Category: Clients

Top Social Media Trends for 2025

Every year, at DWG, we try to predict the new trends on the web. We have had a pretty good batting average, so here is what we foresee for social media in 2025.

The Evolution of Social Media

Since its inception, social media has undergone significant changes. From simple platforms for connecting with friends and family to complex ecosystems that drive business growth, social media has become an essential tool for marketers. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has further transformed the social media landscape, enabling businesses to leverage AI tools to analyze user behavior, create personalized content, and optimize their online presence.

One key trend in social media evolution is the increasing use of AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants. These AI agents can help businesses automate customer service, provide personalized recommendations, and create content. For instance, AI-powered chatbots can analyze user data and preferences to offer tailored product suggestions, improving the overall customer experience.

Another significant development in social media is the growing importance of content marketing. As users become increasingly discerning, businesses must create high-quality, engaging content that resonates with their target audience. AI tools can help content teams develop effective content strategies, optimize content for search engines, and even generate content using generative AI.

However, as social media evolves, businesses must prioritize human oversight and ensure that AI tools are used responsibly. By striking the right balance between AI-driven automation and human creativity, businesses can harness the power of social media to drive growth, reduce costs, and improve customer engagement.

Generative AI Agentic LLM Models Reach +100 Million Users

      1. It’s no secret that inference models that are better at reasoning are the next frontier as the AI training data pool is drained. Better reasoning opens the door to AI agents and LLM scripts that perform actions for us, like buying a product or downloading a whitepaper.
      2. So far, agents like Shop Like a Pro or Google Mariner are still nascent and require extensive oversight. But in 2025, I expect a breakthrough that will drive adoption past the 100m user ceiling.
      3. Agents are easier to monetize because they save users time in a much more tangible way than answering. Doing over talking.
      4. The AI front runners also seem ready for prototypes, as we’ve seen at the hands of the agents that already launched.
      5. The monetary incentive is there: charging for time savings or cheaper products is pay-worthy value.
      6. Marketers will have less control over the early stages of the user journey as consumers and B2B buyers explore LLM chatbots and agents. Clicks and search volumes for high-volume keywords will likely shrink in specific verticals.

More AI Victims

      1. I expect many more victims in 2025 as AI destroys the margins of whole industries and leaves slow-moving companies behind.
      2. Some industries are in a tough spot: translation, dictionaries, tutoring, and outsourced call centers.
      3. AI will give birth to new industries we cannot even imagine yet and might also revive some forgotten players, like Oracle.
      4. In 2024, we’ve seen the first AI victims: Chegg and Stackoverflow.
      5. New technologies always create winners and losers. The more powerful the technology, the bigger the shuffle.

Implications

      1. We’ll see more pivots as companies on the hot seat must find other growth markets.
      2. We’re likely seeing layoffs, consolidation, and acquisitions of companies with eroding margins.

AI Automation Becomes The Default For Content Marketing Teams

One trend we are very bullish on is system building, also called GTM Automation in the B2B world. AI and No-Code tools allow Marketers to chain and automate workflows instead of manually performing them. Data analysis plays a crucial role in comparing various AI tools for SEO tasks, highlighting how some tools excel in content generation while others, like Claude, are particularly strong in data analysis.

Today, AI automates significant parts of lead funnels, post-purchase onboarding, and SEO or advertising.

In 2025, system building will become necessary as marketing teams either stay small or become smaller due to budget constraints and economic uncertainty.

Implications:

Smaller teams, freelancers, and consultants become more capable and thus can exert more power. The impact of a single marketer grows if they’re skilled, but mediocre marketers might have to find another area of work. Effective content writing will become even more crucial as automation tools take over routine tasks. However, human oversight is essential for ensuring creativity and originality in content creation.

Marketers will start Agencies that set up automation systems for other companies.

AI Overviews Evolve

Google’s artificial intelligence overviews will morph as the company iterates on the format.

Some changes I could see are personalization based on your searches and favorite websites, video answers, or a NotebookLM integration.

AIOs will also show for +50% of queries.

New models, especially multimodal ones that can understand and answer with more than text, could improve the user experience and strengthen Google’s moat.

Google has to find ways to defend itself from LLMs like Chat GPT or Perplexity, which are not under the same pressure to maintain margins and revenue growth rates.

Implications:

SEOs need to continue tracking, experimenting with, and adapting to changes in search engines like Google. Keyword research is crucial in enhancing SEO strategies, as it helps identify relevant keywords that improve content visibility and ranking on search engines. Pressure on Google extends to SEOs.

This is not a time of stability, as we have had more or less over the last two decades, but a time of agility, flexibility, and adaptation.

Reddit Becomes Part Of The Default Channel Mix For Organic Traffic

Marketers will leverage Reddit much more for advertising, creating content, and audience insights in 2025.

Reddit’s advertising revenue will maintain its growth rate, and its stock price will keep climbing (no investing advice).

The largest forum on the web is now one of the largest sites, as Google features it prominently for almost every query.

Since topics organize threads instead of interests, Reddit can show ads based on what users discuss instead of their behavior.

The company keeps expanding and improving its advertising stack, offering more and better targeting.

Reddit uses AI to translate its US content into other languages to enter other markets. This helps reduce costs associated with entering new markets by streamlining the translation process and eliminating redundant tasks. Together with Google’s ranking boost for forums, Reddit’s growth will continue. This approach is part of Reddit’s broader content strategy to enhance user engagement and market penetration.

Implications:

Reddit is growing as an intent-based alternative to Google. Integrating relevant keywords into content is crucial for improving search engine visibility and aligning with audience search queries. Markets will advertise on both platforms, but only Google has provided this type of performance ad.

Reddit will also provide marketers with more valuable insights, helping them better understand their target audience and create more valuable content.

More Sites Cloak For LLMs

In 2025, DWG expects a few prominent companies to create “bot-only” versions of their sites optimized for LLM crawlers. Incorporating an effective SEO strategy by utilizing AI keyword tools will be crucial in this process, as these tools help identify and integrate relevant keywords into website content.

LLMs are hungry for fast sites with lots of structured content, but they don’t penalize cloaking.

Implications:

The web could become a better home for (good) bots as more users instruct LLMs to retrieve information or make purchases. Human activity could shrink and be replaced by bot activity, whether this will lead to net-negative or positive open web activity.

The Current Google Shopping Tab Will Become The Default

The new, AI-personalized shopping experience behind Google’s shopping tab will become the default search experience in the main tab for shopping-related queries.

Aligning content with user intent is crucial to creating more relevant and engaging content, especially as AI keyword tools analyze search behavior.

Google often treats tabs as a beta environment for new experiences. In 2020, Google made the shopping tab the default experience.

Google wants to break Amazon’s e-commerce dominance to increase revenue growth, especially as AI disrupts the classic search results.

Implications:

Personalized results are more challenging to track. If the current shopping tab becomes the default, average search results might become even harder to track due to product grids. As a result, marketers need to optimize based on the little data Google still provides or lean on other ways to understand whether they are optimizing in the right direction.

AI-generated Audio And Video Hits Mass Adoption

      1. We’ll see a lot more YouTube channels and podcasts use AI-generated b-rolls and ads.
      2. The technology is getting there: Elevenlabs launched a new voice generator like NotebookLM and Google’s Veo 2, and OpenAI’s Sora should soon be removed from the waitlist.
      3. If NotebookLM’s podcasting feature’s success has shown us one thing, it’s that multimodal AI output is getting ready for showtime.

Implications:

      1. The production cost of video and audio formats will sink dramatically.
      2. Deception and clickbait could reach new highs.

Google And Apple Divorce Over Virtual Assistants

Google ended exclusivity agreements with Apple, Samsung, and other suppliers amid the DoJ antitrust lawsuit.

Even though the DoJ asks for much more, such as Google selling clicks and query data, the most realistic outcome is a settlement ending exclusive distribution.

Google itself suggested loosening its agreements (source) to mitigate possible remedies.

The DoJ antitrust lawsuit initially focused on those agreements. In his memo, the ruling judge (Mehta) clarified that he’s not a fan.

Implications:

      1. Google won the search game, so I don’t expect remedies to change that. Instead, any remedies will impact Google’s position in the AI game.
      2. Losing exclusive distribution agreements could mean that Google has to fight for its position instead of winning by default on over half the market.

Apple Or Open AI Announce Smart Glasses

      1. Apple or Open AI will join the smart glasses market with a device announcement to compete with Meta.
      2. I lean more towards Open AI since Apple already has a secondary device with its watches, and Open AI has officially started to work with Jony Ive, the designer of the iPhone.
      3. Meta is running away with smart glasses. Meta Ray Bans make up 60% of purchases in Ray Ban stores.
      4. The smart glasses market is on track to hit $10.8 billion by 2030, offering a billion-dollar opportunity for the winner.

Implications:

      1. Owning a successful hardware device with mass adoption could be a valuable defense to OpenAI or another fruitful business for Apple.
      2. For marketers, the implications could be a change in consumer behavior, like more live streams, or new content formats, like smart glasses answers. However, adoption is still so far out, and the implications are so unclear that it’s hard to predict where things are going.

Conclusion

When we look at what’s coming in 2025, it’s very interesting. AI will become smarter, people will change how they use the internet, and platforms like Reddit becoming major players. We will have AI assistants and AI employees used by people and cortporations!

People will be using AI to help them shop, search, and make decisions, while Corporation will be using AI ro help them sell, improve their search results, and suggest decisions to their end-users. AI to AI conversation will become much closer to a norm. And, beyond that marketing and creativity will rapidly transform.

So, adaptability will be crucial. Companies that embrace AI automation while maintaining human oversight, optimize for new search experiences, and leverage emerging platforms will likely thrive. Meanwhile, those slow to adapt might find themselves joining the ranks of AI’s “victims.”

For marketers and content creators, 2025 won’t just be about keeping up with these changes – it’ll be about strategically choosing which trends to invest in and which to monitor from a distance.

From figuring out how to use AI tools effectively to getting ready for new ways people search online, and even preparing for smart glasses (yes, that’s really happening!). It’s not about chasing every shiny new trend that pops up – we’ve all seen companies burn resources trying to do that. Instead, focus on finding the tools and strategies that actually move the needle for your business, then make them work hard for you.

Let’s get real about 2025 – it’s going to shake things up in ways we haven’t seen before.

Some companies will embrace these changes smartly, while others might struggle to keep up. The key isn’t just staying on top of what’s new – it’s about being smart enough to know which changes matter for your audience and flexible enough to adapt when they do.

Here at DWG, that’s exactly what we’ll keep doing – watching the horizon for what’s coming next and helping our customers with smarter choices about where to put their energy and resources. After all, we’ve been doing this long enough to know that it’s not the strongest or the biggest that survive – it’s the ones who know how to adapt.

After all, in the world of digital marketing and content strategy, the only constant is change – and 2025 promises plenty of it.

Social Media SEO Connection Explained

I’ve clarified how social media impacts the new Search Everything Optimization (SEO). While Google claims that social signals (likes, shares, and comments) have no direct ranking influence, their indirect impact is significant. Earlier this year, a Google leak revealed how much they care about user engagement metrics, many of which are deeply tied to social media activity. Also, in 2024, Google lost a significant share of the search market to AI and social search.

The rise of Search Everything optimization has completely transformed the game. Think of the new SEO as your way of maximizing your exposure on every platform. AI can act as an intelligent assistant in this new environment, constantly optimizing your social media content and user experience. It’s like having a digital marketing expert available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure your content performs well across all platforms.

Understanding this dynamic will be important for your company’s online presence and communication with the target audience.

This post will examine social media platforms and how they might help your SEO efforts by optimizing and reusing website content for increased visibility and interaction as part of a larger social media strategy.

The Evolving SEO

Referring back to our article on Search Everything Optimization, “Today, the landscape of search has changed drastically. The options for conducting searches have multiplied from familiar names like Google, TikTok, FaceBook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest to emerging platforms like Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claud, and more. This transformation in search capabilities is collectively known as Generative Search, and the task of optimization for this group is called GSO (you guessed it: Generative Search Optimization).”

With AI algorithms now better at understanding the context of content and user intent, the lines between social media engagement and SEO performance are blurring, with a greater emphasis on the role of content marketing. Social media SEO involves creating quality, relevant content and employing strategies to boost both social media presence and organic search results in social media SEO.

The Impact of AI on Social Signals

Google’s AI development, mainly the BERT and MUM algorithms, has increased the search engine’s ability to understand natural language and human intent. These advances mean that social media content, mainly when it generates high levels of engagement, can indirectly impact how search engines rank your website.

For instance, viral social media marketing can increase brand searches on Google, consequently sending a positive signal to the search engine regarding your brand’s authority and relevance. Besides, AI-powered technologies are now assessing search engines and social media trends to direct SEO plans,  making social media posts a crucial part of SEO planning.

Understanding Social Media Platforms

Major Platforms

Understanding the unique features and characteristics of each central social media platform is essential. Here’s an overview of the most popular platforms and their distinct features:

      • Facebook: With over 2.7 billion monthly active users, Facebook offers a range of features, including Facebook Groups, Facebook Live, and Facebook Marketplace. These features allow businesses to create communities, host live events, and sell products directly on the platform, making it a versatile tool for engaging with your target audience.
      • Twitter: A microblogging platform that has been losing users rapidly but still has over 230 million monthly active users. It’s known for its real-time updates, hashtags, and character limit of 280 characters. Using trending hashtags can increase the visibility of your posts.
      • Instagram: Part of Meta, Instagram is a visual platform with over 1 billion active users. It’s famous for its Stories feature, Reels, and influencer marketing. Instagram is perfect for brands leveraging high-quality visuals to tell their stories. The platform’s algorithm favors engaging content, so consistent posting and interaction with followers are critical.
      • LinkedIn: A professional networking site with over 700 million users, LinkedIn is ideal for B2B marketing and recruitment. It’s a platform where businesses can share industry insights, company updates, and job postings. LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritizes content that sparks professional conversations, making it a valuable tool for establishing thought leadership. Additionally, tracking engagement metrics on LinkedIn can help businesses measure the effectiveness of their content and interactions.
      • YouTube: The second-largest search engine, YouTube is a video-sharing platform with over 2 billion active users. Businesses need to optimize their YouTube videos for search. Engaging video titles, descriptions, and tags are crucial for visibility.
      • TikTok: TikTok is a short-form video platform with over 1 billion monthly active users, known for its highly engaging and algorithm-driven content. The platform offers features like trending challenges, filters, and music integration, making it a hub for creativity and viral moments. TikTok’s For You Page (FYP) leverages powerful algorithms to showcase content tailored to users’ preferences, allowing brands to reach vast audiences quickly. Ideal for brands targeting younger demographics, TikTok thrives on authenticity and trends, offering opportunities for influencer collaborations and creative storytelling.

Each platform has its unique features, audience, and algorithm. Understanding these differences is crucial for developing a social media SEO strategy that resonates with your target audience.

What is Social Media SEO?

Social Media SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is optimizing your social media profiles and posts for increased visibility and ranking on social media platforms and traditional search engines. This involves strategically using relevant keywords, hashtags, and other SEO techniques to ensure your search engine content reaches a broader audience.

In today’s digital landscape, social media SEO is crucial for businesses aiming to increase their online presence, search engines drive more website traffic, and boost brand awareness. By optimizing your social media SEO content, you not only improve your chances of appearing in search results on platforms like Google but also enhance your visibility within the social media sites themselves. This dual approach ensures that your brand remains top-of-mind for potential customers, no matter where they are searching. Creating high-quality website content that can be shared on social media drives traffic and improves SEO performance.

Definition and Importance

Social media SEO is optimizing your social media profiles and posts to enhance their visibility and ranking on social media platforms and search engines. This practice is crucial for businesses aiming to bolster their online presence, drive more website traffic, and elevate brand awareness. Integrating social media SEO into your marketing strategy allows you to reach a broader audience, build a robust brand reputation, and drive more sales. In today’s digital age, where social media platforms are a primary source of information and interaction, leveraging social media SEO is beneficial and essential for sustained business growth.

Optimizing for Social Media Search

Profile Optimization

Optimizing your social media profiles is foundational to any effective social media SEO strategy. A well-optimized profile is complete, consistent, and reflective of your brand’s identity across all social media platforms. This means ensuring that every profile includes the following:

      • A high-quality profile picture.
      • An engaging cover photo.
      • A detailed bio.
      • Up-to-date contact information.

To optimize your social media profiles effectively, consider the following tips:

      • Use Relevant Keywords: Use relevant keywords in your social media bio and profile description to boost searchability.
      • Include a Website Link: To drive traffic, include a social media link to your website or a specific landing page.
      • High-Quality Visuals: To create a professional appearance, use high-quality images for your social media profile picture and cover photo.
      • Complete All Fields: To provide comprehensive information to your audience, complete all available social media fields, including contact information and hours of operation.
      • Consistent Branding: To strengthen brand recognition, maintain consistent branding elements, such as logos and color schemes, across all social media platforms.

Ensuring that your profiles are complete and consistent makes it easier for customers to find and recognize your business, enhancing your social media SEO efforts.

Identifying Relevant Keywords for Social Media Content

Keyword research is a critical component of social media SEO. It helps you identify relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience uses to search for content on social media platforms. Here’s how to conduct keyword research for social media:

      1. Use Keyword Research Tools: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find relevant keywords and phrases. These tools provide insights into search volume, competition, and trends, helping you choose the most effective keywords for your content.
      2. Analyze Competitors: Research your competitors’ social media content and identify their keywords. This can give you an idea of what’s working in your industry and help you find gaps you can fill with your content.
      3. Use Social Media Listening: Monitor social media conversations about your business, industry, or niche to find important keywords. Tools like Hootsuite Insights or Brandwatch can help you track mentions and discussions, providing valuable insights into your audience’s language.
      4. Identify Long-Tail Keywords: Concentrate on long-tail keywords with less competition and greater conversion rates. These more specific keywords indicate a higher intent to purchase or engage, making them valuable for driving targeted traffic.

Once you’ve identified relevant keywords, implement them in your social media content, including:

      • Captions: Use keywords in your captions to help social media search engines understand the substance of your post. This might increase the visibility of your posts on social media platforms.
      • Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to categorize your content and make it discoverable. Hashtags can significantly increase the reach of your posts, especially on platforms like Instagram and Twitter.
      • Meta Descriptions: Use keywords in your meta descriptions to optimize your social media posts for search engines. This can improve their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Content Optimization Strategies

To optimize your social media material for SEO, focus on providing high-quality, engaging, and relevant content that appeals to your intended audience. Here are some effective content optimization strategies:

      • Use Relevant Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords into your social media posts to help search engines comprehend your posting. This can significantly enhance the discoverability of your content.
      • Mix of Hashtags: Use popular and niche hashtags to categorize your social media posts. This strategy increases the chances of your content being discovered by a wider audience.
      • Optimize Multimedia: Optimize images and videos by adding alt-text, descriptions, and relevant keywords. This not only improves accessibility but also boosts SEO.
      • Leverage Analytics: Use social media analytics to track the performance of your posts. This data can provide insights into what works best, allowing you to adjust your content optimization strategies accordingly.

Implementing these strategies can enhance the visibility and engagement of your social media content, driving better SEO results.

How Social Media Helps SEO

Amplifying Content Reach And Engagement

Social networking networks effectively amplify your content, expanding its reach beyond your website’s usual readership. Content distribution is important to ensure that your material reaches a wider audience.

By sharing and promoting your social media marketing content across multiple sites, you open up a large network of potential readers, customers, and influencers with whom you can share your message. Also, adding YouTube videos to your mix can greatly improve your visibility because these videos are often optimized for Google due to the popularity of the social media platforms and Google owning YouTube. Quality website content creation that can be shared on social media is very important in driving traffic and improving SEO performance.

Example: Last month, one of my clients published an article about their show on their website. When we shared it across their social platforms with some AI-optimized messaging, it went viral on TikTok. The result? Their website traffic skyrocketed, and their Google rankings improved significantly in the following weeks. This wasn’t just luck – it was the power of social media and SEO working together.

Enhancing Link-Building Opportunities

Backlink opportunities remain an essential component of SEO, suggesting your material is valuable and authoritative to search engines.

Social media can help you gain these backlinks by exposing your material to individuals and organizations who may link to it from their own websites or blogs.

Example: An AI startup released an exciting piece about new technology. By promoting that post on LinkedIn, industry professionals may notice and refer to it in their own blogs or articles, resulting in valuable backlinks.

Social Media Profiles In Search Engine Results Pages And Brand Visibility

Your social media profiles are extensions of your brand and can significantly enhance your brand visibility by appearing prominently on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Optimizing these social media marketing profiles improves your online presence and opens up new avenues for users to discover and interact with your company.

In its recent updates, Google has emphasized results from user-generated material on Reddit. Thus, participating in relevant conversations and controlling your brand on social platforms is becoming increasingly important to your SEO strategy.

Example: When people search for our clients brand, we recommend they push out a consistent and dynamic social media profile alongside their website in the search results, occupying more real estate on the SERP and increasing the brand’s visibility.

Building Brand Trust and Authority

In a crowded digital marketplace, establishing trust and authority is essential. Building a positive online reputation is crucial for gaining consumer confidence. Social media enables you to demonstrate your knowledge, interact honestly with your audience, and create a community around your brand, all of which contribute to a more substantial, more trustworthy online presence.

Example: A financial advisor routinely gives expert thoughts on YouTube, responding to followers’ requests and discussions. This persistent presence establishes credibility, enticing consumers to visit their website for more detailed information.

Increasing Social Media Reach

To expand your social media reach, focus on building a solid presence, engaging with your audience, and creating shareable content. Here are some strategies to consider:

      • Social Media Advertising: Invest in social media advertising to reach a broader audience and increase brand awareness. Targeted ads can help you connect with potential customers who might not have discovered your brand otherwise.
      • Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with influencers and other businesses to tap into their follower base. Influencer collaborations can significantly boost your social media reach and credibility.
      • Share User-Generated Content: Encourage your audience to create and share content related to your brand. Sharing user-generated content not only increases engagement but also builds a sense of community around your brand.
      • Engage and Analyze: Regularly engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages. Use social media analytics to track the performance of your reach strategies and make necessary adjustments.

By focusing on these strategies, you can effectively increase your social media reach and enhance your overall online presence.

Content Strategy for Social Media

High-Quality and Consistent Content

A robust content creation strategy is essential for maximizing the impact of your social media SEO efforts. High-quality, consistent content not only engages your target audience but also signals to search engines that your brand is active and authoritative. Additionally, creating high-quality website content that can be shared on social media is crucial for driving traffic and improving SEO performance.

To develop an effective content strategy for social media, follow these guidelines for social seo:

      • Use Relevant Keywords and Hashtags: Incorporate relevant keywords and hashtags into your posts to improve social seo discoverability.
      • Create a Content Calendar: Plan your social seo content in advance using a content calendar to ensure consistency and timely posting.
      • High-Quality Visuals: Use high-quality photographs and videos in your postings to increase engagement and shareability.
      • Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages to establish a feeling of community and increase social SEO involvement.
      • Share User-Generated Content: Highlight content created by your followers to build trust and encourage more user interaction.
      • Analyze Performance: Use social SEO and social media analytics tools to track the performance of your posts and adjust your strategy based on what works best.

By focusing on high-quality and consistent social SEO content, you can build a solid online presence that resonates with your target audience and supports your overall social media SEO strategy.

Measuring Success with Social SEO

Metrics and Tools for Evaluation

To assess the performance of your social media SEO campaign, you must track the relevant indicators and use the appropriate tools. Here are some essential metrics and tools to evaluate your social media SEO performance:

      • Engagement Metrics: Track likes, shares, comments, and other engagement metrics to measure the success of your social media content. High engagement indicates that your content resonates with your audience and can lead to increased visibility and traffic.
      • Website Traffic: Monitor the traffic generated from social media platforms to your website. Tools like Google Analytics can help you track the source of your traffic and understand which social media platforms are driving the most visitors.
      • Conversions: Track the number of conversions, such as leads, sales, or sign-ups, generated from social media. This metric is crucial for understanding the ROI of your social media efforts. Conversion tracking can be set up using tools like Google Analytics or social media advertising platforms.
      • Social Media Analytics Tools: Use tools like Sprout Social, Buffer Analyze, or Hootsuite Insights to track your social media performance. These tools provide detailed analytics on your social media activities, helping you understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
      • SEO Tools: Utilize tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to track your website’s SEO performance and identify areas for improvement. These tools can help you monitor your search engine rankings, backlinks, and overall SEO health.

By tracking these metrics and using the right tools, you can evaluate the success of your social media SEO strategy and make data-driven decisions to improve your online presence. This approach ensures that your efforts are aligned with your business goals and that you’re continuously optimizing your strategy for better results.

Analytics and Tracking Tools

To measure the success of your social media SEO strategies, it’s essential to use analytics and tracking tools. Here are some popular tools to consider:

      • Hootsuite: This social media management tool offers comprehensive analytics and tracking features, helping you monitor your social media performance and refine your strategies.
      • Sprout Social: Another robust social media management tool, Sprout Social provides detailed analytics and tracking capabilities, allowing you to gain insights into your social media activities.
      • Buffer: Known for its scheduling features, Buffer also offers analytics and tracking tools to help you evaluate the effectiveness of your social media posts.
      • Google Analytics: A powerful web analytics tool, Google Analytics provides valuable insights into your website traffic and social media performance. It helps you understand which social media platforms are driving the most traffic to your website.

By leveraging these tools, you can track the performance of your social media SEO strategies, make data-driven decisions, and continuously optimize your approach for better results.

Social Media SEO Strategies in Action

Examples

To illustrate the effectiveness of social media SEO strategies, let’s look at some real-world examples:

      • A specialty shoe retailer used Instagram to showcase their latest products. By optimizing their posts with relevant keywords and hashtags, they significantly increased their visibility. Collaborating with micro influencers further amplified their reach, resulting in a 30% increase in website traffic and a notable boost in sales.
      • A tech startup leveraged LinkedIn to share industry insights and company updates. By consistently posting high-quality content and engaging with their audience, they established themselves as thought leaders in their field. This strategy not only enhanced their brand authority but also led to valuable backlinks from industry blogs, improving their search engine rankings.

These examples demonstrate how effective social media SEO strategies can drive tangible results, from increased website traffic to higher sales and improved search engine rankings. By implementing a similar approach, you can enhance your social media presence and achieve your business goals.

Conclusion

Social media and SEO are more interconnected than ever. The advancement of Google’s algorithms, as well as the introduction of AI optimization, have increased the impact that social media has on your SEO efforts. By effectively exploiting social channels to publish information, engage with your audience, and establish brand authority, you can indirectly improve your search engine rating.

Remember that while social media signals are not direct ranking criteria, their impacts, such as higher traffic, more backlink opportunities, and improved brand perception, have a substantial effect on your overall SEO success.

To stay ahead in this ever-changing climate, embrace the interplay between social media and SEO. By incorporating these methods into your digital marketing strategy, you will not only improve your SEO efforts but also create a stronger and more engaged online presence.

Importance of Mobile SEO for 2025

Key Highlights:

Each year about this time, we visit the subject of mobile SEO, and, each year, Mobile SEO is increasingly more important for the visibility of your site. If you’re still wondering why this matters, consider how often you reach for your phone to look something up. You’re not alone — more than 60% of all online traffic comes from mobile devices, and in some verticals, that number shoots up to over 90%!

      • Mobile traffic now makes up over 60% of all online visits (up to 90% in some industries)
      • Big change alert: Google is replacing First Input Delay (FID) with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) on March 12, 2024
      • Mobile-first indexing is now Google’s standard – your mobile site version matters more than ever
      • Voice search is a growing opportunity, with 62% of businesses still not optimizing for it
      • Tools like Google’s Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights can help you evaluate your mobile performance

What’s Mobile SEO, Anyway?

Think of mobile SEO as making your website friendly for smartphone and tablet users. It’s all about ensuring your site looks great and works smoothly on mobile devices, just like meeting a friend who makes you feel comfortable and welcome. It’s not just a nice-to-have anymore—it’s absolutely essential.

Why Should You Care?

Here’s the thing: Google has gone all-in on mobile. They’re now looking at the mobile site first when deciding how to rank the search results. And if you’re thinking, “My audience mostly uses desktops,” you might want to double-check that assumption. Here’s how:

      1. Pop into your Google Analytics 4
      2. Click on Reports
      3. Look for the Insights icon on the right
      4. Find “Suggested Questions”
      5. Head to Technology
      6. Check out “Top Device Model by Users.”

Understanding Your Mobile Visitors

Let’s get real – mobile users are different from desktop users. They’re often on the go, maybe standing in line at a coffee shop or riding the bus. They don’t have time for slow-loading pages or tiny, unreadable text. They want quick, easy-to-digest information that doesn’t make them squint or zoom in.

What’s interesting is the rise of voice search. Despite its growing popularity, 62% of businesses need to optimize for it. That’s a massive opportunity if you want to stay ahead of the curve!

The Big Change Coming in 2024

Heads up! There’s a significant change coming on March 12, 2024. Google is switching from First Input Delay (FID) to Interaction to Next Paint (INP). Don’t let the technical terms scare you—it basically means Google is getting better at measuring how quickly your site responds to user interactions.

Here’s what you need to know about INP:

      • Great score: Under 200ms
      • Needs work: 200-500ms
      • Poor: Over 500ms

Making Your Site Mobile-Friendly

Let’s break this down into manageable chunks:

Responsive Design

Think of responsive design as making your website like water – it should flow naturally to fill whatever container (screen) it’s in. This is Google’s preferred approach, and it makes your life easier, too, since you only have to maintain one website.

Images

Images can make or break your mobile experience. Here’s what works:

      • Use responsive images that adjust to screen size
      • Implement lazy loading (only load images as users scroll to them)
      • Compress your images
      • Add them to your sitemap

Content Style

Write for mobile users:

      • Keep paragraphs short and sweet
      • Use clear, concise headers
      • Make sure your font is readable
      • Break up content with bullet points and lists

Pop-ups (Interstitials)

Be careful with pop-ups! Google doesn’t like ones that get in the way of content, especially right after someone clicks through search results. Think of it this way: don’t interrupt someone right as they’re about to start reading.

Where Should You Start?

If this feels overwhelming, don’t worry! Here’s your priority list:

      1. Get your responsive design sorted first
      2. Make your content mobile-friendly
      3. Optimize those images
      4. Fix any hard-to-tap buttons or links
      5. Add structured data (the technical stuff that helps Google understand your content better)

Remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. Start with what will make the most significant difference for your users, and build from there.

The mobile web isn’t the future anymore – it’s the present. But don’t let that stress you out. Take it step by step, and you’ll provide a great mobile experience before you know it. And your visitors (and Google) will thank you for it!

Want to check how mobile-friendly your site is? While Google retired its mobile-friendly testing tool in October 2024, you still have many options. Try Bing’s mobile-friendly test, Google’s Lighthouse Chrome extension, or PageSpeed Insights. These tools will give you a clear picture of where you stand and what needs fixing.

Summary

Over time, the importance of mobile SEO has significantly increased as online traffic from mobile devices now exceeds 60%, with some industries seeing figures above 90%. With Google’s shift to mobile-first indexing, businesses face new challenges, particularly with the upcoming Interaction to Next Paint (INP) change, replacing First Input Delay (FID) on March 12, 2024.  

Mobile SEO optimizes websites for higher visibility in mobile SERP. It aims to enhance user experience, improve search visibility, and ensure functionality on mobile platforms. Key elements include optimizing page speed, content readability, and user-friendliness. Since 58% of global traffic comes from mobile, prioritizing mobile optimization is crucial for capturing significant traffic. Understanding mobile user behavior is vital, as these users tend to have shorter attention spans and prefer concise, visually appealing content.

Additionally, optimizing for this feature presents a considerable opportunity for increasing mobile traffic as more users utilize voice search. To analyze current mobile versus desktop traffic, Google Analytics 4 can assess user demographics and behaviors, allowing businesses to effectively tailor their strategies for mobile users. Ultimately, the future of SEO demands a robust approach to mobile optimization to meet evolving user expectations and search engine standards.

Navigating the Latest Google Update

Google regularly updates its search algorithm through various algorithm changes to enhance the relevance and user experience of Google Search results while also tackling spam and low-quality content. These updates consider a range of factors including keyword usage, the quality of links, and user behavior. By implementing these updates regularly, Google ensures that the search results are constantly refreshed and accurate, providing users with the most up-to-date and reliable information. It is crucial to maintain content quality on authoritative sites, such as a trusted educational website, to prevent misleading users and degrading the site’s reputation.

Google’s Core Updates

Core updates are comprehensive updates that aim to provide useful and trustworthy search results for users by promoting helpful content. These updates can significantly affect a website’s search visibility, making it crucial for site owners to stay informed and adapt accordingly. These updates don’t target specific websites or individual pages for ranking purposes but instead focus on promoting high-quality, relevant content. As a result, they can have a significant impact on your search ranking. Google’s systems constantly assess and update to keep up with the ever-changing content on the internet.

      • Core updates are broad in nature and are designed to ensure helpful content and reliable results for searchers, without targeting specific sites or individual web pages.
      • These updates aim to promote high-quality, related content and attempts to significantly decrease the visibility of unhelpful content. Thus, it can noticeably impact your search placement.
      • Google’s systems assess and update to keep pace with constantly changing content on the web.

History of Google Algorithm Updates

The evolution of Google algorithm updates can be traced back to 2003 and has undergone numerous notable changes since then. Updates like Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird have significantly influenced the structure of search engine results pages (SERPs) and are essential components of Google’s dynamic ranking systems. These updates have had a profound effect on website rankings, compelling website owners and businesses to adjust their SEO strategies in order to remain competitive.

One notable misuse that has been addressed in various updates is the repurposing of expired domains to artificially enhance search rankings, which can mislead users and is increasingly recognized as spam by search engines.

Just in the last 4 years, there have been some very important Core Updates:

August 2023 Core Update

This broad core update began rolling out on August 22, 2023 and was completed on September 7, 2023. As with other core updates, it targeted improvements to Google’s overall ranking systems.

March 2023 Core Update

Google announced its first core algorithm update of 2023 on March 22. The update was completed less than a week later on March 28.

May 2022 Core Update

This was the first core algorithm update of 2022, announced on May 25. The rollout was completed on June 9.November 2021 Core Update

This broad core update began rolling out on November 17, 2021.

June/July 2021 Core Update

This core update was released in two parts, with the first part in June and the second in July 2021.

December 2020 Core Update

The final official core algorithm update of 2020 rolled out on December 3 and was completed on December 16. Its effects were felt quickly and significantly by many sites.

May 2020 Core Update

This was the second Google core algorithm update of 2020, announced on May 4 and completed on May 18. It was measured as one of the most impactful updates in recent years.

January 2020 Core Update

The first Google core update of 2020 was announced on January 13 and completed on January 16.These core updates typically aim to improve Google’s ability to assess content quality and relevance. While they don’t target specific types of sites or content, they can often lead to noticeable changes in search ranking across many websites.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Google Updates

Search engines are increasingly using artificial intelligence to improve search results through algorithm updates. AI helps Google’s algorithm to better understand user behavior and preferences. By better understanding user intent, AI allows Google to deliver more relevant search results that align with what users are actually looking for. AI-powered updates aim to promote high-quality, related content and improve user experience. Google’s AI-powered updates are designed to combat spam and low-quality content. AI helps Google’s algorithm to stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies.

Impact on Your Website’s Search Ranking

Google’s core updates can significantly impact your website’s search ranking and traffic. These changes can lead to fluctuations in organic traffic, making it essential for website owners to monitor their site’s performance closely.

Low quality content like payday loan reviews can harm your site’s reputation and search ranking, so it’s crucial for the website owner to ensure that the site’s content is helpful and reliable.

Google’s August 2024 Core Update – another important update

Google August 2024 rollout completed

      • This update is the most recent in a series of algorithmic updates aimed at increasing the relevancy and quality of search results by promoting high quality content.
      • The update aims to treat smaller independent publishers on par with authority websites that dominate the SERPs.
      • It is a global update affecting all regions and languages for Google’s search results and has caused significant ranking movement and changes in search results, specially where the sites with low quality content are concerned.

AI Overviews Also Impacted

In a related development, Mueller confirmed that Google’s AI-generated overviews displayed in some results are also influenced by core algorithmic updates, tying the experimental AI features more directly to the core ranking systems.

“These [AI overviews] are a part of search, and core updates affect search, so yes,” Mueller stated when asked if the overviews are subject to core update changes.

Measuring Content Quality for High Quality Sites

During the rollout period, Google has consistently emphasized the purpose of core updates as realigning search results to prioritize high-quality and relevant content. Content relevance is a key factor in determining how well a website performs in search ranking, making it essential for site owners to focus on creating valuable and pertinent content. The company has reiterated that websites that place greater emphasis on search engine optimization instead of focusing on creating original and valuable content for users are at a higher risk of experiencing negative impacts on their search rankings. Practices such as expired domain abuse, where expired domains are repurposed to enhance the search ranking of low-quality content, are increasingly recognized as spam and targeted by Google’s updates.

Recovery Recommendations

Reclaiming lost rankings is a time-consuming endeavor that requires making significant enhancements to your website, eliminating irrelevant, low quality content, and practicing patience for the next series of updates. Improving search performance requires a comprehensive approach, including content enhancements and adherence to updated guidelines. In an attempt to support websites that have been impacted, Google has recently updated its guidelines on core algorithm updates, providing more detailed suggestions for detecting and addressing substantial declines in rankings. They recommend utilizing tools like Search Console to facilitate this process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding Google’s search algorithm updates and their impact on search results is paramount for website owners and SEO professionals. The dynamic nature of search engine algorithms means that staying informed about updates and implementing necessary adjustments is crucial for maintaining and improving search result rankings. By keeping pace with these updates and making necessary improvements, website owners can ensure not only a strong online presence but also sustained visibility in search results, ultimately enhancing the user experience and driving organic traffic to their websites.

In addition, keeping abreast of the algorithm’s future updates also presents an opportunity for website owners and SEO professionals to stay ahead of the competition. By understanding and adapting to the changes in search algorithms, they can implement effective strategies that align with the evolving requirements, thereby gaining a competitive edge in the digital landscape. Overall, a proactive approach to understanding and responding to Google’s algorithm updates is essential for achieving and sustaining success in online search rankings.

Google Maps gets AI boost

The future Google Maps

A couple of weeks before all hell broke loose with the Spam Update, Google Maps got an AI boost. Google introduced an AI-powered discovery feature utilizing large language models to analyze over 250 million places in its database, including photos, ratings, reviews, and more with Google Maps. 

This new feature allows users to enter conversational search queries and receive recommendations for nearby businesses, events, restaurants, and activities. The results are categorized with photos and review highlights, making it easier for users to understand why they meet their criteria.

We will delve deeper into how the Large Language model AI discovery feature works, its implications for local search and customer discovery, and how businesses can optimize their online presence using this technology.

How Does the AI-Powered Discovery Feature Work?

The large language model powered discovery feature on Google Maps combines large language models with the platform’s extensive database of over 250 million places. These language models are trained to understand conversational searches and provide recommendations based on location, ratings, reviews, etc.

When users enter a conversational search query, the AI technology analyzes their past search history, location data, and preferences to deliver tailored results. This means that the more users interact with Maps, the more personalized and accurate their recommendations will be.

In addition to providing recommendations, the large language model powered discovery feature allows users to refine their searches by asking follow-up questions. For example, users can request “activities for a rainy day” and receive indoor options tailored to their current location and weather. This makes it easier for users to manage spontaneous or changing itineraries.

How Google Maps’ New AI Feature Benefits Businesses

Here are some new features on Maps that benefit businesses:

AI-Powered Discovery

The first benefit businesses can reap from Maps’ new large language model powered feature is the ability to analyze Google Maps’ database of over 250 million places, photos, ratings, reviews, and more. By utilizing large language models, the feature can provide personalized business recommendations to users based on their location, search preferences, and history. This means that businesses are more likely to be discovered by potential customers looking for their products or services.

With this new feature, businesses can also benefit from the ability to refine their searches by asking follow-up questions, making it easier for users to find and visit them spontaneously. This can lead to increased traffic and sales for businesses.

Early Access Experiment With Local Guides

Google is conducting an early access experiment for its new AI-powered discovery feature with a select group of Local Guides. This means businesses participating in this experiment may have their information and offerings showcased to these high-level reviewers and influencers on Maps.

Being featured in the recommendations of these guides can increase businesses’ visibility and credibility, potentially leading to increased trust from potential customers. Additionally, the feedback gathered from these guides will help shape the feature before its rollout, ensuring it effectively benefits businesses and users.

Local search changes with AI Maps

Implications For Local Search

The new AI-powered discovery feature on Maps has significant implications for local search. Businesses may see increased qualified traffic and potential customers by providing high recommendations. This feature could also increase visibility to niche businesses or lesser-known attractions and events.

Businesses need to optimize their online information in new ways to rank for conversational searches and take advantage of the technology. This can include regularly updating their Google My Business profile with accurate details and photos and actively seeking and responding to reviews.

Personalized Recommendations

One of the main benefits a business can derive from Google Maps’ new artificial intelligence powered feature is the ability to provide recommendations. By analyzing a user’s location, search history, and preferences, the feature can suggest businesses that are most relevant and appealing to them.

This means businesses have a higher chance of being discovered by potential customers specifically looking for their type of products or services. It also allows the opportunity to cater to specific preferences, such as a “vintage vibe” or “kid-friendly” options.

These recommendations can drive more qualified traffic to businesses, enhance the overall customer experience, and potentially lead to repeat business.

So, with these new features on Maps, businesses can benefit from increased visibility, qualified traffic, and enhanced customer experience, making it a valuable tool for their marketing and growth strategies.

How businesses can optimize their online presence for the AI-powered discovery feature

With the new artificial intelligence powered discovery feature on Google Maps, businesses can reach a highly targeted audience and increase their online visibility. Here are some tips for optimizing your business’s online presence to take advantage of this technology:

Claiming and Updating Your Google My Business Profile

The first step in optimizing for the AI features is to claim and update your Google My Business profile. This is where Google pulls information about your business, such as location, contact details, and hours of operation. Ensure all the information is accurate and up-to-date to provide users with a seamless experience when they find your business on Google Maps.

Regularly Adding Posts and Photos

Google My Business also allows businesses to add posts and photos showcasing their products, services, and events. Regularly adding fresh content can improve your chances of being featured in recommendations on Google Maps. Additionally, having visually appealing photos can entice potential customers to visit your business.

Actively Seeking and Responding to Reviews

Reviews are essential for the large language model-powered discovery feature, which considers a user’s search history and preferences. Encourage customers to leave positive reviews on your GMB profile and actively respond to negative reviews, thus showing that you care about customer satisfaction.

Optimizing for Conversational Searches

This new feature allows users to ask for specific recommendations using natural language, such as “best brunch place near me” or “activities for a rainy day.” This means businesses need to optimize their online information for conversational searches. Use keywords and phrases that align with your offerings and location to increase your chances of appearing in recommendations.

Providing a Unique Experience

Lastly, remember that the large language model powered discovery feature aims to give users a unique and personalized experience. This means businesses should strive to offer something unique or special that differentiates them from competitors. This could be through unique products or services, special events, or a memorable customer experience.

By implementing these strategies and optimizing your online presence for the large language model powered discovery feature, businesses can reap the benefits of increased visibility, qualified traffic, and potential sales from this new Maps feature.

Should businesses participate in this early access experiment?

There is yet to be a definitive answer to whether businesses should participate in early access to Google Maps’ new large language model-powered discovery feature. It ultimately depends on each company’s individual goals and needs.

On the one hand, participating in the experiment can bring more visibility and potential sales through recommendations from high-level reviewers and influencers. It also provides valuable insights and feedback businesses can use to improve their offerings before the feature’s wider rollout.

On the other hand, participating in the experiment may require additional resources and effort to optimize for this specific feature, which could be a challenge for smaller businesses with limited budgets. No guarantee participating will result in increased visibility or sales.

Ultimately, businesses should carefully weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks before participating in the early access. It may benefit some companies, while others may prefer to wait and see how the feature performs after its official release.

Tips for businesses to make the most out of this feature

Here are some additional tips for businesses to make the most out of Google Maps’ new large language model powered discovery feature:

      • Keep track of your online presence and monitor how your business is featured in personalized recommendations.
      • Continuously update and optimize your Google My Business profile with accurate information, photos, and fresh content.
      • Pay attention to customer reviews and respond politely and immediately to any negative feedback.
      • Think of unique and creative ways to stand out from competitors and provide a memorable experience for customers on local guides.
      • Use conversational keywords and phrases in your online information to improve your chances of appearing in recommendations.

By following these tips, businesses can make the most of this new feature and see increased visibility, traffic, and sales. It’s also important to regularly re-evaluate and adapt your strategies as the feature evolves and becomes more widely available.

Should businesses also explore other AI-powered discovery platforms?

While Google Maps may be the most well-known and widely used platform for large language model-powered discovery, businesses should expand beyond just one platform. Other large language model-powered discovery platforms, such as Yelp, Foursquare, and TripAdvisor, have unique user bases and can potentially reach a different audience.

Businesses must research and determine which platforms align with their target audience and offerings. They should also keep an eye on emerging and new platforms to stay ahead of the competition.

Participating in multiple large language model-powered discovery platforms can increase a business’s online presence and chances of being discovered by potential customers. However, companies should also consider the time and resources needed to manage multiple platforms effectively. Smaller businesses could focus on one or two platforms and optimize their presence for conversational search queries within these platforms.

FAQs

How is Google Maps using AI technology to empower local businesses in San Francisco? 

Google Maps is leveraging AI to analyze Google Maps data and provide personalized local business recommendations to users in San Francisco. This innovative feature aims to boost the visibility of local businesses and enhance the user’s experience through customized suggestions.

What are Google’s aims in introducing AI in Google Maps for local business discovery?

Google aims to revolutionize the way users discover and explore local businesses. By providing local discovery and recommendations based on AI analysis of Google Maps data, Google hopes to connect users with companies that meet their specific needs, ultimately supporting local establishments.

How can users explore local businesses using the new AI technology in Google Maps?

Users can explore local businesses on Google Maps through personalized recommendations provided by generative AI. The AI can analyze map data and user preferences to suggest personalized recommendations that align with the user’s tastes and requirements.

Can the AI in Google Maps save personalized local business recommendations for future reference?

Yes, generative AI in Google Maps is designed to learn from user interactions, preferences, and others in the maps community over time. As a user explores and interacts with local businesses, the AI adapts and refines its recommendations, which can be saved for future reference and enhance local discovery.

Conclusion

The new large language model-powered discovery feature on Google Maps presents a valuable opportunity for businesses to improve online visibility and reach consumers through personalized recommendations. Companies can make the most of this exciting new feature by actively participating in early access and implementing effective strategies.

However, it’s also vital for businesses to consider potential benefits and drawbacks before deciding to participate and regularly re-evaluate their strategies as the feature evolves.

Additionally, businesses should consider exploring other large language model powered discovery platforms to expand their online presence further and reach a larger audience. Given these facts, businesses can take advantage of the new AI feature and potentially see an increase in qualified traffic and sales. So, don’t wait; optimize your online presence for large language model powered discovery now!