In the present world, where competition is on the rise and where the world is going digital, it has become more difficult and essential to be on top in SEO.

As we enter 2024, SEO isn’t just about the algorithm and the ranking, but about the person and the solution, which fits the view of search engines and the real-world users.

This blog post covers the new SEO strategies that are expected to be implemented by 2024 and how companies can use them to improve their online presence and engage their target audiences.

1. The Shift Towards Human-Centric SEO

SEO is no longer about keywords and backlinks; it is all about the user intent and about providing the user with what he wants.

This has been especially seen in the year 2024 where search engines such as Google are focusing more on user experience and relevancy of the content. 

This shift implies that companies must focus on developing relevant and useful content that meets the demands of their target market.

Actionable Strategy:

• Develop User Personas:

First, elaborate user personas to get a clearer picture of your target consumers. What are their requirements, issues, and objectives? Adapt your content to deliver solutions to these issues.

• Optimize for User Intent:

Pay attention to the fact that there are four types of user intent: informational, navigational, transactional, and commercial, and develop content to match the buyer’s journey.

2. The Emergence of AI SEO

AI is still widely used in SEO techniques and remains a crucial element in most online marketing campaigns. 

Ranking systems like ChatGPT, RankBrain, BERT, among others are revolutionizing how search engines understand queries and sites. 

AI can work with large amounts of information, identify trends, and even determine users’ actions, which will be useful for efficient SEO in businesses.

Actionable Strategy:

• Leverage AI Tools:

Take advantage of artificial intelligence-based keyword research tools, content generators, and SEO audits. 

These tools can assist in revealing such opportunities, save time and effort needed to perform certain repetitive functions and provide information that would be difficult to gather individually.

• AI-Powered Content Optimization: 

Use AI to analyze your content for readability, keyword density, and relevance. AI can also help generate ideas for new content that is likely to perform well based on current trends and user behavior.

3. Focus on the Core Web Vitals

A ranking factor that is still up to date in 2024 is the Core Web Vitals, which are Google’s measures of user experience. 

These metrics focus on three main aspects: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) for loading speed, First Input Delay (FID) for interactivity, and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) for visual stability.

Optimizing these metrics can have a great impact on the overall user experience, which in turn improves ranking and engagement rates.

Actionable Strategy:

• Optimize Page Speed:

Optimize images by making them smaller in size, enabling compression, and implementing browser caching. 

Other tools, such as Google PageSpeed Insights, can offer more detailed suggestions.

• Enhance Mobile Responsiveness:

Make sure your website is 100% mobile-friendly since a large number of people access the internet through their mobile devices.

• Improve Visual Stability:

Reduce layout shifts by defining the size for images and videos and avoiding ads or pop-ups that may interrupt the user.

4. Voice Search Optimization: What It Is and Why It Matters

As the use of voice-activated devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant continues to grow, Voice Search Optimization has become inevitable.

People use voice search to ask questions that are longer and conversational and the answers needed are usually very specific. 

Optimizing your business for voice search in 2024 could help you stand out from the competition.

Actionable Strategy:

• Incorporate Long-Tail Keywords:

As voice searches are more conversational, opt for long-tail keywords and phrases that people use in their daily speech.

• Answer Specific Questions:

Develop content that addresses frequently asked questions within your niche. It has been found that FAQs, blog posts, and structured data can make your content eligible to appear in voice search.

• Optimize for Local Search:

It is crucial to understand that most voice searches are localized, including ‘near me’ searches. Make sure you have a verified Google My Business listing and that you use location-based keywords in your content.

5. Visual and Video Content Optimization

Visual content, including images, infographics, and videos, continues to dominate the digital space. 

In 2024, optimizing visual content is crucial for enhancing engagement, improving dwell time, and attracting backlinks. 

Video content, in particular, is a powerful tool for storytelling and conveying complex information in an easily digestible format.

Actionable Strategy:

Optimize Images and Videos for SEO: Use descriptive filenames, alt text, and captions for images. 

For videos, include transcriptions, closed captions, and structured data to help search engines understand the content.

Create Engaging Video Content: 

Invest in creating high-quality videos that provide value to your audience. Tutorials, explainer videos, and product demos can be highly effective.

Utilize Image and Video Sitemaps: Submit image and video sitemaps to search engines to help them discover and index your visual content more efficiently.

SEO mistakes to avoid in 2024

Like any other marketing strategy, SEO is not immune to challenges that can affect your campaign, and here they are. 

It is important not to make these mistakes to make sure your website is ranking well and that the users have a good experience while browsing. 

Here is a brief overview of the main SEO mistakes that should be avoided in 2024.

1. Ignoring User Experience (UX)

User experience is the key in 2024. If you rely strictly on keywords and fail to think about how users engage with the site, then you may end up with high bounce rates and low rankings.

Avoid It:

• Accessibility, speed, and responsiveness for mobile devices should be provided.

Don’t just design and build your site; test it periodically to see how easy it is to use.

2. Neglecting Mobile Optimization

Mobile traffic is leading, and that is not good news if you do not adapt your site for mobile, as Google is using mobile-first indexing.

Avoid It:

• Use responsive design and try the site on different devices.
• Mobile SEO is one of the most important aspects and should be tailored to include voice and local searches.

3. Overlooking Core Web Vitals

The Core Web Vitals of Google: loading, interactivity, and visual stability are critical ranking factors. Not doing so results in a negative user experience and low rankings on the search engine result pages.

Avoid It:

• Lazy loading, caching, and preloading images, accelerated page loading, and reduced layout shifts.
• Use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s performance from time to time.

4. Keyword Stuffing and Over-Optimization

Keyword stuffing or over-optimization is a no-no since it results in penalties and a bad experience for the users.

Avoid It:

• Use keywords organically, meaning that the focus has to be on the quality of the content and what the user is actually searching for.
• Try using synonyms and related keywords to expand your keyword list.

How Maddex Digital Marketing Agency Can Elevate Your SEO Strategy

As you try to embrace SEO in 2024, it is not easy to go through the challenges by yourself. 

Maddex Digital Marketing Agency focuses on providing the best SEO services to help your business compete with other businesses in the market.

At Maddex, we appreciate the need for a comprehensive approach when it comes to SEO. Our team of specialists knows all about the current trends, starting with the Core Web Vitals and ending with AI tools.