What’s Changed – 2024 Going Into 2025
Standing still is not an option. It’s easy to feel like the search engines are the ones running the show, with marketers constantly playing catch-up. Everything keeps shifting, and it can feel like a futile rat’s race to stay with the changing algorithms. But here’s the thing—2024 SEO isn’t just about what algorithms want. It’s about what people want. And for the first time, those two things are starting to align.
After the rollercoaster ride that was 2023, we’re starting to see a significant shift. AI came in like a wrecking ball, and now we’re all just trying to figure out what’s left standing. So, let’s talk about what’s changed, what’s changing, and what’s never going back to the way it was.
The Human Touch Strikes Back – The Latest SEO Techniques
AI tools seemed poised to take over everything last year. Suddenly, everyone and their grandmother could churn out thousands of words of AI-generated content with just a few clicks. And it looked great! Blog posts, articles, even good SEO content— it was coming at us like a firehose. But here’s the catch: people caught on fast.
Customers, savvy as ever, started noticing the hollow, robotic nature of some of this content. It lacked nuance. It lacked authenticity. It was glaringly similar to the last five articles on the same topic that they’d just read. And most damning of all—it lacked trustworthiness. Potential customers that landed on these pages started pulling back, asking the uncomfortable question: “Can I trust this?”
The SEO world in 2024 is waking up to the fact that while AI is an incredible tool, it’s a tool best used with human hands, not instead of them. Specialist teams are finding with the latest SEO techniques that AI-generated content has its place—drafting ideas, speeding up processes to reach SEO goals quicker—but here’s the reality: the new winning SEO strategy is to dial back the reliance on AI and bring in more human-made content. Why? Because humans write with empathy, originality, and that all-important nuance that AI just can’t match—at least not yet.
If 2023 was about seeing how far we could push AI in digital marketing, 2024 is the year the pendulum swings back. It’s no longer about how much content you can pump out but about creating something with substance that resonates. Human experience, voice, and perspective are SEO’s new best friends.
Say Goodbye to Vanity Metrics
One of the biggest mindset shifts in SEO in 2024 is this: It’s not about more traffic anymore. It’s about the right traffic.
As we move from 2024 into 2025, we know the shift is moving towards ultra-focused, hyper-targeted content. Instead of just getting someone to your page, the goal is making sure that when they land, they feel like they’ve found exactly what they need. ie; Answers to their questions from experts who know what they’re talking about.
There’s a strategic shift toward audience-first content, which means knowing who your customers are and what questions keep them up at night. Experts are now offering SEO consulting services designed to solve those very problems. It’s all about serving up solutions before they know they need them.
Quality Over Quantity- Google’s EEAT Guidelines Have Raised the Bar
This all ties back to Google’s ongoing effort to serve more valuable content to users. If you haven’t been paying attention, the EEAT guidelines (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) got an extra “E” added on at the end of 2022—Experience.
What does that mean? Well, it’s no longer enough to have the answers to a particular query. Now, algorithms are looking for hallmarks that you’ve been there and done that. First-hand experience matters and is now a critical piece of the SEO puzzle. That’s because it proves that your content is reliable.
Your content needs to show that you’ve been in the trenches and come out the other side with something valuable to say.
What is the implication for SEO in 2024? Authenticity and originality working in tandem always trump volume. Gone are the days of keyword stuffing and mindless content mills. Customers are getting better at distinguishing fluff from genuine insight. The takeaway? You shouldn’t necessarily publish fewer articles, but instead, make sure they’re packed with value and rooted in real-world experience.
The Rise of AI-Generated SERP Snippets (and Why They’re Not Stealing Your Traffic—Yet)
Here’s the thing: this latest SEO technique is still rough around the edges. In fact, the current feedback isn’t exactly glowing. Early adopters have pointed out that these snippets are often inaccurate, unreliable, and sometimes filled with wrong information. So, while it’s something to keep an eye on, it’s not quite the traffic killer that some feared it would be. At least, not until Google figures out how to get it right.
For now, human-written content with real insights will still beat out the generic answers spat out by SGE. Yes, Google will fine-tune this tool, and yes, it will get better. But we’re not there yet. If your SEO strategy revolves around creating deep, thoughtful content that answers questions with authority, you’re in a good spot. Keep doing what you’re doing.
What’s Next? The Latest SEO Techniques Are Pretty Simple
SEO in 2024, and moving into 2025, is shaping up to be a more refined, focused version of what we’ve seen in years past. AI isn’t going anywhere, but neither is human creativity, empathy, and experience. We’re entering an era where how we create is just as important as what we create. We can use these advanced AI tools to drive our work to new heights instead of allowing AI to replace human expertise. For more insights into the evolving role of AI, check out our discussion on whether ChatGPT will replace Google Search.
What’s the secret sauce for SEO success now? Simple: be human. Embrace these tools, but don’t let them replace your voice. Be targeted, be insightful, and—most importantly—be trustworthy. To learn more about a balanced approach to content creation that combines both technology and human insight, explore our content creation approach.
The future of SEO isn’t going to be brought about by churning out content for content’s sake. Instead, real results come from creating something real, something that connects, and something that offers genuine value. Because at the end of the day, SEO techniques may evolve with AI at the helm, but humans are still the ones you’re writing for.
And humans? We can spot the real deal from a mile away. Be the real deal—after all, we know you’ve got a lot of great stuff to bring to the table.
