How to Take Your SEO to the Next Level in 2024: Top 10 Tips to Increase User Engagement

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is a constantly evolving field that requires internet marketers to keep up with the latest trends, techniques, and technologies. While SEO basics such as keyword research, on-page optimization, and link building are still important, they are not enough to outrank your competitors and achieve your business goals. You need to implement some advanced SEO strategies that can give you an edge over your competition and help you rank higher on Google and other search engines.

In this SEO Guide, we will share with you 13 advanced SEO techniques and strategies that you can use in 2024 to boost your organic traffic, conversions, and revenue.

Note: These techniques are based on the latest article by Zach Paruch from Semrush, one of the leading SEO tools and platforms on the market.

Let’s see what we've got for SEO in this comprehensive search engine optimization guide.

#1. Improve Time to Value

Time to value is the time it takes for a user to gain value from a piece of content. And your content’s time to value should be short. A short time to value lets your users get what they’re looking for as quickly as possible. But with hero images, author bios, and long-winded intros, many websites have poor time-to-value.

Poor time-to-value can negatively affect your bounce rate, dwell time, and average session duration. And this could affect your traffic and rankings. So, how do you improve time to value? By putting the most important information and elements at the top of the page. Ideally, above the fold.

Use the bottom line up front (BLUF) approach — also called the inverted pyramid approach. In other words, put the information users are looking for at the top. Keep your introductions short and get to the point. Don’t waste anyone’s time!! [Note it down to your notepad, right now!]

For example: Investopedia’s articles do a great job with time to value because their articles are fun to read and provide a summary of the article in the “Key Takeaways” section. This way of content presentation favors users to get exactly what they’re looking for immediately — without really having to scroll.

Surprise: It’s no surprise that pages from such websites consistently rank in the top few positions for relevant keywords on Google.

#2. Understanding Topic Clusters

Topic clusters are an interconnected framework of content that encapsulates a primary subject, enhancing the site’s topical relevance and authority. This strategy ensures readers can find a wealth of information on your site, fulfilling their initial inquiry and any subsequent questions they may have.

This interconnected content framework can significantly bolster a website’s SEO by organizing content more coherently and improving the user experience for SEO.

Benefits of Topic Clusters

Incorporating topic clusters into your content strategy can offer multiple SEO benefits:

1. Enhanced Navigation and User Experience: By grouping related content, users can easily find and navigate related materials, improving their overall site engagement.

2. Improved Search Engine Recognition: Search engines can better understand the hierarchy and breadth of your site’s content, potentially increasing your visibility in search results.

3. Topical Authority: By thoroughly covering a topic, your site can be seen as an authoritative source, which may lead to better rankings for associated keywords and phrases.

4. For instance: HubSpot has a topic cluster on content marketing, which is their pillar page. They have several subtopics, such as content marketing strategy, content marketing examples, and content marketing metrics, which are their cluster pages. They all link to and from the pillar page, creating a topic cluster.

Surprise: HubSpot ranks for thousands of keywords related to content marketing, thanks to their topic cluster strategy.

#3. Optimize for Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are the boxes that appear at the top of the search results, providing a quick answer to a user’s query. They are also known as “position zero” because they rank above the first organic result. Featured snippets can help you increase your visibility, traffic, and authority on Google.

To optimize for featured snippets, you need to understand the types of queries and content that trigger them. According to Semrush, there are three main types of featured snippets: paragraphs, lists, and tables. And they are triggered by different types of queries, such as definitions, how-tos, comparisons, and more.

To optimize for featured snippets, you need to:

- Identify the keywords and topics that have featured snippet opportunities. You can use tools like Semrush’s Featured Snippet Tool to find them.

- Create content that answers the query in a clear and concise way. Use headings, bullet points, tables, and other formatting elements to structure your content. Include the query or a variation of it in your content.

- Add schema markup to your content to help Google understand and display it better. Schema markup is a code that you can add to your HTML to provide additional information to search engines. You can use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to generate schema markup for your content.

For example, if you search for “how to make french toast," you will see a featured snippet with a list of ingredients and steps from Allrecipes. This is because they have optimized their content for the query, using headings, bullet points, and schema markup.

Surprise: All recipes get a lot of traffic and exposure from this featured snippet, as well as other ones they have earned.

#4. Use Schema Markup for Rich Results

Rich results are enhanced search results that display additional information, such as images, ratings, prices, or availability. They are also known as rich snippets or rich cards. Rich results can help you stand out from the crowd, attract more clicks, and increase conversions.

To get rich results, you need to use schema markup on your content. Schema markup is a code that you can add to your HTML to provide additional information to search engines.

Schema markup can help you get rich results for different types of content, such as:

• Products
• Reviews
• Recipes
• Events
• FAQs
• How-tos
• Articles
• Videos

And more.

You can use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or Semrush’s Schema Markup Generator to generate schema markup for your content. You can also use Google’s Rich Results Test to check if your content is eligible for rich results.

For example: If you search for “best wireless headphones for 2024”, you will see rich results with images, ratings, and prices from Cnet. This is because they have used schema markup on their product review content.

Surprise: Cnet gets more attention and clicks from these rich results, as well as other ones they have earned.

#5. Optimize for Voice Search

Voice search is the process of using voice commands to search for information on the internet. Voice search is becoming more popular, especially with the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants, such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri. According to Semrush, voice search accounts for 20% of all mobile searches and 25% of all searches on Windows 10 devices.

To optimize for voice search, you need to understand how voice search differs from text search. Voice search queries are usually longer, more conversational, and more question-based than text search queries. Voice search users are also looking for quick and accurate answers, rather than browsing through multiple results.

To optimize for voice search, you need to:

- Use natural language and long-tail keywords in your content. Use tools like Semrush’s ‘Keyword Magic Tool’ or ‘Answer the Public’ to find voice search keywords and questions related to your topic.

- Optimize for featured snippets and rich results, as they are often the source of voice search answers. Use schema markup and the ‘BLUF’ approach to create content that can trigger featured snippets and rich results.

- Optimize for local SEO, as voice search users are often looking for local information, such as directions, opening hours, or reviews. Use tools like Semrush’s ‘Listing Management Tool’ or ‘Google My Business (GMB)’ to manage your local listings and citations.

- Optimize for mobile SEO, as voice search users are often using mobile devices to search for information. Use tools like Semrush’s ‘Site Audit Tool’ or Google’s ‘Mobile-Friendly Test’ to check and improve your site’s mobile-friendliness.

For example: If you ask Google Assistant “how to make french toast”, you will get a voice answer from the featured snippet we saw earlier from Allrecipes. This is because they have optimized their content for voice search, using natural language, bullet points, and schema markup.

Surprise: All recipes get more traffic and exposure from this voice search answer, as well as other ones they have earned.

#6. Optimize for Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure the user experience of a web page, such as loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. They are part of Google’s ‘Page Experience’ signals, which also include mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, safe browsing, and intrusive interstitials.

‘Core Web Vitals’ and ‘Page Experience’ signals are important ranking factors for Google, as they affect user satisfaction and engagement. Also, optimizing ‘Core Web Vitals’ involves improving three key metrics:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
• First Input Delay (FID)

So, to optimize for Core Web Vitals, you need to understand the following suggestions:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This measures how long it takes for the largest content element on a page to load.

To optimize LCP:

- Reduce server response times.

- Optimize and compress images.

- Implement lazy loading.

2. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This measures how much a page’s layout shifts unexpectedly as it loads.

To optimize CLS:

- Provide proper dimensions for images and embeds.

- Limit the HTTP requests.

3. First Input Delay (FID): This measures how long it takes for the browser to respond to a user’s first interaction with a page.

To optimize FID:

- Reduce Javascript execution.

In addition to that, implementing a caching solution can also help improve your Core Web Vitals.

Note: These optimizations not only improve your website’s performance but also the user experience.

#7. Optimize for Semantic Search

Semantic search is the process of understanding the intent and context of a user’s query, rather than just matching keywords. Semantic search aims to provide the most relevant and accurate results for the user, based on their location, device, previous searches, and other factors. Semantic search is becoming more important, as users use more natural language, voice, and conversational queries.

To optimize for semantic search, you need to understand the intent and context of your target audience and create content that matches their needs and expectations. You also need to use structured data, natural language processing, and entity optimization to help Google understand and display your content better.

To optimize for semantic search, you need to:

- Use keyword research tools, such as Semrush’s ‘Keyword Magic Tool’ or Google’s ‘Keyword Planner,’ to find the keywords and topics that your audience is searching for. Analyze the search intent behind each keyword, such as informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial.

- Create content that answers the user’s query clearly and comprehensively. Use headings, bullet points, tables, and other formatting elements to structure your content. Include the query or a variation of it in your content. Use synonyms, related terms, and long-tail keywords to enrich your content.

- Use schema markup to add structured data to your content. Schema markup can help you get featured snippets, rich results, and knowledge panels, which can improve your visibility and click-through rate. You can use tools like Google’s ‘Structured Data Markup Helper or Semrush’s ‘Schema Markup Generator’ to generate schema markup for your content.

- Use natural language processing (NLP) tools, such as Semrush’s ‘SEO Writing Assistant’ or Google’s ‘Natural Language API,’ to analyze and optimize your content for semantic search. NLP tools can help you improve your readability, tone, sentiment, and relevance. They can also help you identify and optimize the entities, such as people, places, or things, in your content.

- Use entity optimization tools, such as Semrush’s ‘Market or Entity Explorer’ or Google’s Knowledge Graph Search API,’ to find and optimize the entities that are related to your content. Entities are the things that Google knows and understands, such as brands, products, events, or concepts. Entity optimization can help you improve your topical authority, relevance, and ranking.

For instance, if you search for “who is the president of the United States," you will see a knowledge panel with the answer, along with other information, such as name, photo, date of birth, and spouse. This is because Google understands the entity and the intent behind the query, and provides the most relevant and accurate result.

Example: Google

Google uses semantic search to provide the best answer for the user’s query, as well as other related information.

#8. Optimize for Video Search

Video search is the process of using video content to rank on search engines and drive traffic to your website or channel. Video search is becoming more popular, as users are consuming more video content online, especially on platforms like YouTube, Facebook (now Meta), Instagram / Threads, Twitter / X, and TikTok. According to Semrush, “video content is 50 times more likely to rank” on the first page of Google than text content.

To optimize for video search, you need to create high-quality and engaging video content that provides value to your audience. You also need to optimize your ‘video title,’ ‘description,’ ‘tags,’ and thumbnails to help search engines like Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, and alike and users find and click on your video. And you need to promote your video on social media and other platforms to increase your views, shares, and comments.

To optimize for video search, you need to:

- Use keyword research tools, such as Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool or YouTube’s Keyword Tool, to find the keywords and topics that your audience is searching for. Analyze the search intent and competition behind each keyword, and choose the ones that have high volume and low difficulty.

- Create video content that answers the user’s query clearly and engagingly. Use storytelling, humor, emotion, or curiosity to capture the user’s attention and keep them watching. Use visuals, audio, and subtitles to enhance your video quality and accessibility. Keep your video length between 2 to 10 minutes, depending on your topic and platform.

- Optimize your video title, description, tags, and thumbnails to help search engines and users find and click on your video. Use your main keyword and a catchy phrase in your title, such as “How to Make French Toast in 5 Minutes.” Use your main keyword and related keywords in your description, along with a call to action, such as “Subscribe to our channel for more recipes.” Use your main keyword and related keywords in your tags, along with your brand name and category, such as “french toast”, “breakfast”, and “Allrecipes”. Use an eye-catching and relevant image in your thumbnail, along with some text, such as “Easy French Toast Recipe”.

- Promote your video on social media and other platforms to increase your views, shares, and comments. Share your video on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and other relevant platforms like Twitch or Vimeo, along with a catchy caption and hashtags. Embed your video on your website, blog, or email newsletter, along with some text and a call to action. Reach out to influencers, bloggers, or journalists who might be interested in your video and ask them to share it with their audience.

For example. if you search for “how to make French toast” on YouTube, you will see a video from Tasty that ranks first. This is because they have optimized their video for video search, using a keyword-rich and catchy title, description, tags, and thumbnail. They also have a lot of views, likes, comments, and subscribers, which indicate their popularity and authority.

Example: YouTube and similar websites such as Twitch and Vimeo

Surprise: Tasty ranks first on YouTube for the query “how to make french toast”, thanks to their ‘video optimization’ and ‘promotion’.

#9. Optimize for E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It is a concept that Google uses to evaluate the quality and credibility of a website and its content. E-E-A-T is especially important for websites that fall under the category of Your Money or Your Life (YMYL), which are websites that can affect the user’s health, happiness, safety, or financial stability. E-E-A-T is also a ranking factor for Google, as it affects the user’s satisfaction and confidence.

To optimize for E-E-A-T, you need to demonstrate your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness on your website and in your content. You also need to get positive reviews, ratings, and feedback from your customers and users. And you need to avoid any negative signals, such as spam, malware, or low-quality content.

To optimize for E-E-A-T, you need to:

- Create high-quality and relevant content that provides value to your audience. Use your knowledge, skills, and experience to create content that answers the user’s query clearly and comprehensively. Use credible sources, data, and facts to support your claims and arguments. Update your content regularly to keep it fresh and accurate.

- Display your credentials and qualifications on your website and your content. Use your real name, photo, and bio to show who you are and what you do. Include your education, certifications, awards, and achievements to show your expertise and authority. Link to your social media profiles, portfolio, or other websites to show your online presence and reputation.

- Build your online reputation and authority by getting positive reviews, ratings, and feedback from your customers and users. Encourage your customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Trustpilot, or Yelp. Respond to your reviews, both positive and negative, politely and professionally. Showcase your testimonials, case studies, and success stories on your website and in your content.

- Avoid any negative signals that can harm your E-E-A-T, such as spam, malware, or low-quality content. Use tools like Semrush’s Site Audit Tool or Google’s Search Console to check and fix any issues on your website, such as broken links, duplicate content, or security errors. Follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines and Quality Rater Guidelines to ensure your website and content meet Google’s standards and expectations.

For example, if you search for “best wireless headphones," you will see a result from Wirecutter, which is a website that provides expert reviews and recommendations for various products. This is because they have optimized their website and content for E-E-A-T, using their expertise, authority, and trustworthiness to provide high-quality and relevant content.

For instance, Wirecutter ranks highly on Google for the query “best wireless headphones," thanks to their E-E-A-T optimization.

#10. Optimize for Mobile Search

Mobile search is the process of using mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets, to search for information on the Internet. Mobile search is becoming more dominant, as users are using more mobile devices to access the internet, especially on the go. According to Semrush, mobile devices account for 55% of all web traffic and 61% of all Google searches, and the advertising expenditure is about to reach USD 123bn in 2026.

To optimize for mobile search, you need to create a mobile-friendly and responsive website that provides a fast and smooth user experience on any device.

You also need to optimize your content, design, and features for mobile users, who have different needs and behaviors than desktop users. You need to use mobile SEO best practices, such as AMP, PWA, and app indexing, to improve your visibility and performance on mobile searches.

To optimize for mobile search, you need to:

Create a mobile-friendly and responsive website that adapts to any screen size and orientation. Use tools like Semrush’s Site Audit Tool or Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check and improve your site’s mobile-friendliness. Fix any issues, such as slow loading speed, poor layout, or broken links, that can affect your mobile user experience.

Optimize your content, design, and features for mobile users, who have different needs and behaviors than desktop users.

For example, Use shorter paragraphs, bullet points, and headings to make your content easier to read and scan. Use clear and concise language to convey your message and value proposition. Use images, videos, and other visuals to enhance your content and appeal to your audience. Use buttons, menus, and forms that are easy to tap and fill out. Use voice search, geolocation, and personalization to provide relevant and customized information and solutions.

Incorporate mobile SEO best practices, such as AMP, PWA, and app indexing to improve your visibility and performance on mobile search.

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) are web pages that load faster and use less data on mobile devices.

PWA (Progressive Web Apps) are web applications that provide app-like features and functionality on mobile devices.

App indexing is the process of making your app content searchable and accessible on Google. You can use tools like Google’s AMP Test, Google’s Lighthouse, and Google’s Firebase App Indexing to implement and optimize these mobile SEO techniques.

For example: If you search for “best wireless headphones” on your mobile device, you will see a result from CNET that uses AMP, PWA, and app indexing. This is because they have optimized their website and content for mobile search, using mobile-friendly design, fast loading speed, and app-like features.

Example: CNET ranks high on mobile search for the query “best wireless headphones”, thanks to their mobile optimization

Some SEO FAQs You Need to Check Out

1. What are some tools to measure Core Web Vitals?

Tools to Measure Core Web Vitals: There are several tools available to measure Core Web Vitals, including:

1. Google’s Lighthouse
2. PageSpeed Insights
3. Chrome DevTools
4. Search Console
5. web.dev’s measure tool
6. Web Vitals Chrome extension
7. Chrome UX Report (CrUX)
8. Sematext

2. How can I improve my website’s user experience?

Improving a Website’s User Experience:

Here are some tips to improve the user experience on your website:

1. Use white space effectively.
2. Optimize your page speed.
3. Use attractive calls to action.
4. Use hyperlink differentiation.
5. Segment key information with bullet points.
6. Use images wisely.
7. Include well-designed and written headlines.
8. Keep your website pages consistent.
9. Be responsive and mobile-friendly.

3. Can you give me more examples of web Performance Optimization?

Web Performance Optimization Examples:

There are numerous ways to optimize web performance. Here are a few examples:

Example-1: Reducing overall load time by making your files as small as possible, reducing the number of HTTP requests, and employing clever loading techniques.

Example-2: Make the site usable as soon as possible by loading your website assets in a sensible order.

Example-3: Ensuring smoothness and interactivity by using CSS animations rather than JavaScript for animation, and minimizing the number of repaints the UI requires due to changes in the DOM:

• Using caching and content delivery networks (CDNs).
• Minimizing HTTP requests.
• Reducing redirects.
• Enabling compression.
• Optimizing database queries.
• Improving code efficiency.

Remember: The goal of optimization is to improve the user experience, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates. It’s always a good idea to monitor your website’s performance and make adjustments as needed.

4. Can you help me with the formatting and layout?

Here are some tips to improve the formatting and layout of your documents:

#. Align Your Document: Different types of documents call for different text alignments. You can choose whether to align your entire document to the left, right, or center.

#. Set the Line Spacing: You can adjust the spacing of your entire document or for selected text.

#. Use Relevant, High-Quality Images: An image that’s unrelated to the content on the page will be confusing for the user.

#. Customize the Filename: Choose a font, go to the Home tab at the top of your document. Select the font you like best from the drop-down font menu at the right side of the menu ribbon.

#. Use Contrasting Fonts for Headings and Main Text: Headings are usually bigger than the main body text, which helps them stand out.

5. How do I optimize my images for SEO?

Here are some tips to optimize your images for SEO:

1. Use Relevant, High-Quality Images: This is crucial for the user experience side of SEO.
2. Customize the Filename: According to Google’s Image SEO guide, it’s important to use descriptive filenames.
3. Use Alt Text: Alt text (or alternative text) is a written description of an image.
4. Reduce the Image File Size: Compress your image files.
5. Use Next-Gen Image Formats: Use modern formats like WebP.
6. Use Responsive Images: Make sure your images display well on all device sizes.

If you’ve more insights for me than this article, please do share your enlightened thoughts in the comments. I’m happy to answer or learn! :)