords in their content and focus on building local backlinks.

Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are a summary of the answer to a user’s query that appears at the top of the search results. According to a study by Ahrefs, featured snippets appear on 12.29% of search queries. Optimizing for featured snippets can help businesses improve their visibility and drive more traffic to their website.

To optimize for featured snippets, businesses should focus on creating high-quality, informative content that answers specific questions. They should also use header tags to structure their content and provide clear answers to user queries. Including relevant images and videos can also help improve visibility.