Now is the time to reassess what works and what to let go of in the advent of AI technology becoming more integrated with search.
Because SEO is a longer-term digital marketing channel by default, it can test the patience of SEO experts as well as that of significant stakeholders.
For businesses and their clients to succeed, it is frequently necessary to exercise discipline and possess a high degree of knowledge.
The significance of exercising patience, self-control, and focus during this time cannot be overstated.
SEO professionals have a lot to consider as fresh information on the integration of AI technology by search engines and how it will change search is released on a weekly basis.
And we ought to consider them and begin implementing AI into our SEO tactics and procedures!
But until AI completely takes over the algorithms and search results, we also need to keep focused on what currently works, which is not a straightforward or basic checklist of things to do.
For our SEO plans, it’s still crucial to execute the proper techniques, align with our own objectives, understand our audiences and rivals, and concentrate on the most crucial issues at hand.
Whether you’re worried about your ability to keep up, curious about what SEO’s potential future holds, wondering if it’s still worthwhile to invest in, or simply seeking some guidance on what to do today.
1. Know Your Goals & Objectives
If SEO isn’t directed toward definite objectives, it might be a huge waste of time and money.
There are so many strategies and things to “do,” but they can all be useless if you don’t know who or what you’re trying to reach.
You can automate processes to save time, but if they are not directed in the right direction or are not in line with your desired results, you may not get the desired results.
You want to define goals so you can work toward them in an organized manner, whether they are related to conversions, traffic, exposure, or alignment with thought leadership and a customer journey.
2. Have A Set Process & Standard Operating Procedures
You are now adding new technologies and procedures if you are further integrating AI into your methodology.
I completely support innovation because it’s amazing.
If you don’t have a predetermined process from which to start, though, you may stray from procedures and practices.
My team is aiming to improve our standard operating procedures across our entire organization, not just in how we perform SEO.
We’re utilizing Systemology for this, but there are a number of different ways and approaches.
Regardless of how much you’re adjusting and adapting, if you have a team of more than one, or want to be able to hand off or delegate in the future, you should have things documented and standardized as much as possible.
Plus, you’ll want to have a handle on what’s working and what isn’t.
3. Be Adaptable & Embrace Change
If you’ve been involved in SEO for a while, you probably already know that change is a given.
Even when you’re firmly established where you want to be in the search engine results pages (SERPs), changes will occur, necessitating a pivot, from major algorithm or ranking factor modifications to continuing core improvements to machine learning being implemented into the algorithm.
Even if you’re unsure or prefer to take a “wait and see” stance on how AI will actually affect the SERPs and influence SEO in the long run, I strongly advise using AI today to automate procedures and take advantage of those improved capabilities to maximize efficiencies.
4. Leverage What Works Today
Testing new ideas, changing existing procedures, and incorporating AI into them can take up a lot of time.
While the aforementioned argument supports such investigation, keep in mind that the existing ranking elements should remain your primary concern.
When employing AI to create content, keep the user and the human in mind.
Yes, you can employ a variety of AI technologies to achieve a high score whether the content was produced by AI or a human.
If your aim is conversions or something deeper than that, you might not be reaching the correct level of resonance with your audience even if you get rankings and traffic on your site.
Even if you’re utilizing AI, keep your user in mind so that you can differentiate yourself from any level of commoditized AI-generated content or low-quality material (even if it was created by a person) in your business.
Right now, pay attention to reliable technical, on-page, and off-page ranking criteria that are connected to reliable SEO methods and approaches.
5. Implement Today With An Eye On The Future
At this point, am I contradicting myself? In my opinion, no.
While you concentrate on what is effective right now, my message and suggestions are all about balance. You can’t fall behind while putting your existing plan into action.
Learn how ChatGPT, Bard, and other AI features are included into search results and used by search engines. Understand how changes to SERP features will affect the way we approach SEO.
Be prepared to change and adapt as you go.
Certainly, we are in the midst of a balancing act right now; those who cannot adapt will fall behind.
Those who stop doing what is effective right now in favor of the latest shiny object will lose ground and momentum.’
6. Stay Active & Keep Momentum
The necessity for a continuous, long-term strategy for SEO has been a constant from the start.
Of course, employing a round of optimization techniques can result in an increase.
You can quit actively working on SEO, albeit you might not notice a sharp or immediate decline in traffic.
But my advice remains the same: stick to your course and have a plan with continuing, phased-out optimization built in.
You want to keep working and not get complacent even if the SERPs change and the SEO tactics that are effective today are completely different a year from now. Gaining momentum is crucial for SEO tactics and achieving your objectives.
7. Don’t Write Off SEO Easily
In some ways, SEO has become more difficult in recent years.
We can see high rankings but less traffic from those due to the constant competition for space at the top of the organic results.
I can confirm that by looking at my previous Google Search Console statistics.
Insights and improvements in SEO might come from your whole marketing plan and making sure things function together across various marketing channels.
There are numerous reasons why SEO fails.
Avoid siloing it and setting unreasonable standards.
Don’t dismiss anything before giving it your all.
It is insufficient to invest for three months. It requires time and extra money, but if the return on investment (ROI) math makes sense, it is worthwhile to continue with it so you can determine for sure whether it can be profitable for your business.
8. Keep SEO Integrated With Other Channels & Efforts
Since they both aim to attract visitors to a SERP and target similar audiences, SEO and paid search naturally have a lot in common.
Aside from working “with” SEO rather than independently of it, other traditional and digital marketing channels that incorporate content, websites, and customer journey mapping might offer insights.
Don’t separate SEO from the broader marketing strategy and plan. It has a lot to gain by being plugged in.
Additionally, as you seek to make use of new technologies, it can serve as a testing ground to identify places where time-consuming and ineffective processes can be made more effective.
Conclusion
I’m excited about how technology will improve SEO.
My team is fully testing and already leveraging AI for internal processes and content outputs. We will continue to do this.
To achieve our objectives, we continue to work on optimizing client websites and applying tactics that are currently effective.
The secret to any significant improvement in SEO has always been to strike a balance between the present and the future.
The need for balance still exists and might even be more crucial than ever given how quickly technology and artificial intelligence are developing. This may be one of the biggest distraction and disruption waves we’ve ever experienced.
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