At the beginning of 2002, there were more than a dozen “search engines,” including crawlers, directories, and paid/PPC/CPC engines.
But by the end of that year, Google had emerged from the pack to become the leading player. (According to Nielsen//NetRatings, Google had a 39% share of 47 million “search hours” in December 2002.1)
I recently called the past 20 years “The Age of the One-Trick Pony.” Back at the beginning of 2003, if you figured out how to improve a website’s visibility in Google’s organic search results, then you could get a well-paying job at an SEO agency.
But, SEO professionals need to prepare for a paradigm shift as that age is about to end.
This means you must invest more time learning innovative marketing disciplines, and demonstrate prudent judgment to manage change.
As we step into the future of search, I can share five strategic insights and five pieces of tactical advice.
Strategic Insights
According to Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese military strategist, “Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
And far too many SEOs have spent too little time exploring and evaluating different digital marketing strategies.
This explains Why There Are So Few Vice Presidents of Search Engine Optimization.
So, what can you do to outline a strategy for 2025 and beyond?
1. Embrace AI As A Powerful Tool
You’ve already learned how to use SEO tools that help you improve your company or client’s search engine rankings by analyzing keywords, content, and backlinks.
So, instead of feeling threatened by AI, embrace it as just another tool to add to your toolbox.
Jensen Huang, the founder, president, and CEO of Nvidia, has said, “AI is not going to take your job. The person who uses AI is going to take your job.”
Almost two years later, we’ve learned by comparing the content output generated by ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude that generative AI tools may be smarter than newbies at times, but not people with more education, expertise, and experience.
For example, researchers at the University of Reading in England created over 30 fake psychology student accounts and used them to submit ChatGPT-4-produced answers to examination questions.
On average, ChatGPT-4 scored better than human students in the first- and second-year exams, where the questions were easier.
In their last year at the university, students are expected to provide deeper insights and use more elaborate analytical skills. Generative AI isn’t particularly good at that, which is why third-year human students got better grades than ChatGPT-4.
So, embrace AI as a powerful tool – but one that requires someone with education, expertise, and experience to use it effectively. And whatever you do, don’t become a tool of your tools.
2. Conduct Audience Research
I’ve been using keyword research tools since 2002, but I started using an audience research tool in 2020.
With classic keyword research, you learn how many searches a keyword gets. With an audience research tool, you also learn about the audience that searches for a keyword, uses words in their bio, or visits a website.
This is a game changer – and it’s arriving at the precise moment when SEO pros need to start creating the kind of user, buyer, marketing, and customer personas that can transform SEO, PPC, and content marketing.
To get a seat at the big table, SEO marketers must move beyond optimizing their sites, pages, articles, and content for an undifferentiated group of search engine users.
Why? Because one size does not fit all.
Digital marketers have been targeting ads at segments of people with specific demographics, intents, and interests for decades.
However, SEO professionals seemed satisfied with trying to guess the intent of users based on the words or phrases in their queries.
Who can blame them? Previously, keyword research tools could only tell SEOs “what” people searched for, but not “who” they were.
Now, SEO and content marketers can get surprising insights into the demographics, interests, and information sources that influence their intent.
For example, let’s say that the B2B company or client you work for wants to know who searches for “customer retention”?
Well, SparkToro tells you that 5,000 to 6,000 people search for “customer retention” each month in the United States.
Screenshot from SparkToro, December 2024The tool also tells you that 52.6% are female, and 46.8% are male. Surprised?
They also visit websites like HelpScout.com and Userpilot.com, as well as search other keywords like “lifetime customer value formula” and “tools for customer success.”
Or, let’s say that the target audience that your B2C company or client wants to reach is a “nutritionist.”
Screenshot from SparkToro, December 2024The tool tells you that 15,000 people have “nutritionist” in their social media bios. The tool also tells you that 81.9% are female, and 174.3% are male.
They also visit websites like Cenegenics.com and CleanPlates.com. And they’re searching for keywords like “fat content of foods” and “how much eggs have protein.”
Finally, let’s say you’ve just started doing work for TheSill.com.
You could tell Eliza that 125,000 people globally visit TheSill.com each month.
Screenshot from SparkToro, December 2024And the audience located in the United States is 52.4% female, and 47.2% male.
This audience also visits BHG.com and FoodandWine.com, And they search for “how to clip plants” and “cheap tall plants.”
That’s why I think conducting audience research gives you a competitive advantage over keyword research when it comes to crafting more resonant, effective content.
3. Focus On High-Quality, Original Content
It’s worth re-reading Google’s guidance on building high-quality sites published in 2011, following the first Panda algorithm change.
It’s also worth reading the Googe Search Center documentation for creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.
If you have time, then it’s also worth checking out Leveraging YouTube, LinkedIn, And Cross-Channel Strategies For Success.
What will you learn from all this background reading? Content is still king.
And while AI may help you crank out content more efficiently, it still doesn’t create the high-quality, original content that readers crave and Google rewards.
However, it’s important to recognize that there are different perspectives on creating high-quality, original content.
Some experts are focused on increasing efficiency (doing things right), while others are focused on improving effectiveness (doing the right things).
Spoiler alert: I’m in the second camp, along with a lot of content marketers. But, a lot of senior executives, especially chief financial officers (CFOs), are in the first camp.
So, SEO marketers won’t be surprised when they read what Stephanie Stahl said: “Creating content that prompts a desired action isn’t easy.”
SEO professionals may feel a surge of empathetic pain when they read that the biggest challenge that 54% of B2B content creation teams face is “lack of resources.”
But, SEO pros may also feel a surge of hope when they read that Stahl also said, “a group of top performers has found a way to surge ahead. They’ve figured out how to understand their audience’s needs, produce high-quality content, and use AI to create more efficient workflows.”
So, how do the most successful content marketers differ from their less successful peers? Well, according to Stahl, top performers are more likely to:
- Have the right technology to manage content across the organization.
- Have a scalable model for content creation.
- Say their scalable model is creating the desired outcomes.
But the factors that B2B top performers say contribute to their content marketing success are:
- Understand our audience (82%).
- Produce high-quality content (77%).
- Possess industry expertise (70%).
- Have high-performing team members (69%).
- Set goals that align with their organization’s objectives (62%).
- Measure and demonstrate content performance effectively (53%).
So, the debate between efficiency and effectiveness isn’t over. You don’t need to pick sides, but you should be aware that executives at your company are probably debating this topic, too.
4. Build Strong Backlinks
I don’t need to tell SEO pros they need to build strong backlinks. I also don’t need to tell you that this is getting harder to do.
Back in 2002, all you needed to do was submit your URL to the Yahoo! Directory and the Open Directory Project (also known as DMOZ). But, both directories have since been shut down, with the Yahoo! Directory closing in 2014 and the Open Directory Project in 2017.
Meanwhile, Google’s Penguin algorithm update, which rolled out from 2012 to 2016, targeted link spam and manipulative link-building practices.
So, how do you build strong backlinks these days?
You can start by reading What Links Should You Build For A Natural Backlink Profile?
Or, download “Link Building For SEO: A Complete Guide.”
5. Prioritize User Experience (UX):
Finally, read about how AI is transforming user experiences and influencing SEO rankings.
Every SEO I’ve met over the past 20 years knows how to evaluate the usability of webpages.
For any of the new SEO experts that I haven’t met yet, here’s what Google has to say about the usability of webpages:
“Our systems also consider the usability of content. When all things are relatively equal, content that people will find more accessible may perform better.”
Google adds:
“For example, our systems would look at page experience aspects, such as if content is mobile-friendly, so that those on mobile devices can easily view it. Similarly, they look to see if content loads quickly, also important to mobile users.”
Get it? Got it? Good.
Tactical Advice
It’s worth knowing that Sun Tzu also said, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory.”
This quote reminds me of the scene from the superhero comedy film, Mystery Men (1999), where Mr. Furious says, “If you want to push something down, you have to pull it up. If you want to go left, you have to go right.”
But I must admit that the ancient Chinese military strategist is right. You need tactical advice as well as strategic insights to achieve your professional goals and advance in this field or industry.
1. Stay Updated With Algorithm Changes
In November 2003, Google surprised SEO professionals with its first major algorithm update. It was called the “Florida Update” because it hit the industry like a hurricane.
Since then, SEO pros have monitored Google’s algorithm updates and adjusted their strategies accordingly.
If you want to stay updated about algorithm changes, start by reading, Why & How To Track Google Algorithm Updates.
2. Leverage Schema Markup
You’ll also want to implement schema markup to help search engines understand your content and display rich snippets.
If you don’t already know how to do that, then read What Is Schema Markup & Why Is It Important For SEO?
After you’ve done your homework, use tools like Google’s Schema Markup Testing Tool to test your structured data.
3. Optimize For Core Web Vitals
You already know that improving page load speed, interactivity, and visual stability enhance your user experience.
You can brush up on reading about page speed and Core Web Vitals.
4. Track And Analyze Your Performance
It goes without saying that you need to use digital analytics tools to track and analyze your performance. But it’s well worth reading: Beyond Rankings and Beyond Pageviews.
SEO professionals need to have a seat at the table when digital marketing teams decide which events to turn into “key events” in GA4.
Why? So, we can go beyond tracking which default channel was the source of website traffic and begin measuring which channels are generating leads or driving online sales.
5. Adapt To Emerging Trends
SEO marketers have been doing this for more than two decades. But it won’t hurt you to download the “State of SEO 2025.”
Summary: Adapting To The New Age Of Search
By following these strategic SEO insights and tactical advice, you can position yourself for success in the ever-evolving digital landscape – whether you remain at your current company or need to re-invent yourself at another one.
To close with another quote from Sun Tzu: “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”
Footnote:
1 Sullivan, D. (2002, March 4-6). Search Engine Strategies 2003 [Conference Handbook (p. 42)]. Hilton Boston Park Plaza, MA, United States.
More Resources:
Featured Image: Buravleva stock/Shutterstock