What Is the Future of SEO? 6 Things to Expect

If you’re a website owner, you might be wondering about the future of SEO. Will SEO still exist in the future? The answer is yes! SEO will continue to remain an important strategy for gaining website traffic, but it’s extremely volatile and forever evolving. 

Although no one can predict what Google’s algorithms will involve next, there are some things we do know. There are going to be new strategies you’ll have to adapt to in order for your website to survive and thrive in 2023 and beyond. Here are six things to expect to see in the future. 

1. Local SEO Will Become More Important

Many small business owners are thinking on a more local basis. For example, if you own a pizzeria located in San Diego and are thinking about hiring the best SEO company San Diego has to offer, you should do it. 

The key to gaining more website traffic for small business owners is focusing on their target audience. Local SEO allows you to narrow down your potential customers on a regional basis to find more potential customers for your local business. 

2. Visual Content Will Continue to Grow

High-quality content is still important, but visual content is the future of SEO. Your website content should include more eye-catching photos and engaging videos. Optimizing your content with Meta descriptions, title tags, and video length will become more important than ever before. 

3. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Will Help

One of the biggest SEO challenges we face in 2023 and beyond is artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. In some ways, AI and machine learning can be harmful. They will not yet be able to replace humans when it comes to SEO.

On the other hand, there are ways in which AI and machine learning can help us make smarter decisions when it comes to SEO. We can use these tools to determine what keywords may work effectively. Although we shouldn’t rely solely on AI, it will likely play a key role in the future of SEO. 

4. Voice Search Optimization Is Important

The present and future involve voice search. People are likely to ask Siri or Alexa to find them the answers to the questions they need—especially involving local content. How many times have you asked, “Alexa, what’s the closest pizzeria?” 

At the non-local level, people are likely to use voice search when they fact-check things when they’re in a hurry or in a panic. Some examples of this include, “How long do you bake mac ‘n cheese?” or “What are the signs of stroke?” 

5. Updating Old Content Will Help 

Google will be prioritizing content that is up-to-date, fresh, and exciting. If your content is outdated or no longer relevant, it should be updated or replaced with new content that people will find more valuable.

Therefore, an important SEO strategy moving forward will be optimizing your content for voice search. Using conversational keywords and AI tools could help get you to the top of Google’s search engine for voice search.

6. Brands Will Matter More Than Ever Before

Chances are, you already know there’s a lot of value in creating a brand. But Google will favor brands even more so in the future. The real benefit of having a brand is that you will find loyal followers this way. As they continue to search your content more and more, you’ll gain more authority in Google’s search engine. 

These are just six things to expect when it comes to the future of SEO. Adapting to new strategies and tactics can help ensure your website stays in the Google search engine.