In today’s discussion, we’re speaking with Anastasia Braitsik, a global leader in SEO, content marketing, and data analytics. Anastasia will share her insights on how AI has influenced SEO, the importance of mastering SEO fundamentals, and various technical and content-related aspects that boost a website’s performance.
Can you explain how AI has influenced the world of search in recent years?
AI has dramatically changed the search landscape. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews have shifted how people interact with search engines. They provide quick answers by pulling directly from content but still rely on fundamental SEO principles to determine valuable content.
How have generative AI tools, like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, changed how people interact with search engines?
These tools focus on providing concise, immediate responses which means that well-structured, authoritative content is more important than ever. Content that directly answers user queries and ranks highly in search results is favored by these AI systems.
Why do you believe mastering SEO fundamentals is more important now compared to before?
Mastering SEO fundamentals is crucial because it’s the foundation that ensures your content is accessible and valuable. Despite advancements in AI, these basic principles remain essential for driving traffic and achieving high rankings.
What core principles of SEO are still relevant despite these AI advancements?
The core principles that remain relevant include having a solid technical foundation, producing high-quality content, effective keyword usage, and building authoritative backlinks. These elements are still what makes content rise to the top in search results.
What role does technical SEO play in today’s landscape?
Technical SEO is more important than ever as it ensures that both classic search engines and modern AI tools can access and index your website without issues. If your site isn’t technically sound, all other efforts are likely to fall short.
How essential is it to ensure that search engines and AI tools can access and index a website without issues?
It’s extremely essential. If AI and search engines can’t access your site properly, they can’t pull your content or present it as a reliable source. Proper indexability and accessibility are key for visibility and performance.
Can you provide some examples of technical improvements that have impacted a website’s performance?
At my agency, we implemented canonical tags and un-gated previously no-indexed content for a client. These changes led to a significant increase in organic traffic and keyword rankings.
What is the significance of canonical tags on a website?
Canonical tags help prevent duplication by signaling to search engines which version of a page is the “true” version. This is invaluable for managing SEO on large sites, ensuring consistency, and avoiding keyword cannibalization.
How does un-gating content help in improving a site’s indexability and traffic?
Un-gating content allows previously inaccessible content to be indexed by search engines, increasing visibility and boosting organic traffic. It’s a simple yet effective strategy to improve your site’s overall performance.
What is your process for improving a website’s Core Web Vitals?
Improving Core Web Vitals often involves optimizing themes, compressing images, and using CDNs. These changes can significantly enhance user experience and site performance, leading to increased traffic and conversions.
How do Core Web Vitals affect a website’s ranking and user experience?
Core Web Vitals are directly tied to both website ranking and user experience. Better vitals mean a faster, more efficient site, which search engines favor and users appreciate, leading to improved rankings and engagement.
How does schema markup help with SEO?
Schema markup provides a structured way for search engines to understand your content, enhancing the visibility and relevance of your website. It acts as a superhighway of information for crawlers.
Can you provide an example of how implementing schema has improved search rankings?
After implementing schema for a client, we saw a 288% increase in first-page keywords and a significant rise in SERP features. This directly reflects the power of structured data in improving SEO outcomes.
Despite Google’s automatic rewriting of metadata, do you still find it important to optimize metadata? Why?
Absolutely. Optimizing metadata still improves organic visibility and rankings. High-quality metadata helps search engines understand content better and can lead to higher click-through rates.
Have you seen positive results from improving metadata on client websites?
Yes, simply updating metadata according to best practices led to a 55% increase in first-page keywords YoY for a client. Even basic updates can have substantial impacts.
Why is content quality so important in SEO?
Quality content is essential because it answers user questions, builds trust, and engages your audience. Search engines prioritize content that meets these criteria, ensuring lasting relevance and visibility.
How can you ensure that the content you create provides true value to users?
Creating valuable content involves thorough research, clarity, and answering user questions comprehensively. It must be trustworthy, well-argued, and backed by sources to truly engage and benefit users.
Can you share your formula for using keywords in crucial areas like titles and headers?
Sure, the formula involves placing the primary keyword upfront in titles, adding a unique selling point (USP), and a modifier relevant to the reader. This ensures optimal engagement and relevance.
Why is it important to have the primary keyword upfront in titles?
Placing the primary keyword upfront makes it more likely to catch the searcher’s attention and signals the content’s relevance to search engines, improving both ranking and click-through rates.
What is the importance of internal linking in SEO, and how can it boost visibility?
Internal linking guides users and crawlers through your content, helping to establish topical authority and improve visibility. Well-structured links facilitate easier navigation and better discoverability.
Can you describe your process for mapping and categorizing internal links?
We map all pages in an Excel sheet, categorize them by topic, and review old posts to find natural linking opportunities. This organization helps ensure comprehensive internal linking, boosting SEO and user engagement.
How can providing multiple ways for users to engage with content benefit a website’s SEO?
Offering various content engagement methods, like adding transcripts to video pages, caters to different user preferences and can increase impressions and engagement, leading to better SEO performance.
Have you seen instances where adding transcripts to video pages increased impressions?
Yes, adding transcripts to video pages led to a 10x increase in impressions for one of our clients. It’s a simple yet effective way to enhance accessibility and SEO.
Why is it crucial to conduct thorough keyword research?
Thorough keyword research helps understand your audience’s language and intent, ensuring your content is effectively targeted and relevant. It’s foundational to any robust SEO strategy.
How does understanding the audience’s language help in crafting effective content?
By understanding how your audience searches and speaks, you can tailor your content to meet their needs, making it more engaging and likely to rank well in search results.
How do backlinks contribute to a website’s authority in SEO?
Backlinks are a strong indicator of authority, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. High-quality backlinks can significantly boost your website’s credibility and ranking.
What are foundational links and how do they differ from other types of backlinks?
Foundational links are basic, often directory-based backlinks that every business should have. While they don’t carry the highest authority, they’re crucial for establishing initial credibility and presence.
What is your forecast for SEO?
SEO will continue to evolve with AI advancements, but mastering the fundamentals will remain essential. Focusing on high-quality content, technical optimization, and effective keyword usage will help maintain and grow visibility in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.
