Here’s what I wrote, scrambling during a live podcast seminar thingy thinking I’ll go over the notes later…

Talking about google gets blah, people get nah

doing seo wrong cos think do it right once and fine, but needs constant maintenance

10,000 websites…

• 3.2% have little to no content
• 4.7 broken links
• 60% no backlinks
• blah content

seo not dead, evolving

• not just big updates, daily tiny updates
• gibberish about % of traffic

organic search sge (search generative experience)

• talking about what marketers think, ahuh
• UE
• Content
• Tech seo
• AIML

outdated seo

• keyword stuffing
• imitation competition
• unnatural links

bitching about ai content

• not high quality
• just regurgitating
• not original
• not compelling

seo not just traffic any more

• 86% more traffic doesn’t mean more conversions ching-ching
• it’s about driving results

new approach to seo

• it’s about helping the right people
• informational – need to know personal research
• need to know where to go to get quality product

create content around revenue instead of traffic

• too much spent on advertising clicks that don’t convert

overlooked opportunities

• be ahead of the curve
• don’t just skyscraper

how to uncover new trends

• usual tools every seo guru knows

new approach to content marketing

• 80/20 rule
  • top 20% should be refreshed/improved
  • get insights from various places with more timely info

don’t copycat

• if it’s not unique and valuable, meh
• avoid targetting same keywords on different pages
• make secondary page about something if it’s different enough

niel talks about confusion on keywords focus

• eg sunscreen vs organic sunscreen
• make a more focussed approach
• avoid self-competition
• stuff about detecting technically duplicate pages
• more stuff about content overlap, cannibilisation, we get it
• use AI to fix cannibal stuff
• shows some prompts (waaaay outdated)

always have a human layer interstitial

• personality flair
• pick up on weird shit

updating low performing pages

• low hanging fruit
  • it’s already indexed, google et al will re-read it
• neil says his team of ~1k hoomans spend 90% of their time updating old content
• refresh old content by incorporating “featured snippets”
  • featured snippets optimise for google finding your shit, but might not land on your site
  • provides direct and concise answers
• schema markup fixes
  • much stuff in the old days we didn’t have this stuff done

focus on user behaviour

• new metric called INP – Interaction to Next Paint as a Core Web Vitals metric
  • means how long between someone does something and gets a response

brand building

• random marketing word salad
• basically, don’t be a turd, be cool
• lists several methods of achieving brand awareness, mostly well known, couple others:
  • branded podcasts – cross-pollination of podcasting/youtubes blah
  • community events – physical or online things where you’re giving back

e-commerce optimisation

• user experience
• more reviews (positive, likely)

changes in search

• buying intent
• whether it comes from an influencer

ranking

• david outranking goliath
  • someone small outranking someone big

future proofing seo strategy

• link building
  • need to track everywhere mentioned online
  • ask for a review/link
• provide value, but suck their toes
• linkable assets
  • calculators and worksheets and templates and various other pieces of stuff it takes time to make yourself

email

• make a list
• check it twice
• who’s naughty
• who’s nice

tools

• ubersuggest
• answerthepublic

future

• seo isn’t set and forget
• stuff changes
• “6R” content audit
  • reformat
    • make more digestible
      • add vid
  • repurpose
    • leverage existing content, make it into some other format
  • refresh
    • optimise low-hanging fruit, blah
  • retire
    • if it doesn’t get traffic, bury it
    • 404 is better than meh
  • redirect
    • 301 an old page to existing page
    • consolidate cannibilisation
  • remain
    • if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
  • case study
    • Pet Parent
      • increased traffic by 1,325%

key takeaways

• be useful

q&a

• is it still worth going through free seo courses?
  • some of them ok, but need a refresher
• shoudl my strategy me updated since HCU
  • google gives guidance, EEAT is king
  • don’t chase the algo
• backlink strategy
  • historically the more the better, now it’s less but real quality the better
• will new strategies work across beyond google?
  • does this include stuff like AirBnB? technically a search engine
  • otherwise yes
  • thing is, social media tik tok instagram twitter for search is more first approach
  • yahoo bing is copycat league, but not working, eventually embed into apps
• stuff about editing instagram tik tok
  • straight up it’s there or it’s not
• how determine monthly search volume
  • depending on tool…
  • correctional – it’s a trend, nothing concret
  • important, but don’t marry the numbers, they’re just indications
  • mostly guesses
• content update frequency
  • didn’t say anything except look at the results
• updating google/et al new/fixed data
  • yeah, do it
    outro
• blah

The State of SEO in 2023: Adapting to the Evolving Landscape

The Importance of Constant Maintenance

Despite the common misconception that SEO is a one-time fix, it requires ongoing attention and maintenance. A recent analysis of 10,000 websites revealed:

• 3.2% have little to no content
• 4.7 broken links per site on average
• 60% lack backlinks
• Subpar content quality

SEO is not dead; it’s evolving. In addition to major updates, search engines make daily, incremental changes.

The Rise of Organic Search SGE (Search Generative Experience)

Marketers are shifting their focus to the following key areas:

• User Experience (UE)
• Content Quality
• Technical SEO
• AI and Machine Learning (AIML)

Outdated SEO Practices to Avoid

• Keyword stuffing
• Imitating competitors
• Unnatural link building

The Debate on AI-Generated Content

Critics argue that AI-generated content often lacks:

• High quality
• Originality
• Compelling narratives

Shifting the SEO Mindset

SEO is no longer just about driving traffic; it’s about driving results. A study found that 86% more traffic doesn’t necessarily translate to increased conversions.

The new approach to SEO focuses on:

• Helping the right people
• Providing informational content for personal research
• Guiding users to quality products

Creating Revenue-Focused Content

Instead of solely targeting traffic, create content that drives revenue. Many businesses overspend on advertising clicks that don’t convert.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

• Identify and capitalize on overlooked opportunities
• Avoid simply replicating competitors’ strategies

Uncovering New Trends

Utilize the tools and resources well-known among SEO professionals to stay informed about emerging trends.

Revamping Your Content Marketing Strategy

Apply the 80/20 rule:

• Refresh and improve the top-performing 20% of your content
• Gather insights from various sources with timely information

Avoiding Content Duplication

• Ensure content is unique and valuable
• Avoid targeting the same keywords on different pages
• Create separate pages for distinct topics

Neil Patel discusses the confusion surrounding keyword focus, using the example of “sunscreen” vs. “organic sunscreen.” He suggests:

• Adopting a more focused approach
• Avoiding self-competition
• Detecting and addressing technically duplicate pages
• Resolving content overlap and cannibalization
• Leveraging AI to identify and fix cannibalization issues

The Human Touch

Always incorporate a human layer to add personality and catch any unusual elements.

Updating Low-Performing Pages

• Target low-hanging fruit, as these pages are already indexed
• Neil Patel’s team of ~1,000 humans spends 90% of their time updating old content

Refreshing Old Content

• Incorporate “featured snippets” to optimize for search engine visibility
• Implement schema markup fixes

Prioritizing User Behavior

• Focus on the new metric, INP (Interaction to Next Paint), a Core Web Vitals metric
• INP measures the time between user interaction and the corresponding response

Building Your Brand

• Avoid being a “turd”; be cool instead
• Methods for achieving brand awareness:
• Branded podcasts for cross-pollination
• Community events (physical or online) to give back

E-commerce Optimization

• Prioritize user experience
• Encourage more positive reviews

Changes in Search

• Consider buying intent
• Determine if the search originates from an influencer

Ranking: David vs. Goliath

Smaller entities can outrank larger competitors with the right strategies.

Future-Proofing Your SEO Strategy

Link Building

• Track all online mentions of your brand
• Request reviews and links

Providing Value

Offer value to your audience while nurturing relationships.

Linkable Assets

Create valuable resources like calculators, worksheets, and templates that others can link to.

Email Marketing

• Build a list
• Segment your audience
• Identify engaged and unengaged subscribers

Useful Tools

• Ubersuggest
• AnswerThePublic

The Future of SEO

• SEO is not a set-and-forget strategy
• Adapt to ongoing changes

The “6R” Content Audit

1. Reformat

• Enhance digestibility (e.g., add videos)

1. Repurpose

• Leverage existing content in different formats

1. Refresh

• Optimize low-hanging fruit

1. Retire

• Remove low-traffic pages (404 is better than mediocre content)

1. Redirect

• Use 301 redirects to consolidate pages and address cannibalization

1. Remain

• Leave well-performing content as-is

Case Study: Pet Parent

By implementing these strategies, Pet Parent increased traffic by 1,325%.

Key Takeaways

• Be useful to your audience

Q&A

Are free SEO courses still worthwhile?

Some courses are valuable, but regular refreshers are necessary.

Should my strategy be updated since the Helpful Content Update (HCU)?

Google provides guidance, and EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is crucial. Don’t chase algorithms.

What’s the best backlink strategy?

Historically, more backlinks were better. Now, focus on fewer, high-quality links.

Will new strategies work beyond Google?

Yes, but social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter are becoming primary search tools. Yahoo and Bing are playing catch-up.

How to determine monthly search volume?

Tools provide estimates, but treat them as trends and indications rather than concrete numbers.

How often should I update content?

Analyze the search results to determine the appropriate update frequency.

Should I update Google and other search engines with new or fixed data?

Yes, it’s recommended to keep them informed of changes.
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