The SEO field has been hit with some serious changes over the last year, and let me tell you, it’s been an interesting ride. The landscape has shifted dramatically from leaks revealing Google’s ranking factors to updates coming more frequently than ever.
Insights on Google Leak in May 2024
In May 2024, something pretty big happened. Google’s internal Search API documentation was leaked, showing over 14,000 potential ranking features and modules. Google confirmed the leak’s authenticity but made it clear that the information was taken out of context.
Still, we got a pretty solid glimpse into how Google’s ranking system works.
Key takeaways?
Backlinks are still necessary, user engagement matters more than ever, and fresh content continues to be important. While we didn’t get the full picture, this leak shook up our approach to SEO today.
SEO Is Always Evolving
Back in the day, SEO professionals could expect a few major updates from Google each year. This gave us some breathing room to adapt and test new strategies.
Now, updates are rolling out almost every month, sometimes even weekly. This constant state of change means there’s no time to sit back and relax. We’re now in a constant cycle of adapting, testing, and optimizing. It’s a fast-paced game, and it’s here to stay.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed in SEO is Google’s growing ability to understand user intent. It’s no longer just about matching keywords. Google wants to understand what the user is actually looking for, and it’s getting really good at delivering content that matches that intent.
This has pushed us as SEO professionals to move beyond individual keywords and focus more on entire topics. The key is creating content that answers the user’s query as directly and effectively as possible.
Role of User Engagement and Structured Data
Google has started paying much closer attention to how users engage with content. Things like how long they spend on a page, how much they scroll, and how much they interact are now the main signals for rankings.
These user signals are harder to manipulate, and they give Google a real sense of how useful and relevant your content is. If people are spending time on your page, engaging with your content, and coming back for more, it’s a sign that Google should rank it higher.
Also, structured data is no longer optional if you want to stand out in search results. Adding schema markup helps Google understand your content better and categorize it more effectively.
It’s also your ticket to appearing in rich snippets, knowledge panels, and other enhanced search features. Websites that use structured data correctly see better visibility, more traffic, and increased engagement. The Knowledge Graph is becoming more powerful, and if you’re not using structured data, you’re missing out.
Insights on SEO Industry in the Future
At the Chiang Mai SEO Conference 2024, I had some great discussions with industry leaders like Nick Eubanks, Koray Tugberk, and others about where SEO is headed.
One thing that really stood out to me was the growing importance of semantic SEO. It’s no longer just about keywords; it’s about understanding how Google interprets language and connects topics.
Another key point that emerged was the idea of aligning SEO strategies with Google’s own goals. Google wants to deliver the most relevant and helpful results, and we, as SEO professionals, should be optimizing our content to fit that mission.