Experts Share Views on SEO Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

SEO Challenges

Subham Kumar

May 22, 2024 — 6 min read

Experts Share Views on SEO Challenges and Opportunities

The world of SEO is full of challenges and opportunities. To explore this, StartupTalky connected with some amazing marketing and SEO experts and asked them about the biggest challenges and potential opportunities in their industries. Their insights highlight how search engine optimization is always changing. From handling algorithm changes to embracing AI advancements, discover what these experts predict for the future of SEO and how you can use these trends to your benefit.

Chaitanya Kulkarni, Head, SEO and Analytics, Tring
Ritu Parakh, Digital Marketing Manager, GREP
Kiran James, Global Head of Marketing & Product Development, Muthoottu Mini Financiers Limited
Sumit Singh, CEO & Co-Founder, DashLoc
Pranjal Agarwal, VP-Brand Marketing, Mudrex, a Global Crypto Investment Platform
Nishant Shah, Head-Digital Marketing, Blue Buzz
Omm Dev Sharma, Founder, Mavericks Global
Kishore Acharya, SVP & Head of Marketing, Masai School
Soumitra Sengupta, Fractional CMO and Growth Advisor

Chaitanya Kulkarni, Head, SEO and Analytics, Tring

The biggest challenge for any industry today is to keep up with algorithm updates. I still remember Google used to tell what exactly an update did or its purpose. Nowadays, it is a bit different, almost all of Google’s search algorithm updates are named “core updates” and we as SEO experts are just left to wonder. I get it, there was a “Helpful Content Update” etc, but wasn’t that always the purpose of an update? To improve the search results to best fit searchers' intent.

Here at Tring, we deal with the sensitive personal information of some of the biggest celebrities in India. Google is very sensitive about personal information, thus making it difficult for us to get creative about the content we publish. Keeping up with algorithm updates is one thing, but keeping your on-page content is another challenge altogether. Here lies an opportunity for not only reoptimizing content but to also keep it updated to all human extent.

Ritu Parakh, Digital Marketing Manager, GREP

Challenges:

Understanding Algorithm Changes: Google’s algorithms are increasingly complex and focused on user intent and overall user experience. It's tough to keep pace with these changes, as strategies that are effective today might not hold up tomorrow.
Rising Competition: As online visibility becomes crucial for success, more companies are stepping up their SEO game. This makes the search engine results pages (SERPs) extremely competitive, pushing us to continuously refine and innovate our SEO approaches.
Technical SEO Demands: With Google's emphasis on mobile-first indexing and Core Web Vitals, maintaining an optimized website is more technically demanding than ever. It’s a constant challenge to stay on top of these developments without draining resources.

Opportunities:

Leveraging AI and Machine Learning: These technologies are revolutionizing how we can understand and predict user behavior, personalize content, and streamline SEO tasks. They open up new avenues for creating more targeted and effective strategies.
Exploiting Voice Search and Local SEO: The surge in voice-activated devices offers fresh opportunities, especially in optimizing for conversational queries and tapping into local search markets. It's a great way to connect with audiences in a more direct and personal way.
Diversifying Content: As search engines and users favor varied and engaging content formats—like videos, podcasts, and interactive elements—there's a real chance to capture and engage audiences more effectively, which can also boost SEO performance.

Kiran James, Global Head of Marketing & Product Development, Muthoottu Mini Financiers Ltd

In our industry, the biggest challenge lies in staying ahead of constantly evolving algorithms and fierce competition for search visibility. However, this challenge presents an opportunity to differentiate ourselves through innovative strategies, personalized content, and exceptional user experiences.

Leveraging emerging technologies like AI and machine learning offers opportunities to enhance targeting and customization. Building strong relationships with influencers and authoritative websites can also boost our credibility and visibility. By embracing these challenges as opportunities for growth and innovation, we can position ourselves as leaders in our industry's SEO landscape.

Sumit Singh, CEO & Co-Founder, DashLoc

In our industry, navigating the complexities of SEO presents both challenges and opportunities. Hosting the microsite on the brand sub-domain introduces challenges such as longer content change approval times and multiple restrictions. This setup can hinder agility in updating content and implementing changes promptly.

Additionally, navigating various approval processes and adhering to restrictions may slow down the optimization and adaptation of the microsite to evolving SEO strategies. As a result, it's crucial to streamline communication and collaboration between teams responsible for content updates and approvals to mitigate delays and ensure efficient management of the microsite. Finding ways to expedite approval processes and negotiating flexibility within existing restrictions could also help alleviate these challenges.

Ultimately, prioritizing clear communication, proactive planning, and flexibility can help overcome these obstacles and optimize the microsite effectively within the constraints of the brand sub-domain.

Pranjal Agarwal, VP-Brand Marketing, Mudrex, a Global Crypto Investment Platform

AI presents a double-edged sword for SEO. On one hand, it helps break down complex data analysis, automation, and research tasks. On the other hand, the advent of tools like ChatGPT & GEMINI has changed user behavior, resulting in more conversational search queries. We're now using AI to analyze those queries and develop content, making it both a boon and a bane.

Nishant Shah, Head-Digital Marketing, Blue Buzz

Adapting to constant algorithm updates and changes in search trends poses both challenges and opportunities for SEO practitioners. On one hand, staying ahead of these changes requires continuous learning, experimentation, and adjustment of strategies. It can be challenging to keep up with the pace of change and ensure that our SEO tactics remain effective.

However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and differentiation. By embracing change and being proactive in our approach, we can capitalize on emerging trends and gain a competitive edge. Additionally, focusing on providing value to our users and , which ultimately leads to improved search rankings and organic traffic.

Omm Dev Sharma, Founder, Mavericks Global

AI presents a challenge as it becomes a significant source of information and influences user behavior. Search engines have limitations compared to AI in terms of information sources.

Opportunities: As AI evolves, there's an opportunity for search engines to widen their information sources, opening up new avenues for SEO strategies.

Kishore Acharya, SVP & Head of Marketing, Masai School

The biggest challenge in our industry is keeping up with the constantly evolving search algorithms and staying ahead of competitors who are also vying for top positions in search results. Another challenge is to resist shortcuts or ‘growth hacks’ that might give you an initial lift but will have serious implications on the brand's health as far as SEO is concerned.

However, this challenge also presents opportunities for innovation and differentiation through the use of creative content strategies and technical SEO enhancements.