As one of the most prominent search engines on the web, Google has been releasing periodic updates for years, each designed to improve the quality of its search results and ensure that users receive the most relevant and helpful information possible. Many digital marketers and webmasters are already speculating on what changes they can expect from Google’s upcoming major update in 2023.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the potential changes that could be coming in the next Google update, and how they could impact your website and online marketing strategy. We’ll also take a closer look at some of the current trends in SEO and digital marketing that could influence the direction of the update.
Before we dive into the specifics, however, it’s important to note that Google keeps its algorithm updates tightly under wraps. While the company will occasionally make public announcements about upcoming changes, it generally doesn’t provide much in the way of specific details. As such, many of the predictions and speculation you’ll read about the 2023 update are just that – educated guesses based on past updates and current trends.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most widely-discussed potential changes for the next Google update.
Emphasis on User Intent
One trend that’s been growing in importance for several years now is the concept of user intent. Simply put, this refers to the idea that Google is not just looking at the words on a page, but also trying to understand what a user is looking for when they type in a search query.
For example, if someone types in “best pizza in New York City”, Google is not just looking for pages that contain the words “pizza” and “New York City”. It’s trying to understand the user’s intent – i.e., that they are looking for information about the best pizza places in the city.
In the past, Google’s algorithms have struggled to accurately identify user intent, leading to search results that were not always as relevant as they could be. However, with the rise of machine learning and natural language processing, Google is getting better at understanding what users are looking for and delivering more accurate results.
The 2023 update is expected to prioritize user intent even further, potentially leading to alterations in the way search results are ranked and presented. This could mean that websites that focus on delivering high-quality, relevant content that matches user intent could see a boost in rankings.
Greater Emphasis on Mobile Friendliness
Another trend that’s been growing in importance in recent years is mobile friendliness.As an increasing number of users access the internet through their mobile devices, Google has prioritized the importance of optimizing websites for mobile viewing.
In fact, in 2018, Google began using mobile-first indexing, which means that it now primarily looks at the mobile version of a website when determining search rankings. This means that if your website is not optimized for mobile devices, you could be missing out on valuable search traffic.
It’s likely that the 2023 update will place even greater emphasis on mobile friendliness, potentially resulting in penalties for websites that are not optimized for mobile devices. This could mean that websites that invest in mobile optimization could see a boost in rankings, while those that neglect mobile could see their rankings drop.
Increased Importance of Video Content
Video content has been growing in popularity for years, and Google has been working to incorporate more video content into its search results. For example, videos can now appear in the “videos” tab of Google search results, and Google-owned YouTube often ranks highly in search results.
The 2023 update is likely to give greater importance to video content, which could lead to changes in the ranking and display of video content in search results. This could mean that websites
that prioritize video content and invest in high-quality video production could see a boost in search rankings.
In addition to video content, it’s also possible that the 2023 update could place greater emphasis on other types of multimedia content, such as images and audio. As the web becomes increasingly multimedia-driven, it makes sense that Google would want to deliver a more diverse range of content in its search results.
Increased Focus on E-A-T
E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) has been a key concept in SEO for several years now. Essentially, Google aims to provide content created by trustworthy, authoritative experts in their respective fields.
Previously, E-A-T mainly targeted YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) websites, which offer information on subjects such as finance, health, and legal matters. However, in recent years, Google has begun applying E-A-T more broadly across all types of websites.
It’s likely that the 2023 update will continue this trend, potentially placing even greater emphasis on E-A-T factors when determining search rankings. This could mean that websites that prioritize expertise, authority, and trustworthiness could see a boost in rankings, while those that lack these factors could see their rankings drop.
Greater Emphasis on Page Speed
Page speed has been a factor in search rankings for several years now, with Google stating that faster-loading pages are more likely to rank well in search results. However, in the past, page speed has been a relatively minor ranking factor, and many websites have been able to get away with slow-loading pages.
It’s possible that the 2023 update could change this, placing even greater emphasis on page speed when determining search rankings. This could mean that websites with slow-loading pages could see a drop in rankings, while those with fast-loading pages could see a boost.
More Emphasis on User Experience
User experience (UX) has always been important in SEO, as Google wants to deliver search results that provide a good experience for users. However, it’s possible that the 2023 update could place even greater emphasis on UX factors, such as easy navigation, clear calls-to-action, and engaging content.
This could mean that websites that prioritize UX could see a boost in rankings, while those that neglect UX could see their rankings drop. It’s worth noting that UX is a broad and complex field, and there are many factors that can contribute to a good or bad user experience.
Greater Emphasis on Local Search
Local search has been growing in importance for several years now, as more and more users search for businesses and services in their local area. Google has been working to improve its local search functionality, with features such as Google My Business and Google Maps.
There is a possibility that the 2023 update may further emphasize local search, leading to potential modifications in how local search results are ranked and presented. This could mean that businesses that prioritize local SEO could see a boost in rankings, while those that neglect local search could see their rankings drop.
As with any Google update, it’s impossible to predict exactly what changes the 2023 update will bring. However, based on current trends and past updates, it’s likely that we’ll see a continued emphasis on factors such as user intent, mobile friendliness, E-A-T, page speed, user experience, video content, and local search.
If you’re a website owner or digital marketer, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in SEO and online marketing. By staying ahead of the curve and prioritizing the factors that are most important to Google, you can help ensure that your website ranks well in search results and delivers