SEO insights for business success
In the constantly changing world of digital marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO), staying updated with Google’s core algorithm updates is pivotal for maintaining and improving search engine rankings.
In 2023, Google has been very busy, introducing not one but four significant core updates: the March Google’s 2023 Core Algorithm Update, the April 2023 Core Update, the August 2023 Core Update, and the October Google’s 2023 Core Algorithm Update.
These Google’s 2023 core algorithm updates, often called “broad core updates,” were designed to refine Google’s search ranking algorithm, ensuring the delivery of relevant and high-quality search results to users.
In this blog from Growth by Design, we look into the details of these core updates as relevant for SME business owners, offering practical insights and strategies for you to adapt to the ever-evolving SEO landscape – and ultimately rank higher in Google for a better chance of winning more business!
Understanding what happened during Google’s 2023 core algorithm updates
Google rolled out the first core update of the year in March 2023. All of the updates so far this year have been intended to enhance the quality and relevance of the search results.
| March Google’s 2023 Core Algorithm Updates |
| Impact analysis |
| Notable fluctuations in search rankings. |
| Varied impact on different websites and industries. |
| SEO strategies required |
| Monitor rankings and identify changes. |
| Focus on user-centric content. |
| Enhance expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T). |
| Maintain a long-term perspective for content quality. |
| April Google’s 2023 Core Algorithm Updates |
| SEO implications |
| Ongoing impact on search rankings. |
| Businesses are required to adapt to maintain visibility. |
| SEO recommendations |
| Continuously monitor rankings. |
| Leverage expertise and E-A-T principles. |
| Provide high-quality, user-centric content. |
| August Google’s 2023 Core Algorithm Updates |
| Core update insights |
| Google’s commitment to improving search quality. |
| Ongoing fluctuations in the search engine results pahe (SERPs). |
| SEO strategies |
| Emphasise user-centric relevant content creation. |
| Maintain a focus on content quality. |
| Keep an eye on Google’s updates and announcements. |
| October Google’s 2023 Core Algorithm Updates |
| Impact analysis |
| Noticeable shifts in search rankings. |
| Diverse effects on different websites and industries. |
| SEO Recommendations |
| Consistently monitor rankings. |
| Prioritise user-centric content creation. |
| Focus on improving content quality. |
| Stay informed about Google’s evolving guidelines and updates. |
Strategies for Google’s latest algorithm trends
There are numerous consistent themes and priorities Google is trying to make business owners of SMEs adhere to when they are producing and promoting content to gain search engine rankings.
Staying ahead of the game means aligning with Google’s latest algorithm trends. SEO is not something you can dabble in or ‘have a go at’ if you want real results for your business; there is an art and science to it.
Here, we will look into the top SEO trends of 2023 for SMEs, focusing on how working with an award-winning agency like Growth by Design can help your website, and therefore your business, thrive in this changing landscape.
The new “E” in E-EAT: Experience matters
Google’s EAT (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) acronym was upgraded in December 2022 to include “Experience.” Unhelpfully making the new acronym E-EAT!
It is designed to emphasise the need for content creators to have first-hand experience with their topics.
To align with this trend, business owners must scrutinise content creators and ensure their expertise aligns with their sector and industry.
For instance, at Growth by Design, our team of experienced SEO professionals ensure that our content meets Google’s E-EAT standards by thoroughly understanding and learning our client’s business, applying your knowledge of your industry in the right way in order to win in the search rankings!
Audience-targeted content
Your content should be tailored to your target audiences rather than focusing solely on driving traffic. You are writing for prospective customers while satisfying the needs of Google’s bots (and giving them information to help them rank your content appropriately).
In 2023, Google looks for content that serves the website’s core topic or industry area.
Comprehensive and targeted content planning is therefore essential for your SEO strategy to deliver meaningful business results: knowing the keywords, phrases, intentions and underlying motivations of your prospective customers. Our approach is to discover the most relevant industry topics your target audience is searching for, aligning your content with your users’ needs.
Author authority
As auto-generated content gains prominence in search engine results pages (SERPs), Google aims to promote content produced by real people with authentic audiences in mind.
At Growth by Design, we ensure that our content creators are experts in their fields, providing transparency, trustworthiness and professionally written content. Artificial intelligence is a tool in content creation, but if you use it as the main driver in your strategy, you will lose in the search engine rankings, which is why expert content creators are very much still needed.
Satisfying, helpful content
The “helpful content” update from August 2022 emphasises content created for humans, not search engines.
Google wants users to feel satisfied by the content they click on – it answers their questions. Achieving this means focusing on quality over quantity.
Growth by Design follows this principle, prioritising user satisfaction through in-depth content on a web page and blog posts that serve the audience’s needs and exhibit expertise.
A.I. content and content writing software
While the battle against auto-generated content continues, artificial intelligence (AI) generated content is rising.
Growth by Design has a team of content creators that will work alongside AI to create original, quality content efficiently.
We leverage content briefs and outlines to guide our writers, ensuring our content aligns with Google’s quality standards while maintaining originality.
SEO automation
SEO tasks will continue to become more automated as enterprise SEO software platforms gain prominence.
Key features and capabilities of our enterprise SEO software include;
Scalability: SME-level organisations have detailed websites with numerous pages and a wide array of content. Our enterprise SEO software can efficiently handle large-scale projects.
Advanced Analytics: It provides in-depth analytics and reporting, offering insights into performance, ranking, and user behaviour across the website.
Keyword Research: Advanced keyword research tools enable us to discover high-impact keywords that align with business goals.
Content Optimisation: These tools help optimise content by providing recommendations for improving on-page SEO elements such as meta tags, headings, and keyword usage.
Competitor Analysis: Our software includes robust competitor analysis features to help businesses stay ahead in the competitive landscape.
Technical SEO: We identify and resolve technical SEO issues, like crawl errors, duplicate content, or site speed problems, with regular site audits.
Backlink Analysis: Monitoring and managing backlinks are critical for large websites. We provide insights into the quality and authority of backlinks.
Collaboration: As multiple teams or departments may be involved; enterprise SEO software can include collaboration features for task management, workflow, and reporting.
Integration: If held in-house, some software can integrate with other enterprise-level software and platforms, such as content management systems, e-commerce solutions, or analytics tools.
Global SEO: For organisations with a global reach, specific software can support multilingual SEO, international keyword targeting, and geolocation-specific strategies.
Growth by Design uses and has been using for many years technical SEO automation tools to streamline keyword research, site auditing, competitor analysis, optimisation and more.
By automating these tasks, we can efficiently focus on SEO strategy, ensuring your website remains competitive in the ever-changing landscape for organic search.
Changes to Click-Through Rates (CTR) by SERP positions
With endless scrolling now possible on mobile and desktop, CTR dynamics are changing.
Being on page two or three will carry more benefits than before, which is good news for many SMEs regarding their SEO strategy. It still won’t deliver the same amount of clicks and traffic as on page 1, but the nose-dive you would have got will be a little more gentle!
You only have your page title and meta description to entice that click through from the search results – that means a 60-character title and 160 for the description. You need some very well-optimised copy created for those two! It may sound simple, but working with experts will make your content more clickable.
Product page SEO
Thin content, as seen on product pages, needs to be enhanced. We often see low word counts and a misbalance in the amount of content versus the amount of code required to make a web page look and function the way it does. Neither of these are good for prospective customers or Google.
By adding information like drop-down menus, FAQs, and customer reviews, you can provide additional details to assist potential buyers.
We specialise in optimising product pages to improve rankings and user experience. A couple of live examples of this design of the website, created by our team, are https://imberhornelane-nursery.co.uk/ and https://www.insulatedtools.co.uk/
SEO competitor analysis
SEO is a continual battle not just with Google’s algorithm updates but also with your competitors. They don’t stand still – so neither can you!
Growth by Design utilises SEO competitor analysis tools to compare competitors’ content, backlinks, and website strength (otherwise known as authority).
This provides insights into establishing expertise and trustworthiness in your niche, aiding your SEO campaigns and content strategy.
Less crawl frequency
Google’s aim to reduce crawl frequency may impact content updates. We recommend optimising content from the start, ensuring it is well-structured and keyword-optimised, from rich, optimised and tracked content on a website through to well-written, informative and structured news articles, blogs and case studies.
This proactive approach aligns with Google’s search goals, which are:
- Does your content have an existing or intended audience for your business or site that would find the content useful if it came directly to you?
- Does your content clearly demonstrate first-hand expertise and a depth of knowledge?
- Does your site have a primary purpose or focus?
- After reading your content, will someone leave feeling they’ve learned enough about a topic to help achieve their goal?
- Will someone reading your content leave feeling like they’ve had a satisfying experience?
Image SEO revitalised
Images often go unnoticed, yet they play a crucial role in SEO. On each blog or web content, we ensure your images are optimised with alt text and schema markup, making your content accessible to all users.
This not only aligns with SEO goals but also creates a more inclusive online environment. As an example of this, we built this fast-loading, at 0.07 seconds, and optimised website rich with images per page Mortgage Saving Experts
Fast-loading, high-performing websites
Page speed and performance will continue to be a ranking factor in 2023 and beyond. We use a selection of market-leading tools to evaluate and improve website speed, For example, https://thebrokernetwork.co.uk/ loads in an impressive 0.09 seconds and https://time2shinecleaning.co.uk/.
By prioritising these aspects alongside content quality, your website can enjoy higher keyword rankings.
The SEO landscape is shaped by Google’s algorithm updates and its pursuit of higher standards for content.
At Growth by Design, we are fully updated with these trends, ensuring your website meets the latest SEO requirements for the best business results.
Focusing on our experience, authority, helpfulness, and automation, we help your website remain competitive and deliver an exceptional user experience.
Google’s 2023 core algorithm updates – Summary of key points for your business’s SEO strategy
- Prioritise content creators with first-hand experience.
- Tailor content to your audience’s needs.
- Highlight the author’s authority and expertise.
- Focus on quality, not just quantity, for satisfying content.
- Utilise AI content tools while maintaining originality.
- Embrace SEO automation to streamline tasks.
- Adapt to changes in CTRs by SERP positions.
- Enhance product page SEO with informative content.
- Leverage SEO competitor analysis to understand industry trends.
- Optimise content from the start for reduced crawl frequency.
- Revitalise image SEO for inclusivity and better rankings.
- Ensure fast-loading, high-performing websites.
As Google continues fine-tuning its core algorithms to serve users better, staying informed and proactive in SEO strategies is crucial for business success.
The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and businesses must adapt to these changes to maintain and improve their search engine rankings.
What’s next in your SEO strategy…
Although Google keep their plans well under wraps, there are some early signs of what they’ve got planned in the future for their future algorithm updates.
In August 2023, Google announced that it would stop displaying anonymous reviews on Local Service Ads (Local Services ads connect with people who search on Google for the services you offer. The ads show up for customers in your service area, and you only pay if a customer calls or messages you directly through the ad), aiming to improve transparency and credibility in its local service listings. This update aligns with Google’s ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and authenticity in user feedback and business reviews for SMEs.
Another noteworthy development is the testing of Demand Gen campaigns by Google Ads, which will offer new AI-powered campaigns and ad formats. This signifies Google’s commitment to innovative advertising solutions and its evolving approach to serving businesses and advertisers.
Furthermore, TikTok launched Search Ads Toggle, introducing a new advertising opportunity within its search results. This move highlights the growing importance of reaching younger audiences, primarily Gen Z, through short-form video content.
Google’s 2023 core algorithm updates – Why choose Growth by Design
In the ever-shifting world of SEO, businesses must navigate the complex changes in Google’s algorithm effectively.
The key to this navigation lies in a firm commitment to user-centric content, unwavering dedication to content quality, and a keen eye on Google’s evolving guidelines.
One thing remains clear: businesses that maintain a proactive stance and prioritise long-term content quality will continue to thrive with high search engine rankings.
At Growth by Design, we stand ready to guide you through these changes.
With our comprehensive suite of digital marketing solutions, you can chart a course that keeps you ahead of the SEO curve in 2023 and beyond.
We’re here to help you navigate the ever-evolving SEO landscape with confidence.
