15 SEO Tips and Predictions for 2023

After the massive changes to SEO from the past couple of years, it’s time to look ahead at SEO tips and predictions for 2023. With algorithm updates and AI at the front of everyone’s mind in marketing, our SEO experts have broken down our top 15 SEO predictions for the next twelve months. As marketing budgets get tighter and the markets get more competitive, SEO is still a fantastic strategy for sustainable, cost-effective growth. This year, it’s going to be all about user experience – understanding and optimising for the end user should be the top priority for marketers and business owners looking to kickstart their 2023 marketing.

1. Helpful, original and informative content is king

The saying ‘content is king’ has been a favourite of SEO professionals for many years now, and it remains true throughout countless Google algorithm updates. The changes come from what kind of content is king, and with the E-A-T and subsequent E-E-A-T algorithm updates of 2022, this means more helpful, original and relevant content.

The E-E-A-T algorithm update incorporates the additional E which stands for experience. This means content creators will need to demonstrate first-hand experience in their chosen topic to be more highly valued by Google. When producing content on your chosen subject, you should work to demonstrate how your experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness tops that of your competition. This level of content will continue to be one of the most important ranking factors for SEO in 2023, especially with the rise of AI tools and algorithm updates targeting spammy content. If your copywriting skills are not up to par, our skilled team of Perth copywriters can bring your content to life for you.

2. Search engine results page (SERP) features are going to continue becoming more important for SEO content

With many SERP features being added each year, it’s going to become more important than ever for marketers or business owners to understand the features associated with particular keywords and industries. For example, mining keywords display different SERP features than apparel keywords. When creating content, it’s imperative to understand the SERP features for your industry and optimise your content accordingly.

Throughout 2022 and moving into 2023, Zero-Click Queries are likely to continue rising. Searchers increasingly use features such as the Answer Box, featured snippets, People Also Ask (PAA) and videos to find the information they seek without clicking through to the page. This will impact website traffic, so it’s key that your website’s content is optimised for these features.

3. Understand and improve page performance using Core Web Vitals

Google’s Core Web Vitals report tells you how your website’s pages perform from a user experience (UX) point of view. This includes page load times and responsiveness for both desktop and mobile versions of your site’s pages. Slow-loading pages that don’t perform their expected functions have a negative impact on the ranking ability of your site, and results in visitors bouncing more quickly. In 2023, it’s going to continue to be an important SEO ranking factor for website owners to understand Core Web Vitals and how they improve the UX of their site.

4. Google algorithm updates will continue to become more regular and specific

Google is rapidly and constantly updating its algorithms to keep up with changes in the way users are interacting online. It’s no longer good enough to simply write a page targeting the highest-volume keyword you can find – Google is looking to reward unique and helpful content that truly delivers what the user seeks. We’ve already seen this with 2022’s helpful content update, where combatting the overuse of AI was a top priority. We expect this trend to continue throughout 2023.

5. Optimise for local SEO using Google Business Profile

Businesses looking to boost their local SEO efforts absolutely must make sure their Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is properly set up and optimised. With all the changes and updates in 2022, your Google Business Profile is key for local customers looking to communicate, visit, learn about and interact with your business. Learn about setting up your Google Business Profile, and how to optimise it accordingly to give potential customers accurate and helpful information about your business.

6. It’s time to get on board with GA4

On July 1st, 2023, Google will be switching off Universal Analytics. After this date, marketers and business owners will have to get on board with the new GA4 for accurate reporting. We recommend starting the learning process now, so you’re confident with the new processes once Universal Analytics is no longer available. According to Google, users will have about 6 months to access and export historical data in UA, before it’s permanently switched off. For help with learning the new platform, Google has a range of help articles and courses available.

7. Use GA4 to gain a deep understanding of your audience’s behaviour

With tons of power and capabilities, understanding GA4 is going to be extremely important to your 2023 SEO strategy. This is the year to stop making assumptions about how your audience interacts with your content. Use GA4 to study and understand how long users spend on pages, how far they scroll, which devices they use, and how much engagement different media receive. This will allow you to create optimised content for multiple touchpoints in the ways your audience craves it.

8. Pay attention to other search engines

We talk a lot about Google, and it’s absolutely key to a successful SEO strategy, however, it’s important for marketers and business owners to remember it’s not the only search engine. Especially for local SEO, it’s so important to remember to claim your Bing Places listing, and ask for reviews on third-party sites relevant to your industry (e.g. Yelp, TripAdvisor, The Fork, etc) as these feed to your Apple Maps listing. Failure to optimise for other search engines means you’re potentially losing out on a massive chunk of traffic and search presence.

9. If you haven’t yet, start learning about and trying AI tools

Although Google is actively combating the use of AI in content, it’s time for marketers and creators to start using it. AI tools can dramatically increase productivity and take away much of the heavy lifting when it comes to writing content. However, this doesn’t mean you should start publishing pages of content written exclusively by AI. Use these tools to automate processes, conduct research and assist, but it’s important not to lose the human element. In 2023, AI tools like Elon Musk’s ChatGPT are going to keep getting smarter, faster, better and more widely used.

10. Accessibility should be a top priority

It gained momentum in 2022, and in 2023, accessibility is going to become more and more important to writers and content creators. In the US, Google launched a new accessibility feature, Speakable, in beta.

“Speakable identifies sections within an article or webpage that are best suited for audio playback using text-to-speech.”

And, while accessibility is not a direct ranking factor, by implementing conversion rate optimisation (CRO) and using specific design choices to better help the user navigate your site, you’re more likely to be rewarded with higher rankings. Factors such as readability scores, image alt tags and user experience (UX) will continue to become more and more important in SEO. Learn more about accessibility guidelines by reading our blog, WCAG Recommendations for Web Accessibility.

11. Create content for multiple touchpoints

In 2023, more and more users are consuming content across multiple platforms – often simultaneously. In the same way your audience is interacting with more than one device at a time, the content you create should make the most of this. It’s no longer enough to simply publish a blog to your website. Your 2023 SEO strategy should include audience analysis to gain an understanding of how your audience is interacting with content online, and deliver this content accordingly whether that be a blog post, podcast, vodcast, reels, TikToks, YouTube or anything else.

12. Learn about YouTube optimisation and video SEO

As we mentioned in point #8, it’s key for businesses to remember Google is not the only search engine. As audiences lean more and more into video, YouTube SEO and optimising YouTube content is extremely important if you want your video to show on SERPs. Correctly embedding videos into webpages and ensuring your videos can be crawled are key for video SEO, and ensure Google can find and index your videos. Use structured data to enable video features such as Key Moments and video previews to give your content a better chance of ranking.

13. Google is moving to deliver curated content

We’re all very familiar with Google Search, and the endless changes it’s gone through in its lifetime. In 2018, Google launched its own version of a social platform; Discover. Enabling users to see a curated feed of content they’re interested in, without the need for a search query, tells us Google is moving towards becoming a predictive, proactive and curated content platform. In 2023, marketers should be making sure content is relevant, high-quality and visually appealing to optimise for Discover. It’s just one element of a broader push in SEO for creators and marketers to produce content for multiple touchpoints.

14. Third-party cookie deprecation

As privacy concerns continue to grow, data mining and third-party cookie collection is going to become more challenging. While this presents challenges in search engine marketing and paid ads, data collection isn’t necessary for SEO. This presents an exciting opportunity for us to take advantage of third-party cookie depreciation and increase website traffic.

15. Stick to the foundations

As SEO rapidly changes and new ‘trends’ continue to pop up, it’s easy to get lost in the mix. As our team has experienced, SEO is actually just a simple set of rules, and by following them as closely as possible, you should see the results you’re looking for. In 2023, remember to stick to the foundations of SEO; solid keyword research, clean website structure, and quality link strategies. When done well, these three key elements will provide you with a solid digital marketing base and get the best results.

Kickstart your business’s 2023 SEO campaign today

At Bloom Digital, our Perth SEO agency helps businesses like yours achieve real, sustainable growth through tried and true SEO principles. By taking the time to understand you and your business goals, we create a bespoke marketing campaign using the right marketing mix for your needs. If you’re ready to leave your competitors in the dust in 2023, contact us today. We can’t wait to hear from you.

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