SEO Best Practices for 2025: Integrating Traditional and AI-Powered Strategies
SEO Best Practices for 2025: Integrating Traditional and AI-Powered Strategies
Search engine optimization has come a long way in recent years, and artificial intelligence is completely changing how we think about content visibility and search rankings. The good news is that traditional SEO fundamentals are still important, but now we have exciting new opportunities thanks to generative AI. If you want to succeed in 2025 and beyond, you'll need to learn how to combine the tried-and-true practices with these new AI-powered strategies.
Traditional SEO Best Practices: The Foundation That Endures
Technical SEO: Building a Solid Infrastructure
Think of your website's technical foundation as the backbone of everything else you do with SEO. Search engines need to easily crawl, understand, and index your content before any other optimization work can make a difference. This means making sure your website loads quickly on all devices, has proper security in place, and works great on mobile.
You'll want to tackle technical issues first. Things like crawl errors, broken links, and indexing problems create roadblocks between your content and search engines. Running regular technical audits helps you catch and fix these problems before they hurt your rankings. Also, don't overlook structured data through schema markup. It gives search engines clear context about your content, making it much easier for them to understand and properly categorize your pages.
Content Quality: People-First Approach
High-quality content is still the heart of good SEO. When you create useful, original content that genuinely helps your audience, it will always beat content that's written mainly for search engines. This people-first approach means really understanding what your audience needs and giving them comprehensive, well-researched information that actually answers their questions and solves their problems.
Natural, conversational writing has become more important as search algorithms get smarter. Keyword stuffing and overly optimized content actually hurt you now instead of helping. Instead, focus on building topical authority by covering subjects thoroughly across multiple related articles. This shows your expertise and helps establish your website as a go-to resource in your field.
Link Building: Earning Credible Connections
Quality backlinks from authoritative websites are still important signals of trust and relevance to search engines. But the game has changed from quantity to quality, with search engines getting much better at spotting and penalizing sketchy link schemes. Today's successful link building means creating genuinely valuable resources that other websites naturally want to link to.
Try developing link-worthy assets like original research, helpful tools, and comprehensive expert guides. These resources attract organic backlinks because they offer real value to both the website that's linking and their readers. Yes, this approach takes more work upfront, but it creates lasting SEO benefits that you just can't get from manipulative tactics.
On-Page Optimization: Clear Structure and Relevance
Good on-page optimization combines clear structure with smart keyword placement. Using descriptive headings that include relevant keywords helps both users and search engines understand how your content is organized. Just remember that these headings need to feel natural and serve your readers first.
Your meta titles, descriptions, and URLs should clearly tell users what they'll find on each page. These elements are your content's first impression in search results, so clarity and relevance matter more than cramming in keywords. Don't forget about internal linking strategy either. It guides users through related content while showing search engines how your topics connect.
Generative AI SEO Best Practices: Adapting to the AI Era
Schema Markup for AI Visibility
Now that AI systems are becoming part of search experiences, structured data is more important than ever. FAQ, How-To, Q&A, and Author schema markup help AI systems like Google's AI Overviews and various language models interpret and cite your content more effectively. This structured approach makes your information more accessible to AI agents that users are increasingly turning to for quick answers.
The trick is implementing schema markup that accurately reflects what your content is actually about and how it's structured. This transparency helps AI systems understand when and how to reference your content, which could boost your visibility in AI-generated responses and featured snippets.
AI-Powered Keyword Research
Artificial intelligence has really shaken up keyword research by letting us dig deeper into user intent and behavior patterns. AI tools can find long-tail keywords and intent-driven phrases that traditional research methods might completely miss. These tools are also great at predicting emerging keyword trends by analyzing behavioral and historical data patterns.
This improved capability lets you plan content more strategically by anticipating what users need instead of just reacting to current search volumes. When you understand the intent behind searches, you can create content that addresses user questions at different stages of their journey.
AI-Enhanced Content Creation
Generative AI can really speed up your content creation process, but you need to find the right balance. Using AI tools to help with drafting, research, and brainstorming can make you more efficient, but human editing and oversight are still crucial. The best approach combines AI's speed and analytical power with human creativity, expertise, and quality control.
Content that shows real-world experience and expertise still performs best, no matter how you create it. AI should enhance your subject matter knowledge rather than replace it, helping you explain complex ideas more clearly or explore topics from new angles.
Conversational and Voice Search Optimization
With more people using AI assistants and voice search, your content needs to mirror natural speech patterns. Users are increasingly asking complete questions instead of typing short keyword phrases, making conversational content structure more important than ever.
Give clear, direct answers to common questions, and your content will perform well in both traditional search results and AI-generated responses. This means thinking about the specific questions your audience asks and structuring your content to provide immediate, helpful answers.
AI Agent Optimization
Major AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity have become significant information sources for many users. To optimize content for these systems, focus on authority, clarity, and usefulness. AI agents tend to prefer content that provides comprehensive comparisons, clear summaries, and practical resources.
When you create content that AI systems can easily cite and reference, you increase your visibility across multiple platforms. This means organizing information logically, providing clear attribution, and maintaining high standards for accuracy and relevance.
Strategic Shifts in 2025
The line between traditional SEO and AI optimization has pretty much disappeared. Optimizing for AI agents and search engines is now one unified strategy instead of separate efforts. This makes sense because search experiences increasingly include AI elements, from featured snippets to direct AI responses.
Google's continued focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T) works perfectly with AI systems' preference for credible, well-researched content. These quality signals help both traditional search algorithms and AI agents identify trustworthy sources worth citing and recommending.
AI systems especially like content that solves specific problems, particularly for users who are in the middle to lower funnel stages of their journey. This focus on practical, actionable information rewards websites that put user value first instead of trying to game search engines.
Moving Forward with Integrated SEO
Success in 2025 means embracing both traditional SEO fundamentals and AI-powered innovations. The websites that will thrive are those that combine technical excellence with high-quality, authoritative content optimized for both human readers and AI systems. This integrated approach ensures you'll be visible across all the ways users discover and consume information in our increasingly AI-enhanced digital world.
SEO and GEO: New Opportunities Despite Search Ranking Volatility
Website owners have seen it all, but the volatility in the search rankings over the past six weeks is some of the most significant changes we’ve seen - ever. Following the June 2025 Google Core Update rollout, many sites plunged in the SERPs, while others regained traffic (my sites regained traffic, and I’ve explained why in this week’s Monday Marketing Motivation).
Here’s the thing: the SEO strategies you relied on for the past decade or more are gone. Gone. Forget them. Filling your site with top of funnel (TOFU) content aligned with high traffic keywords, answering simple questions, or building glossaries in the hopes of ranking for a term are gone. Smart SEO strategies are now focused on middle of funnel (MOFU) and bottom of funnel (BOFU) traffic, clustering long tail keywords naturally in articles, and GEO - GenAI engine optimization.
The AI Revolution in Search Results: SEO and GEO
At the heart of this volatility lies a transformative force: the rapid expansion of AI-powered search features. It’s been dubbed “GEO” for “generative AI search engine optimization”. Watch that buzzword. As buzzwords go, it’s not bad. Others are calling it zero-click search, which simply means that people are getting the answers they seek on search engines without having to click through to web pages.
GenAI Search Results: GEO Is The New Norm
We're witnessing a fundamental shift in how search engines present information to users. AI-generated summaries, conversational search interfaces, and intelligent answer boxes are no longer experimental features. Like it or not, they are now the focus of the search experience.
This change is profoundly changing user behavior patterns. Where users once clicked through to the top-ranking pages to find answers, they're increasingly satisfied with the information presented directly within the search interface. This is moving traffic away from websites, hence the declining organic search traffic on many sites.
The End of Set-and-Forget SEO
Ah, the good old days of SEO. When I began writing search engine optimized copy years ago, I was handed keywords with numbers next to them to calculate how many times to use them in the copy of the article. That shifted a few years later into the current pattern of finding 1-3 keyword phrases that are high traffic generators and use them in certain places in the copy. Once the articles are published, allow 6-8 weeks to see how they rank, then tweak as needed.
Ah, but today…today, AI search is changing everything. It’s constantly shifting the algorithms, making it difficult to predict keyword volume. It’s making it even harder to simply publish articles and rank well. There’s so much going on under the hood, some things known, some unknown, and some only partially known.
This has created a lot of uncertainty among marketers, which is leading them to put the brakes on new content creation. (I have not; I keep creating content. AI search engines like my copy. It ranks in GEO. I’m still analyzing why.)
It's no longer enough to target traditional ranking factors. Everyone needs to consider how our content will perform in AI-generated summaries and conversational search contexts.
Strategies for Success in an AI-Driven Search World
To maintain visibility in this rapidly changing landscape, marketing professionals need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of how AI is reshaping user search behavior. This involves recognizing that users increasingly expect immediate, contextual answers rather than links to explore. Content strategies must evolve to provide the kind of comprehensive, well-structured information that AI systems can easily parse and present to users.
The most successful organizations will be those that view this disruption not as a threat, but as an opportunity to build more meaningful connections with their audiences. By focusing on creating genuinely helpful content that serves user intent, regardless of how it's delivered, marketers can position themselves to thrive in whatever search landscape emerges next.
I told a friend that instead of looking at pure numbers, we have to get inside our target customer’s heads. We have to think about their questions, the weird, the offbeat, the unusual. Because, frankly, that’s the only thing AI can’t answer easily. She asked a logical question: Yes, but how do you know what they want to know? I can’t answer that easily. I do research - a lot of it. I look at Reddit, Quora, forums, and my own website and social media comments. I people-watch and eavesdrop. I even watch commercials on television to pick up on trends. I continue to do keyword research, but I pay more attention to the questions people are asking than the simple phrases used. It’s a combination of all of these things that enable me to develop content that continues to rank in this SEO/GEO-powered world.
Looking Ahead: A Whole New World Awaits!
I’m actually excited by these changes. I see them as a competitive advantage. Marketers and writers like myself who always enjoyed the quirky, unusual, offbeat articles can now produce them without worrying about slotting in specific awkward keyword phrases. AI is good at understanding context, so you don’t have to worry as much about direct keyword matches. You can write more from the heart, and especially, from personal experience, which I love.
While the recent volatility may feel unsettling, it's also creating opportunities for forward-thinking marketers to differentiate themselves. Those who can successfully navigate this transition, by understanding AI's impact on search behavior and adapting their strategies, will survive for the next Google Core Update to shake things up again!
Let's Talk About SEO - What Is SEO?
Let's Talk About SEO (Without the Jargon!)
You know that feeling when you're trying to get your business noticed online, and it feels like you're screaming into the wind? Yeah, I've been there. The good news? SEO doesn't have to be this mysterious, complicated thing that only tech wizards understand. Let's break it down together.
So What Exactly IS SEO?
Think of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as your way of raising your hand when someone asks, "Hey, does anyone know where I can find...?" When people search for what you offer, you want to be the business that pops up first - not buried on page 47 of Google results.
Here's the thing - it's like having the best storefront in town. If it's hidden down a back alley where nobody walks, you're not going to get customers. But if you're right there on Main Street where everyone can see you? That's SEO working for you.
The best part? Unlike those expensive ads that eat up your budget, once you get your SEO right, people keep finding you without you having to pay for each click. Pretty sweet deal, right?
Let's Break Down the Two Main Types
On-Page SEO is everything you can control on your own website. Think of it as organizing your store so customers can easily find what they need. You're creating helpful content, using the right keywords naturally (not stuffing them in everywhere - that's just annoying), and making sure your website is easy to navigate. It's also about those behind-the-scenes details like page titles and descriptions that tell search engines what your page is about.
Off-Page SEO is about building your reputation in the neighborhood. When other websites link to yours, it's like getting a recommendation from a trusted friend. The more quality websites that vouch for you, the more search engines think, "Hey, this business must be legit!" Social media engagement, online reviews, and local business listings all play into this too.
The Technical Stuff (Don't Worry, We'll Keep It Simple!)
I know "technical SEO" sounds scary, but think of it as basic maintenance for your digital storefront. You want your website to load quickly (nobody likes waiting around), work on mobile phones (because let's be honest, that's how most people browse), and be secure (that little padlock in the browser bar).
You also want to make it easy for search engines to understand what your business is about. It's like putting up clear signs in your store - "Shoes This Way," "Electronics Over Here." The clearer you make it, the better search engines can direct the right customers to you.
Another important aspect of SEO is ensuring that everything works properly. Links to external websites can change over time, and broken links are like a road to nowhere - they don't work, and Google doesn't like it. Ditto to images no longer rendering properly, videos that don't load, and so on.
A tool to monitor problems with SEO, such as SEMRush, is invaluable. It provides reports to help you quickly figure out what's broken, not working, or needs to be fixed.
How Does SEO Stack Up Against Other Marketing Tactics?
Paid ads are like renting a billboard - great visibility while you're paying, but the moment you stop, you're invisible again. SEO is like owning prime real estate. It takes time to build, but once you're there, you're there.
Social media is fantastic for building relationships and brand awareness, but it's more like hosting a party - you need to keep the energy up constantly. Email marketing is like having a direct line to your best customers, but you need their permission first.
The beauty of SEO? People are already looking for what you offer. You're not interrupting their day with an ad - you're being helpful by showing up exactly when they need you. And here's the kicker - people trust organic search results more than ads. It's like the difference between a friend's recommendation and a sales pitch.
Combining Strategies: What Works
Here's what I've learned working with small businesses: SEO works best when it's part of a bigger picture. Maybe you use some paid ads to get quick wins while your SEO is building up steam. Or you share your great content on social media to get more eyes on it. Your email newsletter can drive people back to your website, boosting those SEO signals.
It's not about choosing one thing - it's about making them all work together. Like a good recipe, the right combination of ingredients makes something way better than any single component alone.
I would say that SEO is the cornerstone of any business marketing program. That's because your website is the central location or hub for your business online. In order for people to visit, they must find it, and SEO makes it easier to find.
The Bottom Line
SEO isn't just for the big guys with huge budgets and big marketing teams. It's for every business owner who wants to be found by the people who need what they offer. Sure, it takes some time and effort, but so does everything worthwhile in business.
Your customers are out there right now, typing questions into Google. Wouldn't it be nice if they found you first?
Want to chat about how to make this work for your specific business? I'm here to help you figure out a strategy that actually makes sense for where you're at right now.
Crushing AI Search: Is SEO Still Worth It? What You Need To Know Now
Is SEO still worth it in the age of AI search? The answer is a resounding yes, but doing SEO the same old way will get you nowhere. Here, I share with you the latest in AI search based on what marketers have learned to date.
A quick note: I’m writing this article in late June 2025. The experts I work with at technology companies all tell me that AI is changing so rapidly that it is hard even for them to keep up with the latest advances. I’ll try to update this article over time, but keep the date in mind when you read it just in case some of the advice turns stale (like tomorrow!)
AI search is a type of search driven by artificial intelligence (AI). It uses natural language processing to develop a more comprehensive response than traditional keyword-based search. The goal is to understand user intent and create responses based on perceived user intent.
How Does AI Search Differ from Traditional Search Engine Optimization?
If that definition sounds similar to the traditional definition of search engine optimization (SEO) that’s because for years Google has been telling us that the purpose of search engines is to match user queries with content that answers those queries. Traditional keyword search was based on the phrases people typed in and how page content was optimized for such phrases. Now, however, AI search promises to take it a step further and look beyond keyword phrases.
AI search uses what is called a fan technique or fanning technique. It takes the starting question and fans it out based on what it has learned from its large language model about the query. Then, its response is based not just on a simple keyword phrase but on multiple possible related queries.
Is SEO Still Relevant in the Age of AI?
Search engines still need a starting point to scan and index your content. That starting point is your words on screen, infused with keywords in the traditional manner.
However, your job as a modern SEO specialist is to expand beyond that and think like an AI search engine.
Consider the keyword phrases you’ve chosen not as the single phrase to optimize in your content, but as the starting point. Next, think about all the other things related to the original phrase that people may need to know.
Let’s take as an example a company that sells bridal gowns. Perhaps they are writing an article about attractive styles for the plus-size bride. Starting with that topic, what else might their customer want to know? Perhaps shoes and veils that match the gown, or tailoring and styling tips to help the bride look beautiful on her special day.
A simple keyword search tool reveals multiple branching queries from the phrase “plus size bridal gown” including terms like tea-length plus size bridal gowns, short sleeve plus size bridal gowns, and dozens more. I would work these phrases in naturally into the article to attract the AI engines to it.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to be as literal with this kind of search as with traditional search. As far as I can tell, the platforms are smart enough to recognize similar phrases without having to hit the exact phrase a certain number of times, as in the past.
My Personal Exploration of This Topic
I am actively exploring and testing these ideas in my gardening blog, Home Garden Joy. It’s more than a blog. It’s my sandbox for SEO. Follow it if you want to grow and preserve your own food (I teach you how to grow fruit, vegetables, and herbs, my hobby). And I’ll share here what my SEO experiments yield.
Keep Up to Date: Who To Follow on Modern SEO Practices
Well, yes, follow me on LinkedIn and follow Seven Oaks Consulting. That’s a given.
But here are some of the top minds who I follow to learn all I can about modern search engine optimization:
Google’s Blog: Need I say more?
Ann Smarty, who writes a brilliant weekly Substack on AI and search.
Jeannie Hill, who taught me a lot about retail shopping search.
Help! AI Is Eating My Website Traffic!
Did you notice a dip in your organic search traffic starting, oh, around early January 2024?
The dip probably became a freefall, resembling a black diamond ski slope.
What you’re seeing is AI diverting organic search traffic. For bloggers and site owners who relied heavily on search engine optimization (SEO) tools, seeing the dreaded ‘my traffic fell off a cliff’ graph can make them want to throw away their keyboard and give up on SEO.
Fear not. There are ways to combat the voracious beast known as AI-driven search.
Organic Search Isn’t Dead - It’s Just Changing
First, know that organic search isn’t dead. It’s just changing. Evolving. Remember 2011? And other updates? The 2011 Panda Google update upended the applecart for many site hosts, shrinking site traffic and ad revenues.
Hey, Google makes no promises about SEO. It provides guidelines, not laws, about creating content and structuring websites for good organic traffic.
I view the new AI search snippets as just another evolution in Google’s quest to dominate search. And, just as I did for the Panda, Hummingbird, and other Google updates that shook up my predictable flow of organic search visitors, I am taking steps to update my blogs and websites so that they thrive in the new age of AI.
Let’s take a look at optimizing content for AI in this new world of AI search.
Write for People First
Look, do I have to say it again? I guess I do, because far too often, I read blog posts and website copy that’s a jumble of jargon. Write for people first, and not just any people - write for your target persona.
What’s a persona? It’s an imaginary person who represents your ideal customer, the decision maker, and audience whom you’d like to get in front of to sell your ideas, products, or services.
If you write for this “person,” you are writing for a person, and your content will sound natural and fun.
Have you noticed how stilted AI content can be? Sometimes it’s good, but most of the time it peppers its output with words like unleash, unlock, and elevate. It likes long sentence structures oh-so-perfectly. It doesn’t have anything new to say - no stories, case studies, or personal reflections. And it can’t make a good analogy for beans! (That phrase alone will probably pop a diode somewhere in the AI platform scanning this page.)
Takeaways:
- Write for people first, AI and search second
- Write in your natural, conversational voice
- Use plenty of firsthand stories, anecdotes, and case studies - things an AI can’t add to the conversation.
Personal Branding and Authoritative Content
Developing your online personal brand is an ongoing strategy. Part of that strategy is developing your online presence as an authority in a topic or topics.
What do you want to be known and remembered for? It should be something of keen importance to your persona and your target market. It should dovetail perfectly with your services and strengths. And, it should focus on a niche; something you can do better and differently than anyone else.
If you identify this niche, and create content across multiple channels, you can develop your online reputation as an authority in the topic. This technique does take considerable time and effort but it can serve as a buffer against the vicissitudes of Google’s ever-shifting algorithm.
Takeaways:
- Focus on your persona and niche
- Create original content for your persona
- Rinse and repeat, focusing on a consistent theme or message
Add Branded Content to Your Site
Branded content is content that mentions your company, product, or service by name. AI models need such content to understand who your company is and what it does. When the AI search bot encounters your site, serve it plenty of branded content to build your own footprint within its little robotic brain.
Takeaways:
- Add branded content to your website - beef up your about page, bios, FAQs, and more.
Final Thoughts
AI search is but an evolution of Google, Bing, and other search engines’ never-ending quest to improve search results. If it’s eating your website traffic, fight back by feeding it what YOU want it to eat: branded content, original stories, and ideas only a person can create. By being yourself and working with AI models instead of against them, you have a chance to build your traffic back.
Blogging Advice - How to Succeed Despite Google
Everybody and his brother are talking about the Google leak that occurred on or about May 27, 2024. The staggering amount of information leaked by these documents will keep search engine optimization and marketing professionals busy for months to come.
If you aren't familiar with the Google leak, below are articles written by people a lot smarter than me on the subject:
The Google leak is important and adds to the blogging advice I've shared over the years. Much of what Google has stated publicly is misleading. What works is what YOU find that works and I share it below. Take whatever SEO "experts" tell you with a grain of salt. If they haven't proved it for themselves, chances are it's 50% spin from Google and 50% regurgitated advice from somewhere else. My blogging advice is based on things I have tested. Here's what I have learned from my 16 years of professional SEO writing and what's working now.
Listen to the Blogging Advice Podcast
Blogging Advice Learned from 16+ Years of Professional SEO Writing
I've been writing for the web since 2008. In the early, heady days of SEO, we wrote search engine-optimized articles based on highly formulaic information. Once, I had a spreadsheet with mathematical formulas embedded in it; I plunked in the word count and the keywords, and the magic formula told me if the page would rank well.
With each subsequent Google update, we moved away from that simplistic, formulaic way of writing for the web but continued to follow the rules. Use the keyword phrase once in the headline and once in the subheading. Use the keyword phrase X number of times per word count. If you're writing for the web, you, too, know the "rules."
The Google leak blew up the rules. The information contained in the leaked documents points to years of Google systematically gaslighting marketing experts who consistently tested Google's claims and found them wanting.
The E-E-A-T formula Google has been touting for years? Forget it. Apparently, brand name and brand recognition count for more than anything Joe Public could write and publish, even if Joe Publish has excellent credentials.
And the little guys who felt like Google was squashing their content lower and lower in the search engine ranks? Guess what? It's true. They have been.
There is hope, however. For those of you struggling with your content marketing and wondering how to get more views, clicks, and interactions on your blog, here's what I have learned this year.
What Works for SEO Blogs: Micro Niches
I run a website called Home Garden Joy. It is about gardening – specifically, how to grow your own food and herbs and how to cook with them and preserve them. This site is also my sandbox, where I play with SEO and learn from my own mistakes. It has helped me provide outstanding SEO service to my clients because whatever I tell my clients, I have tried in the real world and discovered for myself what works and what doesn't.
What works today is micro niches. A niche is a smaller subset of a bigger topic. A topic may be photography; the niche is wedding photography, or nature photography. A micro niche may be destination wedding photography (wedding photograph niche) or bird photography (nature photography niche). The more specific you can be in your micro-niche, the better.
Structure Your Site Around Your Micro Niche
It's not enough to simply write for your micro niche. Every aspect of your website or blog must focus on the micro niche.
This past winter, I worked on the basic structure of Home Garden Joy. I removed old categories that were irrelevant to the micro niche (growing flowers, butterfly gardens, homesteading) and instead included only categories related to growing, cooking, or preserving fruits, vegetables, and herbs, as well as gardening basics. I didn't get rid of the articles in the flower, house plant, and other categories; I just reorganized them.
Such changes may seem small and insignificant, but I noticed an immediate increase in traffic. It's as if Google had been confused about the site before. What was it about? Now, however, it was clear.
I also rewrote the home page, once again focusing the copy on growing your own food and learning how to cook with it and preserve it. Again, a small bump in the SERPs, but it added up.
Lastly, I changed the featured articles on the home page of the site – once again focusing solely on the micro niche. This last change, combined with the incremental changes that had come before it, seemed to do the trick.
Personalized Content Helps Your Blog Stand Apart
How can you stand out in a sea of similar blogs and websites? By personalization.
Personalization, or sharing your own unique perspective and experience, sends strong signals to Google that you are an authority on the topic. It's not enough to write about growing peach trees, for example, I wrote an article on how to propagate peach trees and I took step by step photos showing myself and my husband on our farm actually taking cuttings, rooting and growing them.
Google Loves Personalized Content
Google loves such personalization. It sets it apart from the AI-generated content that is just flooding everything these days. Articles where I take my own photos and do not use stock images and where I actually show us on the farm building raised beds, planting trees, or making something are some of my strongest performers in the SERPs, and I think it's because Google knows with certainty that this is original content.
I have many credentials that should signal to Google that I am a gardening authority. I'm a Certified Virginia Master Gardener. I have lectured locally on herb gardening and similar topics. I've written gardening books and penned a column for many years for Virginia Gardener magazine, not to mention working at Martin Viette Nurseries. All of that should send strong signals to Google to trust my content. But adding the personal touch seems to be what sets some of my content apart from tons of other gardening articles out there.
I'm not saying that my blog is the best or that my blogging advice is the only advice to follow. There are other fine gardening blogs out there and people with even better credentials than me, that's for sure. But as I have mentioned, my gardening blog and website are my proving ground, my personal SEO sandbox, and it's how I confirm all the information I read about from other professionals in the field.
Blogging Advice: Micro Niche Now or Go Home
Between the AI-generated content running rampant online and the new information pouring out of the leaked Google documents, it's clear that we are no longer in the formulaic phase of SEO. We're not even in the last phase of SEO (which was built on lies from Google, or at least misdirection): E-A-T is mostly baloney, with some grain of truth, but it can't beat a strong, known brand in the SERPs.
So what does work? Be careful with the blogging advice you take and test everything. I found that micro niches and personalization, good writing, original photos and lots of juicy good links back to your site work the best. Good site speed is also critical.
These are the things that are working now. As with all things SEO, however, this could change in an instant if one of the major search engines decides to tweak its algorithms. I think the days of chasing SEO success for advertising dollars are over. If you're monetizing your content, you need to find multiple revenue streams. Write books. Write courses. Consult. Teach. And use ads, but don't rely upon one channel solely for revenue. There's too many unknowns nowadays and too frequent Google updates to use the old model of build a site, include ads, and monetize.
The Challenges with SEO and Google E-A-T
SEO and Google E-A-T: does it reward only the loudest voice in the room?
Last week (November 21), Ann Smarty published a Substack newsletter entitled SEO and Topical Authority, in which she assessed the trends in SEO and Google E-A-T and its potential reaction to the expected onslaught of AI-generated content in the next few years or months.
In her piece, Ann suggests that the "loudest voice in the room" will be the ones dominating the SERPS. It won't be enough to produce expert-optimized content. It won't be enough to interact on social media. No, those who dominate the SERPs will be those Google deems expert according to their nebulous and infamous "E-A-T" formula: expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness.
The Problems with SEO and Google E-A-T Formula
The problem with the E-A-T formula is that it's never been clear exactly how a computer is supposed to assess this. For example, does it deem my dual master's degrees in direct marketing and writing a proven example of content creation and marketing expertise? It should, but it probably doesn't. How about my 30 years of experience leading marketing teams in various industries? It doesn't even register that.
Instead, as Ann points out using screenshots from recent searches, search engines seem to register the ‘loudest’ voice in the rooms – the ones dominating the conversations across platforms.
You know the ones…
- The consultant who slaps their face on every ad or social post
- The consultant who brands themselves a guru of this or that
- The consultant who aggressively pursues paid and unpaid advertising
- The consultant who flies across the country to speak at conferences
- The consultants with book contracts
Let's be clear: doing all those things is fine if they feel right to you and are congruent with your brand. And therein lies the rub. Not all of us like to be loud. Some of us, myself included, would prefer to let our thoughts shine rather than our personalities. It's not that we don't have personalities – we do. But for some of us, being the loudest voice in the room isn't our thing.
How Can You Convince Google of Your Expertise and Authority?
The question is how each of us can help Google understand our topical authority. (I use Google as an example of search because it remains the dominant player in the industry). The answer, I believe, is in personal branding.
If you are unfamiliar with personal branding, now is an excellent time to begin understanding it. It is crafting, managing, and refining your online reputation to ensure consistent recognition of your expertise.
I think that Google's algorithm relies heavily upon consistent signals over time. It's the "over time" part that people forget. In the short run, anyone can pump out consistent content on almost any topic. But it is the years of speaking, teaching, writing, and sharing information on one angle, one topic, that will eventually help your personal brand stand out.
I look forward to Ann's subsequent reflection on this topic. What are your thoughts on this? Is Google giving too much attention to vanity metrics in their E-A-T formula? Or can you, as a marketer, work with this and use it to your advantage?
Has Google's Latest Algorithm Update Impacted Site Traffic?
Has Google's latest algorithm update impacted site traffic for you? Are you seeing your once-great traffic tank or your articles with no traffic suddenly zooming up in the SERPs?
Google's Latest Algorithm Update and Its Impact on Site Traffic
I've noticed a big shift in Google's algorithm since August. I own several sites, including this one, and provide content marketing support to numerous content entrepreneurs who own multiple sites.
Across the board, we've seen some sites suddenly surge in popularity with Google; traffic has more than doubled on one of my websites, for example, during a time of the year when it normally decreases abruptly (it's a gardening website and traffic generally peaks in April in accordance with planting schedules in the USA.)
On the other hand, sites that generally had strong traffic suddenly saw their posts sink a few positions or more in the SERPs. That may not sound like much, but it can result in drastic decreases in website visitors – and, with decreased site visitors, a decrease in monetization. In other words, those sites are making less money for their owners.
Ann Smarty, in her weekly newsletter, explained it brilliantly. I won't go into the details, but I do urge you to head over to Ann’s newsletter and read it for yourself.
Four Google Updates Since August 2023
Essentially, Google performed not one but FOUR updates since August 22, 2023:
- Core Update – August 22, 2023
- Helpful Content Update – September 2023
- Spam Update – Early October 2023
- Core Update (again!) – Mid-October 2023
What Is a Google Core Update?
This is a general algorithm update performed by Google to improve search results. As always, Google's goal is to improve the accuracy and relevancy of search engine results. Core Updates do not target specific websites or types of content.
What Is a Google Helpful Content Update?
The Helpful Content updates is the big one, in my opinion, impacting many bloggers. These updates DO target specific sites or content, downgrading those Google's algorithm deems "unhelpful" to the searcher and upgrading those it deems "helpful." This latest update is impacting mostly sites that did heavy keyword phrase tailoring to improve search engine rank without regard or with secondary regard to the helpfulness of the information.
What Is a Google Spam Update?
The Google Spam Update downgrades thin content (i.e., does not go into depth or detail on the searched topic) or is overly promotional. It also targets websites that are created merely to sell products through search opportunities – keyword stuffed sites filled with affiliate links or sales links.
What's Going on With Google and Your Content?
Now, given that Google had rolled out so many updates in just a few short weeks, what the heck is going on?
That's what's going on. AI is EVERYWHERE in content. It's not only being used to generate spammy content (i.e., the 'thin' content marked for downgrade in a Google Spam update), it is also being used to generate books, blog posts, websites, and anything else.
Google doesn't like AI generated content (probably because it has yet to crack the code on how to monetize it for its own gain). Therefore, sites that use it, or sites that sound like they use it, maybe at risk.
Unfortunately, that means a lot of sites that did nothing wrong are seeing their content sink a bit in the rankings. My site is often written in the first person, with original images showing my husband or myself performing a gardening task; this is one reason why the traffic has suddenly surged for us. The site offers actual people doing real things, and there is no way that an AI bot generated this content. Google is rewarding this and the work we did over the past year on UI/UX and search intent, an ongoing project for that website.
Recovering From Google Updates
If your website was impacted negatively by these Google updates, a few words of wisdom from someone who has been running a content business for over 16 years. “This too shall pass.”
I have seen it all, from the content mills keyword stuffing articles in the early days to this latest update, and you know what works? QUALITY CONTENT.
SEO Writing Tactics That Work for Long-Term Results
- Write for search intent, not keywords. What does the person searching want to know or do related to a particular keyword phrase? Make sure your content addresses it.
- Avoid overly promotional content or spam stuff.
- Disclose affiliate relationships, ads, and sponsored posts.
- Offer a fresh, unique perspective. If you're copying someone else, you won't do well in the long term.
- Revise and refresh your posts. Don’t let them get stale.
- Use your photos if you can, especially for how-to posts.
- Write for people first, search engines second.
- Ensure you always use your authorial voice. Google wants expertise, authority, and trust, not just any random stuff.
What’s your opinion? How has your content fared during these updates? If Google's latest algorithm update impact site traffic for you and you want to get more traffic, contact Seven Oaks Consulting. We can help. Share a comment or write to me at jeanne@sevenoaksconsulting.com, and let's strategize how we can fix it if your content's rank has tanked.
What Are Keywords?
What are keywords?
Keywords are specific terms your target audience searches for online. When they search for a particular word or phrase, ideally, you want your website to be the first link that appears in the search results. (Alternatively, you want your website to appear on the first page of search results.) Choosing the right ones for your web pages and blog posts is how you get ranked in search engine results.
Composition of a Keyword
A keyword can be one word. It can also be several words. When two or more words are used to make a keyword phrase, it is known as a "long-tail keyword."
Example
For example, if your company sells sewing machines, you'll want to create engaging, helpful content based on your customers' interests. Your keywords could include "quality sewing machines," "best sewing machine," and affordable sewing machine."
Benefits for SEO
Why should you be concerned about choosing the right keywords for your website content? Here are some benefits of using them correctly:
- Find ideas for content marketing
- Tells you what they are interested in learning more about
- Increases organic traffic to your website
- Helps you understand your target market
- Bring the right customers to your website
High-traffic numbers don't mean a thing if they don't convert into sales through your site. When you use words targeted toward your customers, you attract site visitors who are already motivated to buy from you.
Focused keywords help you build expertise in your site visitors' eyes.
When internet users click on their search results and find the information they need on your website, it establishes your reputation as an expert in your niche.
5 Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Blog
Looking to get more traffic to your blog?
Driving traffic to your articles can make or break your content marketing efforts. After all, what’s high-quality content without an audience? But sometimes, it can feel like a chicken-and-the-egg situation. Here are several effective strategies to help encourage clicks.
Get More Traffic to Your Blog Fast
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Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Optimize your articles for search engines to improve their visibility in search results. At minimum, use relevant keywords organically throughout your pieces, including in the title, headings, and body. Add internal links, meta descriptions, and outbound links for an added boost.
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Share on Social Media
You can get more traffic to your blog quickly by promoting individual articles on social media.
Promote your articles on social media platforms where your target audience “lives.” Craft compelling social media posts to tease your content and include eye-catching graphics. As is best practice, use relevant hashtags and post at optimal times for the best outcomes.
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Use Email Marketing
Don’t forget about your email list as an untapped resource. Send out newsletters or email updates featuring your latest articles. Provide a brief summary and a clear call-to-action (CTA) that piques interest and encourages readers to click through to longer-form pieces.
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Repurpose Content
What’s old to you might be new to them. Convert your articles into different formats like videos, infographics, or podcasts. This allows you to cross-pollinate and cater to different learning preferences without creating content from scratch.
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Embrace Collaboration
Align with other content creators or businesses in your field to amplify your efforts. Co-author articles, run joint webinars, or host podcasts together. By combining energy and resources, you can significantly expand your reach.
Get More Traffic to Your Blog, Fast! Consistency Is Key
Driving traffic to your articles requires intention and consistency. Remember that building an audience takes time, so manage your expectations. Over time, as your content inspires engagement and provides value, your analytics will go in the right direction, too. With these 5 ways to get more traffic to your blog, you're off to a strong start.
Another must read: 13 KPIs for Content Marketing