The way SEO works in 2024 is vastly different from the strategies used in previous years. AI has had a massive impact on search engines, completely changing how content is created, distributed, and consumed. While it may seem like this shift introduces new challenges, it also brings incredible opportunities for growth. In this post, we’ll explore the changes AI has brought to SEO and share three future-proof strategies to help you stay ahead of 95% of your competitors.
1) The Changing Landscape of SEO
In the past year, tools like ChatGPT have revolutionized content creation by making it easier to produce SEO articles and blog posts at scale. As a result, businesses from small mom-and-pop shops to large content marketing agencies began churning out a massive amount of AI-generated content. However, this also led to an oversupply of poorly written, generic content, often referred to as “commodity content.” This type of content lacks human perspective, feels robotic, and fails to engage readers.
In May, Google introduced a new feature called Google Search Generative Experience (GSSE), which further changed the game. Instead of delivering a traditional list of search results, Google now offers AI-generated answers directly in the search results. For SEO experts, this was a major curveball.
2) The New Opportunity in SEO
While AI-generated content and Google’s GSSE may seem like threats, they also present new opportunities. The truth is, AI alone cannot generate the high-quality, human-centered content that users and search engines crave. This opens the door for SEO strategists who can blend AI’s efficiency with their own human experience, perspective, and unique insights.
Here’s how you can use AI to help you produce more content while ensuring it resonates with readers and ranks higher in search results:
3) Step 1: Use AI for Keyword Research and Topic Clustering
AI tools like ChatGPT can help you generate a topical map, which is essentially a list of topics that, when covered thoroughly, will establish your website as an authority in your niche. For example, if your niche is home renovation, you could ask AI to generate 30 semantically relevant subtopics. From there, you can further break down each topic into multiple variations that target different search intents, such as “how to remodel a bathroom” or “best tools for home renovation.”
4) Step 2: Develop Human-Centered Content
While AI can assist with content creation, it’s essential to inject your human perspective. What sets AI content apart from content written by experts is the personal touch. AI hasn’t experienced the world—it's never made a bad decision, worked in a specific profession, or solved a real-world problem. People search for answers based on human experience, opinions, and advice. Adding these elements makes your content stand out, even if you use AI to write initial drafts.
You can start by asking AI to draft outlines for articles or even write full-length blog posts. However, always go back to the content and edit it to include your unique insights, personal stories, and professional expertise. This will make your content more engaging and authoritative.
5) Step 3: Optimize for Google’s AI-Powered Snapshots
With Google’s GSSE rolling out, it’s essential to optimize your content for AI-powered snapshots. These are AI-generated answers that appear at the top of search results, along with clickable links to the sources. To optimize for these snapshots, you’ll need to focus on creating concise, clear, and authoritative content that directly answers specific questions.
Start by identifying the questions your blog posts already answer, and then refine your content to ensure these answers are precise and to the point. Google prefers answers that are definitive, easy to understand, and concise—between 150 and 300 characters. This could be a perfect use case for ChatGPT, where you can ask it to generate answers based on the research you’ve provided.
6) Step 4: Leverage YouTube for SEO
While AI is shaking up written content, video content remains relatively untouched by the AI revolution, at least for now. YouTube, the second-largest search engine in the world, offers a unique opportunity to build trust with your audience through video content. It’s worth noting that video content can rank on both YouTube and Google, and embedding YouTube videos on your website can increase your chances of ranking in Google’s search results.
To optimize your YouTube SEO, research relevant keywords for your videos and use them in your titles and descriptions. Additionally, say your target keyword within the first few minutes of the video, as YouTube’s algorithm picks up on spoken words. This increases the likelihood of your video ranking higher in searches.
7) Conclusion: Blending AI with Human Expertise
The future of SEO in 2024 and beyond lies in using AI to enhance your content creation process, but with a human touch that AI cannot replicate. While AI can help you create content at scale, your personal perspective, experiences, and expertise are what will ultimately set your content apart. By optimizing for Google’s new AI features and taking advantage of video SEO, you can future-proof your SEO strategy and stay ahead of the competition.
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