SEO is already the most important strategy to apply to online content, but new research from media platform and a B2B marketplace DesignRush finds that major changes are expected to make SEO even more critical for PR, marketing and content creators in 2024 as it becomes more deeply intertwined with technological advancements like generative AI, voice search optimization, and mobile-first indexing.
For its new report, The State of SEO in 2024, the firm interviewed 50 leading SEO agencies to map where these practices are heading over the next year. Much of the forecasting revolves around activity at Google, which is aiming to elevate user experience, focusing on intuitive UI design, optimizing Core Web Vitals for better performance, and crafting more engaging, relevant content rooted in E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) principles.
Based on this research, the firm offers the following SEO trends to watch this year:
A significant trend for 2024 is diversifying SEO traffic sources beyond organic search to include social media, paid advertising, and other channels marks a significant shift in SEO strategies. This evolution, favoring a broader, more integrated approach, could notably impact smaller websites with limited resources, redefining SEO success to rely not just on traditional tactics but also on providing a compelling user experience and reaching a diverse audience.
In addition, Google’s strategy to enhance eCommerce by enriching product information and bridging the gap between online and in-store shopping marks a strategic effort to compete with Amazon. By focusing on user experience and leveraging its search and data integration strengths, Google aims to offer a seamless shopping journey. This move is seen less as a direct challenge to Amazon and more as an initiative to utilize Google’s search capabilities to serve eCommerce needs, carving out a unique role in the digital shopping ecosystem and adapting to consumer behaviors.
