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Top SEO trends to look out for in 2023

SEO is an ever-evolving field, and it can be difficult to predict exactly what trends will emerge in the coming years. Here we look at changes over the last decade and what’s to come in 2023.

 

Looking back at how SEO has changed

SEO has already undergone significant changes over the past decade. Some of the key ways in which SEO has evolved include:

  1. Increased focus on user experience: In the past, it was common for websites to try to trick search engines into ranking them higher by using tactics like keyword stuffing and hidden text. However, search engines have become much more sophisticated at detecting and penalising these tactics, and now place a greater emphasis on user experience. This includes factors like page load speed, mobile optimization, and overall design.
  2. Rise of mobile: In the past, most people accessed the internet from desktop computers. However, over the past decade, there has been a significant shift towards mobile devices. As a result, it’s now important to ensure that your website is optimised for mobile, as this can affect your search rankings.
  3. Increased importance of social media: In the past, search engines relied mainly on backlinks and on-page content to determine the relevance and authority of a website. However, over the past decade, social media has become an increasingly important factor in SEO. This is because social media signals, like shares and likes, can be used by search engines as a way to gauge the popularity and relevance of a website.
  4. Increased use of artificial intelligence: In recent years, search engines have started to use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve their algorithms and deliver more relevant search results. This has led to the development of new SEO strategies, like RankBrain, that are designed to take advantage of these advances in AI.
  5. Changes to search algorithms: Search engines regularly update their algorithms to improve the quality of their search results. Over the past decade, there have been numerous updates to the algorithms used by search engines like Google, which have had a significant impact on SEO strategies.

 

Top SEO trends for 2023

This all feeds into the landscape at present. So here are a few trends that are likely to continue to be important in 2023 and beyond:

  1. Mobile optimisation: With more and more people using mobile devices to access the internet, it’s important to ensure that your website is optimised for mobile. This includes making sure it loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and has a responsive design that looks good on all screen sizes. For a deep dive on mobile first optimisation, check out our blog on this topic.
  2. Voice search optimisation: As voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant become more popular, it’s important to optimise your website for voice search. This includes using long-tail keywords and natural language phrases that people might use when searching by voice.
  3. Local SEO: Local SEO involves optimising your website and online presence to rank well in local search results. This can be especially important for businesses with a physical location, as it can help them attract customers from their local area. We recently did a deep dive on local SEO, so check this out if you’d like some tips to improve yours.
  4. Featured snippets: A featured snippet is a summary of an answer to a search query that appears at the top of the search results page. Optimising your content to rank for featured snippets can help increase the visibility of your website and drive more traffic.
  5. User experience: Search engines continue to place a greater emphasis on user experience, so it’s important to ensure that your website is easy to use and provides a positive experience for visitors. This includes factors like page load speed, navigation, and overall design.

 

Is SEO still important?

There is one question that comes up year after year, and that is whether SEO is still needed and worth the effort. 

SEO is a legitimate field that can be beneficial for businesses and websites. When done correctly, SEO can help improve the visibility and ranking of a website in search engine results, which can lead to increased traffic and revenue.

However, it’s important to be aware that there are many unscrupulous companies and individuals who claim to be able to improve a website’s ranking through questionable or unethical means. These tactics, which are often referred to as “black hat” SEO, can include spamming backlinks, keyword stuffing, and other tactics that are designed to manipulate search engine rankings rather than improve the quality of the website.

Black hat SEO can be tempting because it can sometimes produce short-term results. However, these tactics are often eventually detected by search engines and can result in penalties or even a ban from the search results. It’s important to avoid black hat SEO and instead focus on building a strong, legitimate website with high-quality content and a solid backlink profile.

Therefore when looking to improve your SEO performance, it’s best to use well-known, legitimate approaches and always refer to Google’s best practice guides when in doubt. For any advice or guidance, get in touch and we can start helping you plan for the year ahead.