Bob Dylan released his iconic song “The Times They Are a-Changin” in 1964. Since then, there have been 176 covers of it. That comes out to just under three versions per year.

Google was founded in 1998, and has gone through tens of thousands of versions. In fact, it changes approximately 12 times a day.

Bob Dylan definitely had it right, because Google sure as heck “a-changes” more than we can even keep track of. Not every Google change is as substantial as a Dylan tune, but five particular ones either released recently, or are on their way, and will have an enormous impact on search engine optimization. Analyzing them is vital for businesses that know the value of a strong digital presence. If you don’t know a lot about search engine optimization, widely shortened to SEO, is a set of practices meant to improve the visibility and ranking of web pages following search queries. 

Let’s break down these five changes to SEO:

1. “E-A-T” Adds an “E”

In the Google world, E-A-T has long been referred to as the meat and potatoes of what it likes using to judge whether the content and in turn the webpage on which it resides, is worthy of a high ranking. E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness and is some of the most important aspects of SEO.

Expertise is all about credentials, or at the bare minimum, street cred. What makes the author, the host, or the publisher knowledgeable? Are they really well-versed on a specific topic, or just claiming to be and stuffing in hot keywords even if it means a terrible read?

Authority is similar, but it speaks more to reputation, whereas expertise can be confined strictly to credentials in the form of backlinking. Backlinks (URLs belonging to others that still link to your page) are a key indicator of esteemed authority.

Trustworthiness is predicated on the extent to which Google thinks people aren’t in harm's way when they visit your site. That can mean everything from misinformation and inaccurate sourcing to unsecured connections being detected.

So what’s the new E? Experience, which we can take directly from Google: “Does content also demonstrate that it was produced with some degree of experience, such as with actual use of a product, having actually visited a place or communicating what a person experienced?”.

E-A-T was first publicly mentioned in 2014. For a company that is constantly updating, one new letter added to a trio that is nearly a decade old is a massive development.  And it’s a good one. This will reward those pages that have done the legwork or truly know their product, service, or industry, rather than just repurposing content from outside sources.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Sure, this section could just be titled “Chat GPT.” But gang, we’re still in 2023’s infancy —who knows what is to come!

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is a pivotal SEO trend because it is, and will continue to, affect every stage of online searches. In fact, it’s a reason why A.I. chieftains Google installed the extra “E” into “E-A-T.” They want first-hand experience to permeate content created by, and meant for, real human beings. Google also created Bard via its LaMDA, an A.I. language model that will be instrumental to conversational content, and even the increased preference for voice searches.

The bottom line and big picture are that the A.I. genie is not going back into the bottle. A.I. will produce content. It will also help it, harm it, and (still) cheat the game at times. But, like most innovations, odds are it will morph into a net positive over time. How? No one knows.

3. Page, Schmage

In the old days, it wasn’t just the first page of Google that was prime real estate—it really was the first three or four search results out of those then displayed that bore fruit. Today, no more, thanks to endless scrolling capabilities. Google has grown smart enough to know that if people want something badly enough, they’ll spend the time vetting results. This is good for websites and content because it lightens the burden of always feeling like keywords must be stuffed all over the place. It ties directly into all parts of “E-E-A-T” because it rewards real, genuine content that is what a conversation between two humans—one providing something and the other receiving—would sound like.

4. Video & Multimedia

TikTok and YouTube are to advertising what railroads were to transportation. And it speaks to an even larger change of the content guard, enter video. Best of all, search engines have bolstered their capabilities to crawl and evaluate video content.

In 2022, an average person spent 100 minutes per day watching online videos. To savvy advertisers, that figure should be regarded as a goldmine. The problem? It’s already growing wickedly competitive.

Use keywords, and hashtags when sharing on social. Outsource if you don’t know what you’re doing on the post-production end, but also rest easy if your video doesn’t have the aesthetic of an Oscar winner. People respond much more to video content that feels real, rather than looking overly polished.

Most importantly, and perhaps most difficult, your videos must stand out. What that means depends not just on you, but your industry and your competitors. It could mean razor-sharp wit, unparalleled humor, or a jingle that people cannot remove from their brains. A surefire way to make video a supreme waste of time and money is to be generic.

5. Localization

For consumer queries, search engines have adapted to people, most of the time, wanting what is in their vicinity. This will translate to a deeper emphasis on the reviews of Google Business Profiles and other trustworthy review platforms. It’s another window into what has made Google the titan that it is, it does seem to truly care about what benefits the searches. The utility.

With a greater focus on localization, searching “best cars to buy” will be able to take into account your area’s seasonality, income ranges, recent purchase trends in your zip code, and of course, the car dealers.

How can one be advantageous here? For starters, be sure to treat your business’ city like a keyword.

SEO is One Gigantic Puzzle. Luckily, Some Businesses Love Solving Them

We at Iliad Media Group would be lying if we said SEO is easy. It’s hard, but so is preparing good meals consistently, winning at chess, and never skipping dental cleanings. The satisfaction and rewards arrive after doing the hard work.

And we never tire of seeing that come to fruition for our clients. Whether it’s upping your digital presence, or utilizing our top-rated radio stations across the entire Treasure Valley to share your story, making your customers eager to buy from you. Let’s chat.