As an early-stage entrepreneur, you’re probably familiar with the basics of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). But to really grow your business, understanding where SEO stands today—and where it’s headed—is crucial. Recently, I fielded questions about the future of Google and SEO from two different clients in one day. It’s clear this topic is high on the list for many.
In this post, we’ll:
- Break down SEO in simple terms
- Give you a bit of historical context with Google
- Discuss the impact of AI
- Share practical tips to boost your SEO efforts.
What is SEO?
People search for things related to your business with tools like Google. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is all about improving your website to make it more visible.
SEO isn’t an overnight magic trick. It’s a gradual process that builds up through consistent effort. Beware of anyone promising quick fixes through cold emails. They’re likely using bots and other shady practices. Those “huge numbers” they promise in traffic to your site are irrelevant. Bots don’t turn into paying clients. Your best move? Delete those emails and stick to proven strategies (listed below!).
The Historical Context of Google and SEO
What’s your preferred search engine? Have you ever used Bing? How many times a week do you say, “I’ll just Google it.”
Google has long been the king of search. SEO was key to climbing the ranks. In the early days, good SEO was essential for standing out amid the web’s growing content. Over time, Google shifted its focus to businesses paying for Google Ads. Ads allowed businesses to get to the top of search results with little effort. Good for Google and the business in the short run. But this shift cluttered the landscape with pushy content you never asked for.
Have you felt frustrated with your “googling” recently? This is likely the reason. Google users have caught on and are looking elsewhere for answers. Enter ChatGPT as a research tool.
The Rise of AI and Its Impact on SEO
Now, AI is stepping in, and people are turning to it for research solutions. Google is understandably nervous about its top spot and making moves to secure it. One solution is partnering with sources like Reddit to provide forum based “genuine” answers for searches. But, businesses are already catching onto this. What seems like an unsolicited comments praising a specific product, may be an employee in disguise. This is an interesting wack-a-mole dynamic. When one leaves, another pops up in its place. But, we’re getting away from the main point right now.
Truthfully, you don’t really need to know the specifics of how Google is staying in the competition. In short, some say SEO doesn’t matter anymore in an AI-driven world. But we disagree. AI still relies on keywords and tools to deliver relevant answers. SEO should therefore remain a crucial part of your digital strategy.
Practical SEO Tips for Entrepreneurs
Now you know how we got to this point. But your real question is, what should you do about it? Here are some straightforward strategies to improve your SEO. Change won’t happen overnight, but the cumulative actions will benefit you in the long run. Identify the ones worth your time. Create a plan for someone else to accomplish the others.
- Create Quality Blog Posts: Regularly update your blog with valuable content that addresses your audience’s pain points and interests. Think about the information your customers and potential customers would find useful. This is where AI can help you brainstorm. Once the blog is written, it’s easy to find the relevant keywords within your post.
- Use Reference Links: Incorporate internal and external links in your blog posts. This not only provides additional value to your readers but also helps search engines understand the context and relevance of your content.
- Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Profile: Set up your GMB profile to get your business on Google Maps results. It’s cost-effective (free!) and easy to maintain marketing tool. Make sure the profile is complete and accurate. This includes your business name, address, phone number, and website. Regularly update your profile with new posts and respond to customer reviews.
- 5 Star Reviews: High reviews build trust with potential customers. And it show’s web crawlers your business has authority.
- Consistent Information Across Platforms: Make sure your business information is consistent across all online platforms. This helps search engines verify your business’s legitimacy and improve your rankings.
- Directory Listings: These are the modern versions of the physical Yellow Pages. People don’t go to these sites to do searches, but these citation sites can show up high in local search results.
The Future of Google and SEO
SEO isn’t going anywhere; it’s just evolving alongside new technologies like AI. Stay updated. Be patient. And invest in proven SEO strategies to ensure long-term success. For personalized content marketing strategies, feel free to contact our team.
Stay ahead of the curve and keep optimizing!
Eye Spy!
Can you identify which of the 6 suggestions we incorporated into this post?
Aducate Digital specializes in providing simplified, actionable insights tailored for small business owners. We prioritize practicality and relevance. We deliver strategies that are easy to understand and implement.
Looking to elevate your marketing efforts and achieve sustainable growth? Let’s amplify your story to those who matter most.
References
Google’s Evolution and Algorithm Updates
