The pandemic proved the power of search data in making key business decisions. Search provides real-time insights into consumer demand in a way that the biggest consumer research groups could never dream of. The pandemic wiped out all data predictions! rendering historical data almost useless in terms of informing key business decisions.
Meanwhile! search data provided a live feed of what consumers cared about most.
No consumer research campaigns could have predicted the spike in demand for balloon deliveries during lockdown but search data revealed this trend in real-time. At the same time! it revealed the surge of home baking! home improvements and exercise alongside declines for beauty products! clothing and consumer electronics.
We’ve covered this topic in more detail several times:
- SEO! the saviour in dataset times of crisis
- How search data will save businesses in 2021
- Why search data is a marketer’s biggest asset
Companies that were tapped into this search data could react to consumer demands in real-time and know exactly where to spend their money – and when.
For example! the travel industry was one of the worst hit by the pandemic and companies couldn’t afford to make mistakes. Travel searches would boom or bust in response to government announcements and many of our customers had their best days on record when the UK lifted travel restrictions to key European destinations.
As soon as a spike in search volumes was registered! we could automatically activate their PPC campaigns and increase bids to take full advantage.
Google itself recently talked about the importance of companies using search data to navigate uncertain times and this will be just as relevant in the years ahead as it was during the peak of the pandemic.
What else will the industry be talking about in 2023?
Before we wrap this up! let’s take a quick look at stark law (medical self-referral law) some of the other trends and talking points that will shape SEO in 2023:
- Cost of living: This will be the biggest disrupter to UK consumer spending but people have shown surprising resilience in recent years.
- AI content tools: Whether it’s a good thing or not! AI content tools are playing a bigger role in SEO and content marketing now – the big question is whether Google will respond in 2023.
- Data privacy: This becomes increasingly important as Google and other industry leaders move towards cookie-less browsing.
- Google Analytics 4: With Google sunsetting Universal Analytics in July 2023! time is running out to migrate over to Google Analytics 4.
- Automation: A lack of resources featured as the top concern raised in SEJ’s State Of SEO report 2023 linked to earlier! highlighting the importance of automation.
- Google updates: Google’s algorithm updates have been more disruptive over the past few years – something that could continue in 2023.
- Predictive analytics: As data privacy limits access to data! predictive analytics will increasingly fill the gaps left behind.
- Video clips: With Gen Z using TikTok “like Google!” search engines may need to evolve sooner than later to stay relevant.
These may not have made it into our top five SEO trends for 2023 but they will all play their part in shaping the search marketing industry.
Are you ready to make things happen in 2023?
If you have any concerns about your SEO strategy belgium business directory heading into the next year or the challenges ahead! our team of SEO specialists are ready to help. Call us on 023 9283 0281 or fill out this contact form and we’ll get right back to you.