Navigating the Future of SEO: 5 Tips from HubSpot’s Senior Director of Global Growth

The SEO landscape has been a roller coaster ride lately, and many marketers and SEO specialists are doing their best to hold on. However, Aja Frost, HubSpot’s senior director of global growth, remains optimistic about the future of SEO as new competitors enter the arena.

“I actually think the entry of new competitors is one of the most exciting developments of the last couple of years,” she says. “For so long, we’ve all been geared toward Google and reverse-engineering Google’s algorithm in many ways, which has stifled innovation in content marketing and SEO.”

If you’re not sure how to change your approach to keep up with the evolution of SEO marketing, I offer you five tips from Aja Frost for navigating the future of SEO.

AI is your tool, not your replacement.

I’ve said it many times in previous blog posts, and you may be tired of hearing it, but I promise you it’s true: Marketers need to view AI as a tool or their best friend and not as a replacement. And Aja agrees.

“AI tools excel at researching, organizing ideas, presenting, and providing scaffolding for great content,” she says. And she’s not just talking about written content like blog posts or emails; AI can also lay the foundation for top-notch videos and images.

But here’s why they can’t replace you, according to Aja.

“AI tools are not as powerful as humans in the actual development of the content itself,” she says, “for example, taking an idea or concept from good to great and turning it into a post in its own right or take this proof of concept for a micro-application.

And that, Aja says, is where you, the human marketer, need to color the lines and create content that stands out. Think of it like you’re Batman and the AI ​​is your Robin.

Marketers need to evolve beyond just informational content.

Google’s algorithm has been… tricky… to say the least. However, one thing has remained constant through all its changes: its preference for unique, expertly crafted content that only humans can create.

So when creating content that you hope Google will pick up and offer to users, consider going beyond typical clinical information and thinking creatively.

“Differentiate your content from basic information types and look for deeper, more nuanced and complex questions that require human expertise,” says Aja.

You might think, “But does expert-written content matter in a world where people can just ask ChatGPT?” Doesn’t that make SEO useless? » Well no!

Aja explains: “I don’t think 90% of queries will be made on AI search engines. Searcher behavior is ingrained, and there is a lot of work to be done and tasks that still require traditional web searches.

Aja remembers when the SEO industry was disrupted by the prediction that up to 50% of queries would be handled by voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa.

“Now the only things I ask my Alexa are for the weather and to set a timer, so I definitely wouldn’t rule out traditional searches,” she says.

Expertise and authenticity matter.

As I said earlier, content written by experts is essential for SEO optimized content. But what should it look like? Did you just write that you are an expert in your blog post and hope for the best? No, according to Aja.

“Using the first person does not automatically equate to expertise,” she says. “This requires explaining why the author is in a unique position to give advice.”

For example, whenever I write about topics in which I have personal experience, I reinforce my expertise by:

Share personal business stories Link to my work or website Share scenarios that have shaped me as a marketer and content creator

So, as you establish yourself as an expert on your content, find ways to showcase your expertise. Show, don’t just tell.

Diversify your portfolio.

Like many SEOs and content marketers, you may notice big drops in organic traffic as the SEO landscape evolves. Trust me when I say we went there. Fortunately, Aja says diversifying your portfolio can solve the problem.

“Look for more defensible sources of demand,” she says. “For HubSpot it’s YouTube and microapps, but it could be Substack for another company.”

Aja also says that doubling down on working with creators could benefit your audience.

“It’s about asking, ‘If Google really changes, what other areas are we investing in?’ “, she said.

No channel is a dead channel.

Don’t be quick to discard a so-called “dead” channel when diversifying your strategy.

“What bothers me is when people say a channel is dead,” Aja says. “Search is not dead, nor are podcasts or any other channel. You can make any channel work really well if you understand your personality.