State of search in 2024 and SEO & PPC tactics for all teams

4 things on my mind this week

Read Time: 3 minutes

Today At A Glance:

• The state of search in 2024
• Declining SEO results & PPC search volumes
• Resources to support SEO & PPC for teams of all sizes

The State of Search in 2024 🔎

Search is changing so much these days, with more shakeups certain this year. Here are just a few of the changes marketers should have on the horizon:

• YouTube is continuing to grow as the second-largest search engine behind Google
• Amazon continues to grow as a destination for eCommerce product searches – search volume in the U.S. climbed more than 29% year-over-year in March 2024
• Bing Search is growing faster than ever with their adoption of more AI-enabled features
• TikTok is in a long legal fight in the U.S., but it’s a major search engine for Gen Z – the passion of audiences fighting for TikTok to stay may continue to pull users away from Google
• OpenAI may not have announced its search engine launch this week, but it’s only a matter of time

Marketers should assume that SEO results, particularly those on Google, and PPC search volumes are going to decline for the rest of 2024.

What can you do about it? 🤔

SEO & PPC For Single-Person TEAMS 👤

If you’re a single-person marketing team or simply have limited resources, taking on many SEO platforms can be a losing battle. Instead of dividing your resources and diluting your efforts across all the platforms, pick one and do it well.

My recommendation? 81% of the U.S. population uses YouTube monthly. All ages and types of audiences use YouTube. You can use it for organic and growth opportunities. It’s a great place to start and, as we’ve discussed in previous newsletters, video is a low-lift piece of content that has benefits across the board.

Here’s an easy way to start: Check out Descript, an AI-integrated platform to easily edit videos and create transcripts. I can take a recorded Zoom call, plug it into Descript, and make a brand-new piece of content in ten minutes.

SEO & PPC For Multi-Member TEAMS 👥

So, you’re not quite a one-person team, but you’re not a massive team either… I’ll reiterate that starting small and staying focused is still ideal for sustainable growth.

Instead of just one platform, pick three platforms to focus your efforts on.

My recommendation: YouTube is still my preferred area of focus, but I’d also extend into Amazon – especially if you’re selling a product. This is a major opportunity for eCommerce brands.

If you’re a B2B brand, I’d focus on Bing as a third platform for opportunity. If you’re a B2C brand, focus on Meta and, more specifically, Instagram. These platforms all hold a great deal of promise in adding AI tools and innovative marketing solutions (just look at Meta’s deep use of AI search on its apps over the last month).

SEO & PPC For Large TEAMS 🌎

What about big teams or those with agency support? You might be shocked at my recommendation… pick 3-4 of your highest-potential channels, stick with them, and focus on testing more!

I can’t stress enough how much I believe YouTube provides the top value for brands of all sizes and focuses. Try experimenting with paid and organic content. Test out different thumbnails, titles, or metatags. Start somewhere and play around.

Pick three social channels, wherever your audience might be most receptive. A few of my favorites for search: TikTok, Pinterest, and Reddit.

SEO will continue to get harder with the ebbs and flows of each search engine. Just narrow in and focus on prioritizing the search areas that matter to your customers.

The days of just depending on Google are over.

Forward this to your fellow SEO nerds and ask what they’re doing to prepare for a less Google-led search world.