Since the 1990s, marketers have been facing new challenges in the SEO realm. While SEO in the 90s only demanded relevant keywords, the whole game is different now in 2024, with new and added challenges.
2024 is witnessing challenges with the changes in Google’s method for ranking web pages, AI affecting content creation, demand for high-quality content, and the list goes on.
Moreover, staying relevant and ranking high in the competitive digital landscape is becoming more difficult.
Phew that is a lot to deal with.
However, if you know your enemy, you will always be a step ahead. Similarly, understanding the different SEO challenges and how to tackle them will allow you to be a step ahead of the crowd.
We understand it is quite impossible not to get lost in the sea of these challenges, but with effective strategies, you will overcome it all.
To help you with this, we have compiled the most common SEO challenges in 2024 and how to overcome them.
Let’s begin.
Evolving SERP Features
Search engine results pages have changed dramatically over the years by incorporating new features that go beyond traditional organic results. These features include knowledge panels, video carousels, snippets, and “people also ask” sections.
These new elements aim at enhancing user experience by providing users with vital information they are looking for without having to click any webpage.
This change in search engine results has negative and positive aspects. On one side, these elements help to boost a website’s visibility and drive organic traffic.
For example, a snippet can boost a brand’s content to the top of the search results, known as ‘position zero.’ On the other hand, these push traditional results far down in the SERPs.
Brands must optimize their content to appear high in search result’s new features. You can achieve this by using schema markup. This allows search engines to understand your web page’s context and content.
Hence, it is vital to stay updated with the changes in the SERP features to modify your SEO efforts to gain visibility in 2024 continuously.
The Rise Of AI-Powered Search Engines
The quality of AI content has improved greatly since its arrival in the digital space. Recently, AI-generated content has become increasingly human. However, this does not mean you can simply copy Ctrl C and Crtl V AI content off ChatGpt, GeminiGpt, or others.
Many AI content is filled with grammatical errors and some of them do not make sense. Moreover, most AI content generators are limited in the content they generate. You will find AI generators using the same content over and over when you use similar keywords.
Using such poor-quality content will definitely not help you secure a high rank in search engines. Moreover, using duplicate or AI-generated content will penalize you in search engines.
Not only this, but you will also create a negative or subpar impression amongst your visitors.
Pro Tip: We are not saying you shouldn’t use AI content, but you must know how to do it well.
You can use AI content to help you with ideas and inspiration. Then, you can edit the content with further research and make it appealing to the audience. Remember, writing well-researched and unique content will make your content stand out.
1. Mobile-First Indexing
As users continue to use mobile devices to conduct searches (58% to be precise), one critical factor in SEO is mobile-first indexing. This means that Google is using the mobile version of the content to rank and index pages. Hence, optimizing your content for mobile devices is essential for user experience, SEO, and traffic growth.
The best way to achieve this is by prioritizing responsive web design and providing a seamless user experience across all devices. You should also prioritize elements like minimizing redirects, compressing images, and using browser caching to boost your page’s loading speed.
2. Voice Search Optimization
The recorded number of voice searches conducted by users in 2023 was 125.2 million. With the rise of tools such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, etc voice search is more than just a tool to find information.
Unlike the traditional ways of text-based searches, voice searches allow users to converse complete phrases and questions.
To make your content optimized for voice search, you must modify your SEO strategies. You can do this by including conversational keywords and natural phrases people use during conversations rather than typing the query.
For instance, instead of targeting the keyword “best Mexican restaurant,” a voice search query can be “What are the best Mexican restaurants near me?”
Remember, local SEO is vital for voice search as most queries are location-targeted. Hence, ensure your local SEO strategies are on point. This can include accurate listing on GMB or Google My Business with updated address, website URL, contact number, business hours, etc.
3. Keyword Cannibalization
We understand it might be tempting to use the same high-performing and targeted keywords for all your web pages. However, you must be careful with keyword insertion and avoid keyword cannibalization at all costs.
When you use the same keywords for many pages, and they serve the same purpose, they end up competing with each other. This results in harming your page’s ranking where one page ranks well and the others don’t.
When such a situation arises, search engines see each page as competing pages and choose which pages should rank.
If you want to avoid such a situation, track your keywords carefully. You can do this using a keyword tracking tool like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Google Analytics. This will guarantee that you are not using the same keywords on multiple pages.
4. Internal Redirects
If you have changed your site multiple times (moved or deleted pages) since you built it, you have probably created 300-range redirects. A 301 redirect signals a permanent redirect from one URL to another.
This means when a user requests an old URL, they will be redirected to a new one. A 301 redirect shows your users the right content when they search for deleted or modified content instead of showing a “page not found” error.
However, what happens in these redirects is that there is a slight delay in loading the new page, which is called latency. We know how important the loading speed of a page is; hence, even with a slight delay, you can experience high bounce rates.
Hence, to mitigate this issue, you must go through your website, keep only the 301 redirects that you have, and delete the rest. This will reduce the vast number of redirects and fasten your loading speed to boost user experience and increase rankings.
5. High-Quality Content Creation
Creating high-quality content is the best strategy to rank high in search engines. However, as easy as it sounds, the process of continuously uploading high-quality content is difficult, especially in a cutthroat digital landscape.
Search engines rank high-quality content that engages users by providing useful and relevant information. Businesses must create comprehensive and detailed content that adds value to readers.
For this, you must create case studies, comprehensive guides, and long-form blogs that signal search engines about your authority and knowledge of the subject.
Moreover, your content should align with Google’s Experience, Expertise, Authorativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) acronym. Google uses these qualities to evaluate the quality of your content and its credibility.
Moreover, images, videos, and other interactive elements make your content more engaging and comprehensible for users. Hence, keep updating and optimizing your content to maintain its relevancy.
6. Link Building Challenges
Link building is one of the most crucial elements of SEO. High-quality backlinks send positive signals to search engines highlighting the authorativeness and credibility of a website. However, owing to the strict guidelines and penalties, acquiring high-quality backlinks has become challenging.
To overcome such challenges you must focus on creating lasting relationships with other credible websites in your niche. You can achieve this through guest posting via blogs, networking with influencers, and participating in community events.
Moreover, you must focus on creating high-value content with engaging multimedia, which other sites would want a backlink from.
You can also leverage the power of content promotion to boost the likelihood of gaining quality backlinks. Hence, ensure to promote your quality content on social media, industry-specific forums, and email outreach.
Wrapping Up
In 2024, there is no single, easy solution for SEO. With the changes in the trend and updation of search engine guidelines, performing well for SEO goes beyond simply targeted keywords.
To rank high in search engine results pages, your SEO efforts must aim to provide a consistent positive experience for users.
This level of ongoing effort will solve all your existing SEO challenges and prepare you to deal with others in the future.
Remember, the coming ages will bring new problems, but with a strong SEO foundation, your business will be better equipped to navigate through any challenge.
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