Is SEO Still Relevant, or Is It Dead?

Did you know that Google's algorithm changes over 500 times a year? Unfortunately, these changes can make ranking for relevant search terms harder. Consumers may struggle to find your business as a result.

The most recent algorithm changes make it easier for consumers to find information on Google's search pages. If consumers aren't clicking on links to your content, is SEO even relevant?

Our Bristol SEO team has the answer! Read on to learn more. 

Is SEO Dead?

In short, no, SEO isn't dead. People use search engines every day to learn new things, research products, or find businesses. Over 8.5 billion searches are made using Google daily (98,380 searches every second).

However, how people search engines has changed. Google strives to offer users the best possible online experiences. As a result, Google has changed how it delivers search engine results.

Before, Google provided users with a list of links. Now, the search results are more personalised and interactive.

For example, Google may display results as:

• Featured snippets
• FAQs
• Product spotlights
• Multimedia listings

Ranking on Google may seem harder, but that's only because Google is more selective about the results it displays. Before, brands rushed to create content to rank for a range of search queries. Now, brands need to consider quality over quantity while providing search engine users with relevant content. 

Google's artificial intelligence (AI) tools are changing how we use search engines. However, generative AI tools like ChatGPT aren't overshadowing SEO best practices.

Google wants to provide users with helpful, accurate information. Unfortunately, 52% of ChatGPT answers contain incorrect information. About 39% of the time, people overlook these inaccuracies. 

It's more important now than ever to get SEO training in Bristol. Otherwise, you may fail to reach your ideal customers. Proper SEO training or working with an SEO company can ensure rankings improve. 

How SEO Has Changed

Google aims to provide relevant information for its users in one place: its search engine result pages (SERPs). This reduces click-throughs and website visits. Users no longer need to skim a brand's website to find information.

Instead, they can read condensed blocks of information on SERPs. These featured snippets strive to answer search queries as accurately as possible. 

Google will pull relevant information from a high-ranking page to create a featured snippet. Now, brands compete for zero-click content (the information displayed in snippets). Nearly 49% of queries are zero-click searches.

However, brands can still generate website traffic if they appear as a featured snippet. The featured snippet will still display the article it's pulling from. 

There are multiple factors that can affect your rankings, including:

• Keyword relevance
• Domain authority
• Website user experience
• Quality backlinks

A Bristol SEO company can create a customised, comprehensive SEO strategy for your brand. Considering every ranking factor can improve your chances of appearing for featured snippets.

You'll also need to provide answers to specific questions within your content. To do this, you must first understand a user's search intent. 

Search Intent

Search intent can help you recognise the purpose of a user's search. This intent helps Google determine what type of results to show. Types of search intent include:

• Informational - to learn something
• Navigational - to find a page or place
• Transactional - to complete an action 
• Commercial - for information about a product/service

It helps to target long-tail keywords when determining a user's search intent. Long-tail keywords are precise phrases that feature four or more words.

For example, "cookie" is a broad search term. The consumer may want a cookie recipe, directions to a bakery, or information about nutritional value. It's more difficult to rank for broad search terms.

A long-tail keyword like "how do I clear my browser cookies" is more precise. You can answer this question within a blog post to appear for this query.

Google's SGE

After more people began using ChatGPT to perform searches, Google released its own AI-powered chatbot. Google's search generative experience (SGE) allows users to receive answers to questions. They'll receive a condensed answer at the top of a SERP.

Users no longer need to click through multiple websites to find information. Instead, Google gathers content and provides a convenient summary. It also provides its sources.

This can reduce search traffic for some queries (namely, basic questions). Google's goal with SGE is to help users:

• Learn by asking conventional follow-ups
• Ask new, more complex questions
• Get summarised information faster

Google's SGE may limit how much organic traffic brands generate for specific keywords. However, SGE results don't pull from links in the top 10 search results. This could help some brands gain traffic.

Ways You Can Stand Out

Remember, SEO isn't dead. However, you will need to reevaluate your current strategy to generate traffic through SERPs. Here are a few tips you can use to reach new customers online. 

Hire a Bristol SEO Company

Instead of wasting resources on ineffective strategies, partner with an SEO company in Bristol. Leveraging their expertise can help you generate results faster. Otherwise, you may waste time using trial and error.

Choose an SEO Bristol company that prioritises all four types of SEO. These include:

• On-page
• Off-page
• Local
• Technical

Remember, a comprehensive SEO strategy is more likely to improve your rankings. Proper SEO training in Bristol can ensure you apply effective strategies.

Target Search Intent

Your SEO freelancer in the UK can help you recognise your target audience and their needs. This can help you define your audience's search intent. Recognising their search intent is key to creating personalised content.

Before targeting a keyword, look at the top results for that phrase. What type of content is at the top? This can help you determine what type of content to create to appeal to your audience.

Add secondary keywords to your content. Avoid keyword stuffing, which can lead to penalties.

Your SEO freelancer in Bristol will help you choose keywords with high relevance but low competition. This can increase your likelihood of ranking for search queries. 

Improve Content Quality

When creating blog content, focus on quality over quantity. Provide the information your audience needs.

Consider the value you can uniquely offer your customers. Add your Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) to each post. EEAT can help you appear as a helpful, credible resource in your industry.

Google prioritises content that's unique and authentic. It looks for posts written by experts who have personal experience. 

Improving your rankings and offering your expertise can help you become a thought leader. Consumers will start to trust you for information. They'll return to your website more often, which can lead to higher rankings.

Add an author bio to your blog posts. Show consumers how your experience and expertise can benefit them.

You can also improve your content by focusing on readability. Write using short sentences and paragraphs. This makes the content easier to skim.

Organise your thoughts into headings, subheadings, numbered lists, or bulleted lists. Google may pull from your headings or lists when creating featured snippets. 

Try to thoroughly cover each topic instead of taking a broad approach. Adding value and depth can help improve your rankings. 

Build a deep catalogue of content for each topic you cover. You can implement site architecture to make it easier for bots and humans to find these posts. 

Update Your Website

Google considers the website experience you offer visitors when determining your organic rankings. You can improve the user experience (UX) by following Google's Core Web Vitals. Start by:

• Improving page load times
• Optimising for mobile devices
• Getting an SSL certificate
• Using white space
• Improving the navigation
• Improving readability
• Compressing images

Google uses mobile-first indexing when determining rankings. It will look at the mobile version of your site first. If your site isn't optimised, your rankings could drop. 

Work with a Bristol SEO agency that has experience with Google's Core Web Vitals. They can improve your technical SEO.

This will encourage visitors to stay and explore your site longer. Increased dwell times can improve your rankings.

If your site is slow or difficult to navigate, they'll leave. Your bounce rate will increase, causing organic rankings to drop. 

Generate Backlinks

Gaining high-quality backlinks will improve your website's domain authority. Backlinks send users on other websites to your site. You can gain backlinks by creating guest blog posts.

Work with your SEO freelancer in Bristol. They can find backlink-building opportunities that will benefit your brand. 

Track SEO Marketing Trends

The best way to improve your organic rankings is to remain on top of your SEO strategy. Optimisation is an ongoing process. To improve your rankings, partner with a Bristol SEO agency.

Your SEO Bristol team will track the latest trends. These include:

• User intent
• Core Web Vitals
• EEAT
• Video content optimisation
• SGE
• Author entities
• Topical relevance
• Genuine backlinks
• Voice searches
• Visual searches

Your SEO company in Bristol can keep track of emerging trends for you.  

Request Bristol SEO Services Today

To recap, is SEO dead? Not quite! Rather, brands need to approach SEO differently.

Remember, working with a Bristol SEO agency can make all the difference to your rankings. Rely on Bristechtonic's professional Bristol SEO services for small businesses. We're the most sought-after SEO specialists in Bristol.

We offer a suite of personalised services that can get you on the first page of Google, including SEO training. Schedule your free discovery call today.