The Future of SEO: How to Stay Ahead in a Post-Chat GPT World

Intro

The release of Chat-GPT shook the content marketing industry, and its ripple effects sent shockwaves across the entire digital landscape.

Generative AI is already gaining mainstream adoption in the digital marketing industry. First, it can create high-quality articles in seconds with minimal human intervention.

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Secondly, it automates many tasks in SEO, leaving some professionals on the brink of joblessness.

To top it all, major search engines, like Google and Bing, have created similar products to have a stake in the next big thing.

Say hello to the new Google Search Labs (The Search Generative Experience):

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In a closed interview with Godwin Oluponmile, content copywriter and strategist, he pointed out that SEO is an ever-evolving space. And I agree. There’s no need to be on pins and needles because of the recent or upcoming updates since it only signifies advancement in the industry.

While 30% of marketers think AI will negatively impact search in the next five years, we should be looking to embrace this disruptive change. Marketing professionals and SEO experts should learn how generative AI, amongst other advancements, can be used to their advantage.

Let’s discover how.

1. User Intent Clustering

Search intent is the powerhouse of SEO. It has always been a core part of Google’s central strategy. And understanding how this works will always set you up for success, with or without AI.

Google uses a more sophisticated system (natural language processing, NLP, and machine learning systems) to understand the intent behind search queries. And as technology advances, these systems will get even more adept at delivering accurate search results.

Search intent in this new era has transcended the keyword-centric approach. Not that keywords won’t matter— According to Timothy Warren of the Helium family of brands, the future of dominating the SERPs lies in entity-based SEO. Or what we could call content resonance.

In this case, search engine bots aren’t looking for keywords relevant to search queries. Instead, they’re trained to generate the most accurate search results by connecting user intent and context. This entity can be a person, place, or thing with a distinctive web identity.

Entities form intent clusters and allow brands to target all related information concerning that entity to rank on the SERPs. Compared to keywords, it targets the whole concept behind a search query.

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How does this help you improve your SEO?

Create a customer-focused strategy:

Chat-GPT and other large language models can create diverse types of content, but they can’t structure your content in a way that addresses the nuances of your customers as you do.

Each company is unique, and how you address your customer’s pain points differs.

Also, understand that the content that’ll beat AI is heavily invested in users.

Emma Moorman, marketing services product director at Informa Tech, shared in her presentation at the Content Marketing World event in 2023 how personalized content makes the buyer journey easy and is critical in increasing conversion rate.

I agree.

Personalized content factors in the various core challenges your readers face at every stage of the marketing funnel, so the content feels like it's made for them. This form of "content empathy" doesn't only improve SEO performance; it educates your customers or potential customers more and can increase bottom-line revenue.

Target keywords with purchase intent

Buyer intent keywords are the search terms web searchers use when looking to make a purchase. They are vital as they drive ready-to-buy leads to your website.

How do you do this?

In the previous Search 2.0, creating a separate page ranking for each keyword in your cluster was imperative. But this search 3.0 demands a more streamlined, narrow approach.

It doesn't matter if your web page contains the exact keywords used in the search query. It can rank well on the SERPs if relevant based on entity relationship.

Let’s assume a user searches for ‘the best smartphone for photography and content creation.’

In the previous Search 2.0, search engine bots would scan web pages to rank those containing these keywords.

But in Search 3.0, the bots try to understand the intent behind the search query to provide accurate and valuable information on ‘smartphones’ and their photographic capabilities.

So, content that doesn’t specifically contain the keyword ‘the best smartphone for photography and content creation’ is still likely to rank well on the SERPs as long as it is contextually relevant to the search query and provides comprehensive content on it as well.

Timothy advises brands and content creators to shift towards creating more comprehensive and expansive content that caters to users' initial and potential search queries instead of narrow-focused articles.

Product-led content will dominate the SERPs:

If you haven’t, it’s time to start weaving your product's features into your content.

Product-led content isn’t an infomercial. It’s not sale-sy either.

It’s positioning your product or service as the best solution to your reader’s problem by showcasing how it helps them.

Take a look at RankTracker's in-depth guide on on-page SEO. Notice how they weave the product (and its value) in the content without being sale-sy— it's basically part of the content.

They're not the only ones doing this. Take a look at this article from SEMrush. I love how they used different features from their platform to show users how to do keyword research:

This form of middle-of-the-funnel and bottom-of-the-funnel content boosts conversion. Why? It provides first-hand insights into what your product can do.

2. Zero click searches

If you’ve not heard of this term before, here’s what it means.

Zero-click searches are user search queries answered on the results pages. This includes featured snippets, rich schema, graphs, etc.

For example:

In Dec. 2022 alone, over 25% of all searches on mobile were zero-click searches. And with LLMs (large language models) on the rise, this number is only expected to increase in the following years.

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This boils down to the question: what’s the point of optimizing your website on search engines if the traffic isn’t getting to your site?

Here’s what you can do:

Optimize for users first:

I’m iterating this again because it’s the only bait that works.

User experience should be your primary strategy because Google (as well as other search engines) is becoming more sophisticated in evaluating user engagement metrics.

Let’s examine a use case:

• If people are actively searching for ‘How to buy iPhone 15’ and your site provides valuable, informative content on this topic
• And, if your site has low bounce rates (meaning users spend a lot of time on your page) and other positive signs of engagement

…Google may interpret this as a sign of authority (in your niche) and trustworthiness (validating the quality of your content based on user engagement), leading to better search rankings.

The bottom line is to create high-quality content, intuitive navigation, clear call-to-action, and other UX tactics that encourage users to click through.

Create evergreen content:

As I highlighted above, go beyond regurgitating existing articles on the SERPs and create more expansive and comprehensive content that addresses existing and potential user search queries.

Kelvin Indig, Growth Advisor and angel investor expounds that AI cannot replicate two things: experience and expertise (at least not now). ‘WHO’ creates the content is already essential but may become even more critical in the future. For instance, some SMEs are so deeply interconnected with a topic that no machine could replace them, like Tim Ferriss on self-improvement. Or David Ogilvy when you mention copywriting.

Use Schema markup for eCommerce sites

If you own an eCommerce site or sell any form of products on your site, use schema markup to enhance the visibility of your product information on the results pages to encourage a click-through. Include vitals like product ratings, prices, availability, and reviews.

Schema markup helps search engine bots understand your page's content and display it in a more structured and ‘rich’ way.

And even though the searchers don’t convert directly, appearing on top for featured snippets increases your brand impressions. This profits your brand in the long run.

3. Voice and Visual Searches are the next big thing

Voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant have made it very easy for people to make a purchase, find information online, and complete various tasks.

In 2022, over 123 million people used voice assistants to find information online. This number is expected to grow to 8.4 billion by 2024. Is this possible? Yes. One research proves that over 1 billion voice searches take place every month. And with the number of mobile users on a daily rise, we can say voice search will gain mainstream popularity in the future.

Visual search, a much less popular type of search, uses AI to help people search online through real-life images instead of text.

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Brands that appear as a result of these search queries may get lots of traffic and, if lucky, potential paying customers.

This is a huge opportunity for marketers and business owners to adapt their strategies accordingly to the changing consumer behavior. The best part about these searches is that they’re less crowded and help you to quickly cut through the noise of the online marketplace, leading to faster purchasing decisions for your audience.

How can marketers position themselves?

Find the questions your customers are searching for

Use tools like Answer the Public and Google’s ‘People Also Ask’ section to find the exact conversational phrases your audience uses to search online.

Optimizing your content for these long-tail keywords increases your chances of ranking for featured snippets for a voice search query.

Improve core web vitals

The core web vitals are a set of metrics Google uses to measure user experience on your site based on loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability.

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In detail, these metrics measure:

• How quickly a user finds a site’s most important content (LCP)
• How quickly can a user interact with that site (FID)
• The stability of the site’s layout over time (CLS)

Google affirms that any website that passes the threshold for the three metrics will rank high on the SERPs:

To optimize your core web vitals:

• Implement caching on your site to reduce website loading
• Eliminate render-blocking resources and remove any unused CSS or scripts
• Use a content delivery network (CDN) to share your content across the globe
• Use the right web hosting for your site
• Use mobile-first indexing when designing your site
• Regularly audit your site for security issues
• Manually review your pages on diverse devices to know how interstitials could be impacting your UX

Optimize for Local Searches

Local SEO is the new gold mine.

It’s an opportunity to compete effectively against other giants in your industry. This is because modern consumers want convenience. They’ll prioritize businesses that are close and meet their needs more than a big brand outside their locality.

Research from Google shows that 76% of people searching for something on their mobile or nearby visit the business on the same day. Searches for ‘store near me’ grew by 250% from 2017 to 2019.

So, if you’re serving a local audience, lucky you! Some strategies that will help you scale are:

Mobile SEO

Here are some interesting statistics. Over 30% of all mobile searches are location-based. If you’re not optimizing for mobile, you could miss out on significant traffic.

And with the rate of mobile users on the daily rise, having a well-optimized mobile website is no longer optional. It's necessary.

This leads us to the next…

Leverage hyperlocal targeting

The best part about local SEO is that it allows you to target specific geographical areas down to the neighborhood level. This type of audience has a high purchase intent, so getting them to convert is easier.

For this to work, ensure your Google My Business (GMB) profile listing is accurate and current. Google Maps often shows results for ‘near me’ searches based on relevance, distance, prominence, and user preferences.

If your GMB profile is well-optimized, you have a higher chance of ranking on top of the SERPs for your primary keyword.

Also, use hyperlocal advertising to target nearby customers with high purchase intent. Geofencing is also an excellent hyperlocal marketing tool to advertise your business to nearby customers interested in your product.

Use AR and VR to improve user experience

Augmented reality is an enhanced, interactive experience that blends digital elements with the real world, creating a mixed reality. Virtual reality, on the other hand, creates a simulated, immersive, computer-generated environment that users can interact with.

Incorporating these two technologies (especially as an eCommerce business owner) into your marketing strategy can revolutionize how users interact with your site.

Take Snapchat, for instance. Through Snapchat’s AR lenses and filters, users can try makeup on, alter their face structure, and wear clothes virtually, allowing them to visualize these products on themselves before making a purchase.

Snapchat

VR can also offer a 3-D dimensional experience for users to immerse themselves in a virtual replica of a physical environment and explore products like in the real world.

The bottom line is both AR and VR are powerful technologies that can be used to deliver personalized, holistic user experiences, and any business interested in remaining relevant in the future must be proactive in embracing these innovations.

Read more on the future of UX.

4. Off-Page Ranking Factors will Gain Importance

As we gravitate toward an AI-enabled future, separating human-written content from its AI counterpart will be almost impossible.

Ryan Law, the former VP of Animalz, explains this more cohesively:

The only solution is to leverage factors that are impossible for LLMs, ML and AI technology to imitate:

• Conducting real-life surveys to understand user pain points
• Generate subject matter expert point-of-view on a particular topic
• Create thought leadership content
• Share experiences from real-life occurrences

For all human-to-human businesses, this means to:

Build Credibility

As a brand – big or small – there’s no better time to leverage your unique selling point than now.

Because in the new world of SEO, it’s ‘WHO’ does what matters and not always how you do it. Remember the cliche that people don’t buy what you do but how you do it? It still holds.

• Use storytelling techniques to connect with your brand and actively share HOW you are their best solution.
• Create quality, product-led thought-leadership articles that specifically address the needs of your target audience
• Be human. Share user-generated content, customer reviews, policy changes, events, etc.

Also, keep in mind that brand building is a slow process but yields the best ROI. Think of household names like Apple, Samsung, Coca-Cola, etc. They’re all products of excellent branding.

Build a team of industry experts

Now, being a known expert is an added advantage.

This is because experts have vetted industry knowledge with first-hand experience, and having them on your team increases your company's credibility.

Repurpose content for omnichannel marketing.

Repurposing content into various formats is another way to channel your content marketing efforts effectively. Instead of constantly churning out new content, distributing content can help you reach more audiences across several platforms.

Godwin spotlights this saying marketers should expect a huge evolvement in content distribution strategies and optimization techniques.

And just as Ross Simmonds, content distribution expert, put it, content is no longer king. Distribution is.

5. Search Engine Will Reward Risk-taking Content

In the new world of SEO, being good will no longer be enough. Ryan Law expounds that ‘risk-taking content — anything that differs from the existing search results in terms of focus or opinion — has a mechanism for being rewarded.’

He advises marketers to factor these into their content strategy:

• Write more expansive, comprehensive content that provides in-depth value to the readers
• Challenge the known information with a different opinion. Look out for gaps in the top-ranking content and fill them up
• Find the unserved intent and address it. Scour online communities and conduct surveys to dive deep into your customer problems
• Add expert quotes from SMEs like this one

6. Go beyond the SERPs

Instead of trying to hit the first spot on the SERPs, explore other aspects of increasing brand visibility.

According to one research, about 82% of users between 18 and 64 use search engines. This leaves 18% untapped traffic through alternative means.

Diversify your digital marketing efforts to reach an even broader audience. Here’s how.

Focus on brand growth

Building a strong brand goes beyond creating content on search engines. It’s about building a loyal customer base that can lead to long-term growth. For example, when we hear SEMRush, we think of SEO. The same goes for Ahrefs.

So before you begin SEO, marketing, or any other buzz-building campaigns:

• Clearly articulate your brand and messages
• Next, develop a modern, marketing-oriented, up-to-date website
• Finally, create brand consistency on social media

Create Community-Exclusive Content

Establish a deeper connection with your audience by creating community-exclusive content. This can be through webinars, private groups, email lists, or special content releases on social media.

Leverage AI for Improved User Experience

We live in an era where customer experience is pivotal to business growth. Many businesses leverage AI to understand customer preferences and align their strategies accordingly.

Godwin pinpoints that

Artificial Intelligence will usher in a new dynamic of virtual dispensation through the 21st century. Search engines are striving to tag along with the inevitable upcoming, hence the frantic passion from Google.

Conclusion

So far, generative AI in search is fascinating and thought-provoking simultaneously.

Many believe that AI hasn’t come to replace anyone but those who aren’t using this disruptive technology.

All I can say is that AI is iterative. Each new update released to the public is almost twice as powerful as the previous, opening the possibilities of what we can expect. Open AI’s Chat-GPT 4, Google’s SGE, and Microsoft Bing AI chatbots are only the tip of the iceberg.

What other renaissance should we expect?