Each year I publish content about what is trending for the coming year. While my prediction last year
was indeed AI, it has certainly garnered more attention than I ever dreamed! Interestingly, here in
Canada we do not have access to several of the top AI tools – even within Google itself! The exception
would be those who use a VPN to mask their location.
The Work We Performed in 2023
We did not do any work that involved AI but lots of learning! Early 2023 started off with several Google
Analytics transitions from UA or GA3 to GA4. Anyone who actually reads their traffic stats has converted over to GA4 by now and while we still do some setups, much of our work has transitioned to analyzing the data of select businesses and working with those businesses to strategize on next steps for digital marketing.
What will be big in 2024?
In SEO, what will be big will be related to Google’s Generative Search Experience (GGSE) and E-E-A-T
(Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).
Google’s Generative Search Experience refers to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine
learning algorithms to enhance search results. This approach allows Google to generate more relevant,
contextually accurate, and personalized search results for users.
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s an evolution of the earlier concept of E-A-T in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). This concept is crucial in SEO because it reflects how Google evaluates and ranks content on the web. Here’s a brief explanation:
Experience: This refers to the practical knowledge or skill that a content creator or a website has in their specific field. It’s about demonstrating that you have real-world experience in what you’re talking about or offering.
Expertise: This is about the depth of knowledge in a particular subject area. It means the content is
created by someone who is knowledgeable and well-versed in their field.
Authoritativeness: This aspect looks at the credibility of the website or content creator within their
field. It’s about being recognized as a go-to source for reliable information on specific topics. One way to NOT excel at this is to create fake names of authors on your website – this is sometimes done when the content is created by AI.
Trustworthiness: This focuses on the reliability and honesty of the website and its content. It means the
information is accurate, transparent, and secure for users.
In the context of SEO, E-E-A-T is seen as a way to ensure that the content presented to users in search
results is not just informative but also comes from a credible and experienced source.
I asked ChatGPT if I was on the right track with this trend and it came back with “maybe” and shared some other possible trends:
- AI in digital marketing,
- Voice search optimization
- The increasing importance of user experience (UX)
Well… I already mentioned AI in the context of E-E-A-T above, so I think they are intertwined, I talked
about voice search optimization in 2020 and sheesh… one of the first versions of my website talked
about Credibility, Usability (UX) and some other abilities that I forget – so yay! We have a UX Expert on
our team who is incredibly helpful! I guess I’m not wrong anyway!
I will be talking more about GGSE and E-E-A-T in 2024.
Grants
This part of the blog is really only relevant for my fellow Canadians – sorry!
You may not have been eligible for the CDAP grant previously, but we are almost at year end (for some)
and it’s time to look at your numbers (well you should have been looking at them all year, but I digress)
and see if you will be eligible after your next tax filing!
- If your business had over $500K in revenue, you’d be eligible for the Boost Your Business portion
of the CDAP grant which is $15K. - If your business had over $30K in revenue but not $500K, you may be eligible for the Grow Your
Business portion of the CDAP grant which is $2,400. - My colleague Karla Briones has a resource called Funding Guide: BIPOC and Women
Entrepreneurs which you’ll find on her website. - Not a grant but free business consulting through Invest Ottawa. You can be a startup or an
existing business and get a 50 minute call (sometimes more than one) with a business advisor
(such as myself) in a variety of areas – legal, finance, marketing, branding, etc. It’s a great way to
get to know a business owner and you may wish to do business with them in future! Note there
is no selling during these calls – it is entirely about providing the best value to you.
All I Want for Christmas
In the words of my yoga instructor Kim, may we all have health, happiness and peace. If you still feel like
you’d like to give a gift, you are welcome to leave a review.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Darlene is a search marketer, analyst, speaker, trainer, and owner of DriveTraffic Digital Marketing. She has been working in the digital marketing industry since the mid 90s and has narrowed her specialty to SEO, Google Ads and Google Analytics. She is especially interested in Google’s new Search Generative Experience and how businesses will need to adapt to remain visible. Want to see how DriveTraffic can help? Let’s chat!
