Welcome to another insightful week with The SEOs Diners Club newsletter. Leveraging over a decade of SEO expertise, I aim to distill the week's most critical developments into a concise read that won't take more than ten minutes of your time. Let's dive into the insights that matter.

1️⃣ 2024 Google Ranking Factors: Key Findings from Semrush Study

Explore Semrush's 2024 Google Ranking Factors study: Key insights on content quality, backlinks, etc.

Semrush's 2024 Google Ranking Factors Study offers a comprehensive guide to SEO strategies and the factors that impact website ranking. You can access the report from the link below:

Here are some significant findings and recommendations from this study:

• Content Quality and Relevance: Content-related metrics, such as text relevance and content quality, correlate strongly with Google rankings. In SEO strategies, it is essential to create quality content that meets readers' needs and covers the topic. Instead of focusing on the number of keywords or the freshness of the content, it is necessary to create content that covers the subject in a way that meets the readers' needs.

• Backlinks: Earning backlinks from different domains still plays a vital role at both the page and domain level. Over time, the number of backlinks can effectively increase topic authority and drive traffic to pages.

• URL and Domain Metrics: Organic performance of pages and domains strongly correlates with high SERP positions. Updating and optimizing existing content to improve its rankings can provide significant increases in organic traffic.

• Factors on SERP: It has been discovered that using exact match keywords in title and meta descriptions is not essential to achieve high rankings. Instead, it is more effective for the content to be keyword-related and naturally include keywords that align with user intent.

• User Experience Metrics: While metrics related to user experience do not directly correlate with high rankings, these metrics can be used as an indicator of the technical soundness of the site.

• User Signals: Brand awareness and direct traffic are essential for high-ranking pages. Users' recognition of the brand and access to the site through direct search may indirectly affect rankings.

• Technical Optimization and User Experience: Although technical elements such as Core Web Vitals and HTTPS show low correlation compared to other factors, it is vital to improve the overall user experience and maintain the site's technical health.

In summary, this study shows that SEO strategies are not limited to specific metrics or technical factors but also encompass broad elements such as content quality, user experience, and brand awareness.

For SEO professionals, this study provides in-depth knowledge of current trends and practical strategies while also helping them understand the ever-evolving nature of SEO and how various factors interact. I highly recommend you read it.

2️⃣ What Will The 2024 Digital Marketing Trends Be?

Icerik Bulutu's '2024 Digital Marketing Trends' research examines future strategies focused on AI, personalization, and customer experience.

The report comprehensively discusses the trends that will stand out in digital marketing in 2024. The report's content includes information and opinions from industry experts, including myself.

To summarize the 10 most essential items:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: It is emphasized that using artificial intelligence in marketing will increase and become more sophisticated.

• Popularization of Long Videos: In addition to short videos, it is stated that long videos of 2–5 minutes will gain popularity.

• Use of Social Media Platforms as Search Engines: Apart from Google, it is predicted that the use of platforms such as Instagram and TikTok as search engines will increase.

• User-Generated Content (UGC): It is stated that brands should pay more attention to the content produced by users.

• Social Commerce: Social media platforms are anticipated to become more integrated with shopping features.

• Artificial Intelligence Support in Content Marketing: It is thought that the importance of artificial intelligence tools will increase in B2B communication and content production.

• Importance of Technical SEO: Technical SEO will continue to play a critical role in adapting to search engine algorithms and providing a competitive advantage.

• Personalized Marketing and Content: More personalized content must be produced according to customers' preferences and needs.

• Artificial Intelligence in Visual Content Production: The use of artificial intelligence tools in visual and video production will increase.

• Preparation for a Cookie-Free World: It is emphasized that brands should develop strategies compatible with the decrease in the use of cookies.

The following are my predictions from the research:

– The Rise of Artificial Intelligence Tools: In 2024, artificial intelligence tools and algorithms will become even more critical in digital marketing. AI-powered applications like chatbots, predictive analytics, and personalized advertising campaigns will be central to effective marketing strategies. These technologies will allow us to reach target audiences more effectively and increase interaction.

– Prominence of Content Reflecting Human Experience: The web is flooded with poor-quality content produced by artificial intelligence. Next year, content that reflects authentic personal experiences will make a significant difference and perform better on Google. Even if the content is produced by artificial intelligence, it will have to be published after being reviewed and edited by experts in the field. At this point, I guess that Google will start to consider the identity of the author of the content increasingly.

– Personalized Marketing: Personalized marketing will remain critical to attracting consumers' attention and gaining loyalty. Customers will prefer brands that offer specific solutions to their problems and needs. This increases the importance for marketers to analyze consumers' behavior, preferences, and purchasing history to provide them with appropriate messages and recommendations.

– Continuity of SEO: SEO will remain an indispensable digital marketing area. Applications such as AI-powered keyword research and EAT criteria will be vital to increasing the ranking and visibility of websites. I think Google will start offering more personalized search engine results with SGE. Automation provided by artificial intelligence tools will enable SEO agencies to focus on areas that require creativity and strategic thinking. This will open new doors for agencies offering SEO services.

– New Marketing Channels: New marketing channels such as AR and VR technologies, metaverse, social media, and content marketing will offer opportunities for brands to create differentiation and competitive advantage. Micro-moments and other innovative approaches will be essential to increase consumer engagement and brand awareness.

By following and implementing these innovations, we can be successful in digital marketing in 2024. Remember, being flexible and innovative is the key to success in an ever-evolving world!

3️⃣ Google SGE and Organic Search Differences

A study showing that Google SGE is 94% different from organic results points to new strategies in SEO efforts.

SGE is expected to significantly impact organic traffic, according to an Authoritas analysis finding that AI answers generated by Google's Generative Search Experience (SGE) disagree 93.8% of the time with links in the top 10 of Google's organic search results because searchers can find the answers they want directly in Google's AI-generated answers.

However, there is also an opportunity within SGE for websites that do not make it into the top 10 of Google's organic results; these sites seem to have the potential to be involved in connections within the SGE.

SGE often links to different content than the content in organic results. SGE shows about 10 connections on average, but only four are unique. On average, these links come from four unique websites, meaning that two or three links in SGE answers point to the same website.

Additionally, the fact that SGE differs greatly from organic results allows digital marketers to consider how they can optimize their content and become more visible on the new platform that SGE offers.

This offers the potential to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness, particularly by focusing on the types of content shown more frequently by SGE.

4️⃣ OpenAI GPT Store Opens Next Week

OpenAI's GPT Store allows you to earn additional income by creating and selling your GPT applications.

OpenAI is opening a GPT Store where applications and software built on GPT technology can be published. This development offers an excellent opportunity for SEO and digital marketing professionals.

In this period, when artificial intelligence-based tools become widespread, GPT Store will increase competition and creativity in the sector by offering innovative applications and solutions. Developers wishing to be listed on the Store must review OpenAI's updated usage policies and GPT brand guidelines, verify their Developer Profile, and publish their GPT as 'Public'.

This development marks the perfect time for SEO and digital marketing professionals to consider how they can improve their business using artificial intelligence technologies. New tools and applications can raise standards in the industry by providing innovative solutions in content creation, data analysis, customer engagement, and many other areas.

The launch of OpenAI's GPT Store provides an opportunity to create a new source of revenue for individuals and companies. This platform lets users publicly publish and sell applications and software built on OpenAI's GPT technology.

This means a chance for everyone, including SEO and digital marketing professionals, to earn additional income by developing native GPT-based solutions. This innovative step represents an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to improve business processes and expand the market using artificial intelligence.

5️⃣Google Begins to Phase Out Third-Party Cookies

Google started removing third-party cookies in Chrome: A new era in privacy and advertising.

The “Tracking Protection” feature, which Google started offering for 1% of Chrome users at the beginning of 2024, restricts third-party cookies by default.

This feature limits cookies that track users' browsing history, enabling personalized ads. This step could lead to significant changes in privacy and advertising.

It requires rethinking marketing strategies based on targeted advertising. The development is part of Google's "Privacy Sandbox" initiative and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, subject to the UK's Competition and Markets Authority resolving competition concerns.

Google has started phasing out third-party cookies

A new tool that defaults to restricting third-party cookies has begun being rolled out to 1% of Chrome users globally.

6️⃣ Book Of The Week: “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World ” - Cal Newport

Cal Newport's book examines the loss of the ability to focus and how we can regain this valuable ability. It offers a critical look at modern work culture.

Cal Newport's book discusses how the ability to focus is lost in the modern world and how we can regain it. Newport emphasizes the importance of this ability by giving examples of people who have achieved significant success in history, such as Carl Jung and Bill Gates, who have superior focusing abilities. The book states that today's people have lost this skill in the face of communication technologies and that being constantly connected causes distraction.

Newport proposes a work culture inspired by craftsmanship, which he calls “absolute attention.” In this approach, he argues that it is possible to gain expertise on challenging issues and produce solutions to complex problems through intense focus. The book states that in the changing economic order with the influence of artificial intelligence technologies, the ability to focus has become increasingly valuable, and those who focus on this will survive.

Supported by quotes from sources such as “The Economist” and Seth Godin, this work is on the Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller list and was selected as Amazon's Best Business Book of January 2016. Newport's work highlights the importance of intense focus as a driver of the knowledge economy, emphasizing the importance of regaining the ability to focus in the constantly connected modern world.

I hope you enjoyed this week's SEOs Diners Club.

See you next week for a new episode of SEOs Diners Club full of further information, tactics, and strategies...

Have a great week and goodbye!

Best,

Mert Erkal

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