Podcast Summary: The Yoast SEO Podcast – “SEO Predictions for 2024, Developments in Voice Search, and More!” | #SEOUpdateByYoast

Release Date: January 31, 2024
Host: Ninke, Associate Director of Partnerships at Yoast
Guests: Alex and Carolyn, Principal SEOs at Yoast

1. Introduction

The January 2024 edition of the SEO Update by Yoast kicked off with Ninke welcoming listeners and introducing the principal SEOs, Alex and Carolyn. Anticipating a quiet month, the team was pleasantly surprised by a flurry of SEO updates, particularly concerning AI advancements in Google's search results. Ninke highlighted the upcoming AI News segment, setting the stage for an insightful discussion.

2. 2024 SEO Predictions and Trends

a. AI Updates in Google Search

Alex and Carolyn delved into Google's latest AI-driven features aimed at enhancing the search experience. Alex introduced two significant AI enhancements:

1. Interactive Product Searches: A playful demonstration involved a dog wearing goggles, allowing users to interact with product images directly through their smartphones.
   Alex [05:00]: “You can search on Google and it will show you related products, which you can then go and buy.”

2. Multi-Search Functionality: This feature enables users to combine image and text queries. For instance, taking a photo of a backgammon set and asking, “How do I play it?” showcases a more intuitive search process.

Carolyn expressed enthusiasm about the Multi-Search feature:

Carolyn [05:24]: “I feel like this is going to be a game changer... it helps you with that because now you just take a picture of that thing that you don't know the name for. The machine goes oh, I know exactly what that is because I'm smart.”

b. Impact on Visual and Voice Search

The conversation transitioned to the growing importance of visual and voice search. Alex highlighted that while voice search continues to rise, visual search might see more rapid adoption due to its ease of use with smartphones.

Alex [07:09]: “I think they will adopt this way more than voice search. Because it is easy to have your phone on you.”

Carolyn compared this shift to the evolution from command prompts to user-friendly interfaces like Windows, emphasizing how visual search democratizes search capabilities for visually oriented users.

c. Semantic Search and Knowledge Graph

Both SEOs underscored the increasing relevance of semantic search and the Knowledge Graph. Alex emphasized the necessity for content creators to focus on topical authority and structured content to align with Google's enhanced understanding of search intent.

Alex [08:09]: “Having entities and being able to find content structure around that is going to be really important.”

Carolyn added that proper schema implementation, especially for product variations, is crucial for ensuring search engines accurately match user queries with relevant content.

d. SGE (Search Generative Experience) Challenges

The discussion turned to Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) and its implications for organic rankings. Carolyn voiced concerns about SGE's impact on brand visibility, noting that even branded searches were being dominated by non-brand content.

Carolyn [13:45]: “You would expect to rank number one for your own brand term, that is no longer the case because SGE is just functioning differently.”

Alex echoed these sentiments, suggesting that Google's aggressive rollout of SGE might face adjustments due to its detrimental effects on organic rankings for brands.

Alex [16:23]: “We'll chat more about the news, why they might be pulling search generative experience back a little bit, or not as aggressive.”

3. SEO News Highlights

Alex and Carolyn navigated through a busy month of SEO news, addressing several critical updates:

a. Google Phasing Out Third-Party Cookies

On January 4th, Google announced the gradual elimination of third-party cookies, impacting retargeting and affiliate tracking.

Alex [18:04]: “If you're using affiliate tracking or any other tracking that you may think that gathers data when that person is browsing on a website that is not yours, you have to think about what to do next.”

Carolyn highlighted the challenges this poses for affiliate sites, which rely heavily on third-party data for revenue.

Carolyn [19:41]: “Affiliate sites especially are getting hammered from 12 different directions right now.”

b. Google Clarifies Primary Source of Snippets

Google updated its documentation to clarify that meta descriptions might not always be used as provided, opting instead for snippets from the page that better match the query.

Carolyn [20:24]: “They're taking it from a place on your page that fits the query better.”

c. Discontinuation of Google Websites for Business Profiles

Google announced the shutdown of Google Websites connected to Business Profiles by March 1st, urging businesses to migrate to custom domains.

Carolyn [24:12]: “If you have a business, you should have your own domain.”

d. Introduction of Google Perspectives

Google introduced “Perspectives,” showcasing firsthand user experiences from platforms like Reddit and Quora in search results, aiming to enhance trustworthiness over traditional news sources.

Carolyn [26:00]: “Google is trying to go to places that people trust more... like Reddit and Quora.”

However, the potential for abuse was noted, as seen with moderation issues on Reddit subreddits.

e. Termination of Appen’s Search Quality Rater Contract

Google ended its contract with Appen, laying off thousands of search quality raters—a move speculated to be driven by advancements in AI capabilities.

Alex [32:05]: “Is this AI taking people's jobs from a search engine? ... more of an internal thing.”

f. Study on Google’s Search Experience

A German university study suggested a decline in Google’s search experience due to persistent web spam, though the SEOs remained cautious about the study’s generalizability.

Carolyn [34:12]: “It's a tug of war... constantly fighting against the onslaught of spam.”

g. Digital Markets Act (DMA) Impact in Europe

Effective January 18th, Google's search results in Europe began featuring more comparison sites to comply with the DMA, reducing Google's dominance in specific verticals like flight searches.

Alex [35:49]: “This is good for you. Because now more third party sites and comparison sites are going to be inserts instead of Google Zone.”

4. AI News Highlights

a. Generative Links and SEO Landscape

A report by Authoritas revealed that a staggering 93.8% of generative links originated from non-top-ranking organic domains, raising concerns about the quality and authenticity of such links.

Alex [40:10]: “93.8% of generative links in that data set came from sources outside top ranking organic domains.”

Carolyn expressed apprehension regarding the potential devaluation of brand authority.

Carolyn [40:47]: “It's horrifying from a brand perspective... brands are the ones that pay the bills.”

b. Legal Challenges with AI-Generated Content

The New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, arguing that AI models like ChatGPT infringe on copyright by reproducing content without authorization. The SEOs discussed the complexities of fair use and the transformative nature of AI-generated content.

Alex [42:08]: “There is an argument to say it is New York Times content... It should abide by the law as a good LLM.”

c. Bing Chat’s Market Share and Google’s AI Strategy

Bing Chat saw a modest market share gain, while Google's cautious approach to AI integration in search was scrutinized.

Alex [43:46]: “Bing gained almost 1% market share.”

Carolyn noted Google's strategic delays, possibly learning from Bing's missteps.

Carolyn [44:54]: “Google is in a position where they're so far ahead of everyone else.”

d. Google’s AI Integration in Chrome

Google introduced AI-powered features in the Chrome browser, including tab organization, theme selection based on search terms, and writing assistance for forms and internal communications.

Alex [46:57]: “They've introduced three things... reorganizing your tab groups... writing assistance.”

Carolyn highlighted the practical applications for everyday tasks.

Carolyn [48:33]: “It helps you write something which is great for contact forms and speaker submissions.”

5. Yoast News

Alex and Carolyn shared updates from Yoast:

• Organization Schema Enhancements: Upcoming Yoast Premium and Local updates will include the latest Organization Schema improvements, ensuring better alignment with Google's requirements.

• French Language Improvements: Enhanced word complexity assessments for French, providing more accurate suggestions for French-speaking audiences.

• Upcoming Events: Announcements for participation in WordCamp Asia, SMX Munich, and PubCon, inviting listeners to connect with the Yoast team at these conferences.

Carolyn [50:18]: “I will be at Pubcon March 4th through 6th in Las Vegas and then jetting off to Taipei or WordCamp Asia.”

6. Q&A Highlights

Listeners posed several pertinent questions, with Alex and Carolyn providing expert insights:

a. Optimizing Images for Voice and Visual Searches

Question: What is the most important thing we can do to optimize our images so we can ensure they are found by voice and visual searches?

Answer:
Alex emphasized the importance of high-quality, descriptive images, suggesting the use of product lightboxes to capture multiple angles.

Alex [53:09]: “Take as many photos as you can. Overdo it with the photos.”

Carolyn recommended including contextual information within images to aid search engines in understanding content.

Carolyn [54:18]: “Take a picture of the product with a measuring tape against it with different dimensions... fill in all of the data around it.”

b. SEO Focus for Mid-Sized Businesses

Question: What should a mid-sized business focus on for SEO? Is meta title, H1, etc., still important this year or should we focus more on answering community questions?

Answer:
Carolyn affirmed that foundational SEO elements like meta titles and H1 tags remain crucial, labeling them as “table stakes.”

Carolyn [55:26]: “It's definitely still important. That's table stakes though.”

Alex added that building topical authority and structuring content effectively are essential, alongside engaging with community questions.

Alex [55:49]: “Build topical authorities and have a proper content strategy... chili pot content.”

c. Visualizing Non-Visual Products

Question: What if you sell software or don’t have visual products?

Answer:
Carolyn suggested focusing on informative content that addresses user queries related to the product's functionality.

Carolyn [56:53]: “Write articles discussing top 10 ways to use the product... answer those questions.”

Alex recommended using demo content where possible to illustrate software features.

d. Impact of Third-Party Cookie Updates on Review Sites

Question: How will third-party cookie changes affect websites like online certification programs or review sites?

Answer:
Alex and Carolyn clarified that while SEO rankings might remain unaffected, tracking and advertising strategies could be significantly impacted.

Carolyn [59:31]: “It's more affecting tracking and advertisements. So it's not necessarily an SEO issue, it's more of a paid one.”

Alex [59:20]: “They've got their own challenges... it's not like TripAdvisor is going to follow you around because you made a review.”

7. Conclusion

Ninke wrapped up the episode by acknowledging the abundance of updates covered, particularly emphasizing AI advancements and Google’s evolving search environment. The team looked forward to February's updates, encouraging listeners to stay engaged and continue optimizing their SEO strategies.

Carolyn [50:46]: “We're super excited to see you again in February and see what that month brings in.”

Alex [51:02]: “Happy optimizing for now.”

Key Takeaways:

• AI-Driven Search Enhancements: Multi-search and visual search functionalities are transforming user interactions with search engines.

• Semantic Search Importance: Structured content and topical authority are becoming increasingly critical for SEO success.

• SGE’s Impact on Brands: Google’s Search Generative Experience poses challenges for brand visibility, requiring strategic adjustments.

• Third-Party Cookie Phase-Out: Businesses, especially affiliates, need to adapt their tracking and advertising approaches.

• Legal and Ethical AI Concerns: Ongoing legal battles highlight the complexities of AI-generated content and copyright.

• SEO Best Practices Remain Essential: Foundational SEO elements, alongside community engagement and content depth, continue to drive success.

Listeners are encouraged to implement these insights to stay ahead in the ever-evolving SEO landscape for 2024.