You want your online business to thrive. One of the best ways to do this is to establish website authority – and the key to successful authority building is to increase trust with your audience.

With the rise of AI tools, you must publicera high-quality content that stands out from your competition, who may be using tools like ChatGPT.

On March 15, I moderated a webinar with Sabrina Hipps, VP of Partner Development, and Jeremy Rivera, Director of Content Analysis at CopyPress.

Hipps and Rivera demonstrated how content promotion, link building, and authentic subject matter expertise could help you rank higher on SERPs and elevate your online authority.

Här är en sammanfattning av webbinariet. För att komma åt hela presentationen, Fyll i formuläret.

1. Create Unique Content With First-Hand Experience – Avoid AI, The “Fancy Parrot”

In the world of content creation, where good content creators are showing their expertise, there are certain key things AI can’t do.

• AI can’t have first-person experience. They can’t think for themselves the same way humans can.
• If the AI follows a generative model, and it can’t yet distinguish the truth. If you fact-check some of the information, you’ll find it doesn’t exist.

De counter to AI content is unique content that shows this truth, expertise, and first-hand experience.

[Learn how this helps build your authority] Instantly access the webinar →

2. Highlight Quality Authorship

High-quality content encompasses everything from accuracy and mistake-free writing to clearly displaying expertise.

Ensure Your Content Is Error-Free

In many cases, low-quality content, or posts with false information and repetitive issues, can lead to being devalued on SERPs or accidentally containing duplicate content.

Add More “E” To EAT – Experience

The Issue: To combat low-quality SERPs, Google seeks first-hand experience.

The Solution: Invite a subject matter expert to review the content, check for factual inaccuracies, and add that extra layer of expertise to the content.

Bridge The Write ≠ Expertise Gap

The Issue: It’s important to recognize that the ability to write is not synonymous with expertise; just because someone can write doesn’t mean they are accurate or a subject matter expert.

The Solution: Try pairing a subject matter expert with a strong writer who can interview and interject quotes helps build better content.

Ask Questions

The Issue: Sometimes, you may not have the in-house subject matter experts you need for a piece of content.

The Solution: Conduct outreach to gather expertise to boost your content quality. First, consider what your audience wants to know. Then, generate three to ten questions to ask a professional.

[Learn a tactic that works] Instantly access the webinar →

Tap Social Media

The Issue: Where do you find the professionals you need to interview for your next piece of high-expertise content?

The Solution: With so many experts creating on social media, it’s a great platform to leverage. Here are essential outreach steps you can do:

• Observe.
• Participate.
• Engage.
• Network.

Doing this can also be considered link-building in another sense. Because link building is marketing, and marketing is about building relationships.

Find Allies Who Are Also Targeting Your Audience

Combining outreach efforts with the Nexus approach helps you create relationships and connections beyond just the link.

[Learn what the Nexus approach is] Instantly access the webinar →

3. Use Other Authority Builders, In Addition To Links

One way to increase brand queries is through influencers, knowledge panel (which becomes part of a brand’s search results), and mentions.

To increase mentions:

• Use HARO & Terkel.
• Publish unique industry data.
• Do something distinctive that stands out.
• Connect with publishers with significant traffic, not for links but for visibility & mentions.
• Leverage influencers and industry experts.

[BONUS: Get a step-by-step branded keyword strategy] Instantly access the webinar →

At the end of the day, when you publish unique, relevant, and authoritative content, it gets referenced and cited by others.

[Slides] Discover The Top 3 Ways To Build Authority By Going Beyond Just Link Building

Här är presentationen:

Gå med oss på vårt nästa webinar!

Google Shopping: 5 sätt AI kan öka försäljningen och vinsten på e-handel

Gå med Malin Blomberg, VD för Bidbrain och Google Shopping-expert, när hon delar med sig av de bästa hackarna för digitala marknadsförare och e-handelsföretagare för att maximera konverteringsvärdet.

Bildkrediter:

Utvald bild: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal

Microsoft has unveiled a new approach to search advertising that aims to help businesses more effectively reach their target audiences in the retail media space.

This innovative category-based targeting solution aims to address the limitations of traditional keyword targeting while leveraging the power of keywords to optimize campaign performance.

Moving Beyond Keyword Targeting

Although keyword targeting has been a cornerstone of search advertising for years, it has limitations.

By focusing solely on keyword targeting, advertisers may miss out on valuable opportunities to promote their products, which can negatively impact a campaign’s performance and limit revenue potential.

Retailers and advertisers are beginning to realize that shoppers browse digital aisles on retailer websites rather than solely searching for specific products using keywords.

As a result, strategies limited to keyword targeting don’t adequately address their needs.

Unlocking The Power Of Category-Based Targeting

Microsoft’s new solution targets shoppers based on their browsing categories, utilizing keywords to boost campaign bids.

This approach allows advertisers to capitalize on both audience behaviors, resulting in a stronger performance.

By boosting bids with keywords, advertisers can increase their chances of converting purchase intent into sales.

Retailers can optimize the site experience for shoppers through product taxonomy, making it easier for customers to find what they want.

Microsoft PromoteIQ’s AI-driven algorithms can then deliver more relevant ads by layering keywords as a booster in addition to categories.

This new approach simplifies campaign management for advertisers, as they only need to test and retain a few high-performing keywords.

For retailers, this efficiency translates into increased demand.

Proven Results: Higher CTR & RPM

Tests have shown that this unique solution delivers impressive results.

Campaigns that utilize category-based targeting and boost bids by keywords have a 320% higher click-through rate (CTR) than campaigns without keyword bid boosting.

Retailers also benefit from this approach, achieving 8x higher revenue per thousand impressions (RPM).

The Future Of Search Advertising?

Microsoft PromoteIQ’s new category-based targeting solution is a significant shift in search advertising.

By addressing the limitations of traditional keyword targeting and maximizing the value of both audience behaviors, this innovative approach can potentially improve performance for advertisers and retailers alike.

As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, embracing solutions like this is crucial for staying ahead and delivering an exceptional shopping experience for customers.

Featured Image: sockagphoto/Shutterstock

Källa: Microsoft

I’ve written about search engine optimization (SEO) for over 20 years.

So, I wasn’t shocked when the editors asked me to refresh an article I wrote on October 21, 2020, titled “3 Strategic SEO Insights & Tactical Advice for 2021.”

But looking back at what I’d written two-and-a-half years ago, I realized that my actionable insights now need to be thoroughly updated in this era of constant change.

The advent of OpenAI’s ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022, has triggered a “code red” at Google, which rushed out a new experimental conversational AI service called Bard in response to Microsoft’s AI-enhanced Bing.

UBS estimates that ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly active users in January, 2 months after its launch. According to the Swiss bank’s analysts, it would be the fastest-growing online application in history.

So, what strategic SEO insights and tactical advice could I share with you today that will still be relevant a year from now?

What critical data or search trends would encourage you to display a motivational poster on your wall that advises everyone to “Keep Calm and Carry On”?

By the way, that last piece of advice is not half bad.

Google was launched on Sept. 4, 1998, and didn’t pass AltaVista to become the leading search engine until the second half of 2002 – about 4 years later.

And even the Panda Update, which shocked the SEO industry and effectively ended the “content farm” business model, only impacted 12% of queries, according to the History of Google Algorithm Updates.

De Penguin Update, which downranked websites that engaged in aggressive webspam, only impacted 3.1% of English queries.

And it’s worth recalling that the first iteration of the Panda Update started on Feb. 23, 2011, but was followed by 27 more adjustments until the final update on July 17, 2015. And the Penguin Update, which began on April 24, 2012, didn’t end until Sept. 23, 2016.

It may take more than four years to know the full impact of Google’s Bard AI or the new AI-powered Bing search engine.

So, SEO professionals would be well advised to “Keep Calm and Carry On.”

That means I can confidently share 10 strategic insights, bits of critical data, pieces of tactical advice, or search trends that will impact SEO in 2023 and beyond without losing too much sleep over the fact that 30% of them may not be relevant a year from now.

(After telling you why “the fundamental things apply as time goes by,” I’ll circle back to explain why a 70% success rate is the right benchmark.)

SEO remains an essential element of any digital marketing strategy.

And even though the search industry is constantly changing, Google is still the leading search engine.

According to Similarweb, Google.com got 3.2 billion unique visitors in January 2023, making it the most visited website globally. The search giant also got 88.3 billion visits in January 2023.

So, don’t bet the farm on Google going away anytime soon.

And if you need to keep other people within your company, or at one of your clients, from rushing off to panic stations, then show them the chart below from Google Trends, which displays worldwide web search interest over the past 90 days for the search terms Google, ChatGPT, and Bing.

You can calmly explain that the dips in interest for Google occur on weekends.

Screenshot from Google Trends, February 2023

If Google remains the dominant search engine for the foreseeable future, then SEO pros don’t need to be retrained or replaced.

Why? Because they’re already familiar with Google Search Essentials (formerly Webmaster Guidelines).

And they’ve successfully navigated through the 22 Google Search ranking updates.

This is why I’m confident that more than 70% of SEO pros will continue successfully navigating the uncharted areas of keyword maps that bear the phrase: “Here be dragons.”

1. Focus On User Intent

One of the most important aspects of SEO is understanding user intent.

Google’s algorithms have become more sophisticated, and they’re now better able to understand the intent behind a query.

So, SEO pros should focus on creating content that satisfies user intent rather than just targeting specific keywords. This means creating content that is not only relevant to the user’s search query, but also provides helpful information or a satisfying experience.

Now, I realize this strategic insight isn’t breaking news.

But you still might benefit from re-reading my article, The Future of SEO Lies in the ‘Messy Middle’ of the Purchase Journey.

According to research by Google’s Market Insights team in the U.K., the “messy middle” is where people decide what to buy.

Among other things, this research found:

“People look for information about a category’s products and brands, and then weigh all the options. This equates to two different mental modes in the messy middle: exploration, an expansive activity, and evaluation, a reductive activity. Whatever a person is doing, across a huge array of online sources, such as search engines, social media, aggregators, and review websites, can be classified into one of these two mental modes.”

Let me translate this “big idea” into counter-intuitive tactical advice: SEO pros must create and optimize at least two pieces of content to address the user’s different intents in the “messy middle” of the purchase journey.

And, if your company or client is targeting half a dozen different segments, then you need to create and optimize at least a dozen pieces of content.

Creating and optimizing one page for each target segment is so 2019.

2. Create High-Quality Content

Content is still king, but if SEO managers want to become prime ministers (or presidents) someday, then they need to create more original, helpful content written by people, for people.

How can you ensure you’re creating high-quality content? By following Google’s long-standing advice och guidance for core updates to create content for people, not for search engines.

So, let me suggest you re-read my article, What Is A Content Marketing Matrix & Do We Need One?

It shows you how to use a content marketing planning tool to generate ideas for enchanting content that changes hearts, minds, and actions. That’s how you become the VP of SEO.

3. Prioritize E-E-A-T

On Dec. 15, 2022, Google updated its search rater guidelines – adding an extra E for Experience to the concept of E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Although these guidelines don’t directly influence ranking, they are useful for anyone who works in SEO because they give us an idea of where Google wants its algorithms to go. 

To improve your content’s E-E-A-T, someone with first-hand life experience on the topic should produce it.

If you can’t convince someone with experience to produce this content in-house, you need to find a freelance writer – or content creator – who has used your product or service, visited a place, or influenced brand purchases.

Unfortunately, many SEO pros still don’t think this is their job – even though the first mention of ÄTA occurred in 2014 when Google added the concept to its Search Quality Guidelines.

Even Google said:

“These are not fundamentally new ideas. And we’re by no means abandoning the fundamental principle that Search seeks to surface reliable information, especially on topics where information quality is critically important.”

If you’d like some practical advice, read How To Find Talented Writers To Fuel Top Quality Content Creation, which includes my interviews with a couple of thought leaders in this field.

4. Optimize YouTube Content

According to the Video & Visual Storytelling Survey by Content Marketing Institute (CMI) published on Oct. 27, 2022, 73% of marketers said videos have become more important to their business in the last year; 27% said they are about the same in importance; and, no one said videos have decreased in importance.

Why should SEO pros lose sleep over this critical data?

Because the content marketing department, not the SEO department, is jumping on this trend.

And that means many of the videos cranked out in 2023 and beyond won’t be optimized for search – let alone integrated into an overall SEO strategy.

So, here’s some tactical advice: first, read Sam Hollingsworth’s guide, YouTube SEO: How To Optimize Videos & Rank Higher.

Next, invite the content marketing department to a brown bag lunch to discuss ways to create great content together.

5. Earn High-Quality Links

Links continue to be one of Google’s most important ranking factors. And at least 70% of SEO pros have already read articles like:

Unfortunately, the lion’s share of chief communications officers (CCOs) and public relations officers (PROs) haven’t read articles like these.

So, only a handful of organizations use one of the most effective techniques to earn links to help your website rank higher on search engines.

Ironically, the biggest barrier is not journalists. Pogo once observed, "We have met the enemy and (they are) us.”

This means you might need to invite your CCO or PRO to a swanky restaurant to discuss link building instead of hosting another brown bag lunch.

But this is a better use of your time and money than trying to figure out a clever way around Google’s December 2022 link spam update, which can now detect both sites buying links and those used to pass outgoing links.

6. Optimize For Local Search

Brick-and-mortar businesses serving specific towns, cities, regions, and states know local search is important.

When done correctly, local SEO enables people to find information about their business, putting them one step closer to making the cash register ring.

And SEO pros specializing in local search know a consistent Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP), local links, local reviews, and star ratings, as well as optimized Google Business Profiles, are important parts of Google’s local search and Local Pack algorithms.

But, to learn the latest trends and tips to help your local business grow using local search optimization, local marketing, and local advertising, read Search Engine Journal’s A Guide to Local SEO, which tackles what you need to know about optimizing for local search.

7. Keep An Eye On Multisearch

In April 2022, Google introduced an entirely new way to search using text and images simultaneously.

With multisearch in Lens, users can go beyond the search box and ask questions about an object or refine their search by color, brand, or visual attribute.

To learn more about this, read Matt G. Southern’s article, Google Multisearch: A New Way To Search With Text & Images.

Then, read Roger Montti’s article, How Does Google Multisearch Affect SEO?

So, keep an eye on multisearch in 2023 and beyond.

8. Keep Your Ear To The Ground For Voice Search

According to Roger Montti’s article, Google: Voice Search Is Not The Future, Google’s Martin Splitt shared his opinion that voice search is not the future and that there will be no need to optimize for it.

Even though I’ve written about Amazons stora spelreklam: Mind Reader twice in the past year, I haven’t paid much attention to voice search until I was prompted to read a couple of recent articles on this topic, including:

And while writing this article, I re-read Kristopher Jones’ How Can Voice Search Benefit Your SEO? He wrote:

• 40.2% of Americans use voice search.
• 71% av människor föredrar att använda röstsökning framför att fysiskt skriva en sökning online.
• 27% av onlinebefolkningen världen över använder röstsökning på mobilen.
• 58% människor har använt röstsökning för att hitta information om lokala företag.

Med andra ord, fyra av fem personer med en veritabel mängd EEAT tycker att röstsökning representerar en fenomenal SEO-möjlighet.

Så håll örat mot marken för nya röstsökningsutvecklingar under 2023 och framåt.

9. Migrera till Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

Jag slår vad om att Google har skickat ett e-postmeddelande med ämnesraden: "Vi kommer snart att konfigurera Google Analytics 4 åt dig."

Det stod:

"För alla kunder som inte konfigurerar en GA4-egendom med grundläggande inställningar, med start i mars, kommer vi att konfigurera en med några grundläggande inställningar som överensstämmer med den befintliga Universal Analytics-egendomen; detta inkluderar vissa konverteringshändelser, Google Ads-länkar och befintliga webbplatstaggar."

Det betyder att kaoset som förväntas den 1 juli 2023, när standardegendomar i Universal Analytics slutar fungera, har kommit före schemat.

Och, som Sun Tzu en gång observerade: "Mitt i kaoset finns det också möjligheter."

I min artikel, Google Analytics 4 bör utlösa omorganisationer och byrårecensioner, sa jag att tillkomsten av GA4 skulle få marknadsavdelningen att börja "flippa ut" om webbanalysteamet – som fortfarande sitter på IT-avdelningen i alldeles för många organisationer – inte svarar på brådskande förfrågningar om "hjälp" inom en vecka, en dag eller till och med en timme.

Så det här är det perfekta tillfället för dig att göra affärsmålet för att flytta analysteamet från IT-avdelningen och till SEO-avdelningen.

Om det finns någon återkoppling, påminn beslutsfattare om det 53.3% av all webbplatstrafik kommer från organisk sökning, enligt BrightEdge Research.

10. Bygg ett krigsrum

Om du är chief marketing officer (CMO) eller vice VD för marknadsföring och du flyttar analysteamet till SEO-avdelningen, kan ditt team be om att få bygga en instrumentpanel. Bygg ett krigsrum istället.

Varför? Eftersom "de flesta instrumentpaneler tenderar att stinka när det kommer till att hjälpa verkställande direktören att fatta några beslut", enligt Avinash Kaushik, Digital Marketing Evangelist för Google.

Detta beror på att tolkningen av de "lättförståeliga bilderna" i de flesta instrumentpaneler överlåts till chefen.

Men de flesta krigsrum har inte bara kartor över den globala marknaden och diagram över företagets nyckelprestandaindikatorer (KPI), utan också en analys- och insiktsansvarig med erfarenhet, expertis, auktoritativitet och pålitlighet för att tolka trenderna och lägga till sammanhang.

Denna "Analysis Ninja" kan förklara för chefer varför vissa nyckeltrender går upp eller ner (på vanlig engelska).

Och med tiden kommer chefer att börja be sin analys- och insiktschef att rekommendera vilka åtgärder eller steg som bör vidtas för att flytta ratten.

Och en analysninja kan svara på frågan: "Som ett resultat av den här trenden (upp eller ner) vad var påverkan på företaget och dess kunder?"

Varför ska SEO-proffs anta 70%-lösningen?

Nu när jag har delat med mig av 10 strategiska SEO-insikter och några kontraintuitiva taktiska råd för 2023 och framåt, ska jag cirkla tillbaka för att förklara varför en 70%-framgångsfrekvens är rätt riktmärke.

Ty Kiisels artikel, 70% Lösning: Marine Corps Framework för att fatta slagfältsbeslut, bör vara obligatorisk läsning för varje SEO-chef som vill bli VP för SEO en dag.

Marines lär sina unga officerare vad de kallar 70%-lösningen.

Och det kan vara en bra strategi att använda för att fatta beslut i situationer där du inte har all information eller resurser du vill ha.

I en perfekt värld skulle du ha all viktig information du behöver för att fatta välgrundade beslut. Men vi lever inte i en perfekt värld.

Ändå, om du har 70% av den information du vill ha, kan du fortfarande fatta bra beslut – förutsatt att du accepterar uppfattningen att du kan behöva justera och kompensera för den kritiska data du saknar när du går framåt.

Och liksom slagfältsbefälhavare har de flesta SEO-chefer aldrig alla resurser de behöver för att nå sina mål.

Men det kan ibland räcka om man har bra folk och 70% av det man behöver. Och att hitta kreativa lösningar på utmaningar är ett kännetecken för framgångsrika SEO-proffs.

Slutligen, är du 70% säker på att din plan kommer att lyckas?

Med andra ord, mår du bra av din plans framgång med den information och de resurser du har?

Marines tror att en väl genomtänkt plan, tillsammans med att ta initiativ, är mer benägna att lyckas än att inte göra någonting.

Det är därför jag med tillförsikt kan dela med mig av 10 strategiska insikter, bitar av kritisk data, taktiska råd eller söktrender som kommer att påverka SEO under 2023 och framåt utan att förlora för mycket sömn över det faktum att 30% av dem kanske inte är relevanta ett år från nu.

Marines har gett oss en ram för att fatta beslut under mindre än idealiska omständigheter.

Det är därför du bör "Behåll dig lugn och fortsätt."

Fler resurser:

Utvald bild: Monster Ztudio/Shutterstock