Savannah is a content marketer with editorial experience spanning several businesses. Specializing in social media and marketing trends, she loves talking about the latest developments in online marketing. When she’s not writing, Savannah loves traveling, hoarding books and coffee mugs, and adoring her cat. Please don’t ask her about famous true crime cases, or else she’ll tell you all about her theories and get absolutely no work done.
SEO trends in 2026 are shifting faster than ever, with generative AI, zero-click searches, and user experience upgrades redefining how people find answers online. To help you stay ahead, we’ve rounded up the 12 biggest SEO trends to watch out for, plus proven strategies you can use right now to protect visibility, earn clicks, and drive ROI.
Along the way, we’ll drop in some expert insights from one of our web marketing consultants and subject matter experts, so stay tuned!
1. Optimizing for AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overviews (formerly known as Search Generative Experiences) appear above organic rankings in search results. Essentially, they’re AI-generated answers to queries, with information pulled from top-ranking sources across the web.
In our recent study of 2.37 million U.S. keywords, we found that AI Overviews now appear in 1 of every 4 searches (25.8%), with the rate climbing to 54.7% for long-tail queries of seven words or more. That shift means content tailored toward answer-based questions is more likely to lose clicks, since AI Overviews are answering those queries directly in search results, thus leading to more instances of zero-click searches.
So, how do you boost your website’s visibility in a world where AI results are reigning supreme? First, target middle-of-funnel content to avoid question-based queries that don’t focus on “what,” “where,” and “how.”
Or, you can optimize your question-based, top-of-funnel content for AI results by following these tips:
As we mentioned, search engines are becoming increasingly reliant on AI Overviews and summaries. Because of this, optimizing your content’s E-E-A-T signals (known as Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust) will be a top SEO trend in 2026.
Why? Google and AI answer engines like ChatGPT and Gemini are trained to show searchers content that’s helpful and trustworthy, among other factors. So, when it comes to boosting your visibility in AI search results or increasing your chances of showing up in answers on AI platforms, optimize your content for E-E-A-T to give your content a fighting chance.
Expert insights from
Sarah B.Web Marketing Consultant
Lean into what Google’s AI Overviews want to deliver — helpful content with unique perspectives that users can trust. Google’s emphasized its focus on people-first content with its helpful content system, E-E-A-T, and YMYL, and we can deliver on its expectations by producing content that follows SEO best practices while also:
Letting experience vs. the SERPs inform content (in some cases, this might even mean addressing why a frequently-mentioned tip, step, or tool doesn’t work).
Including videos and/or custom graphics, so users can experience the content in a way that works for them.
Incorporating trust signals, like certifications, awards, author biographies, etc., into content or page designs.
So, how do you demonstrate E-E-A-T to Google and AI answer engines? Start with following these best practices:
Answering user search intent and directly addressing other related queries
Letting experience inform your content
Using multimedia to give people options on how to experience your content
Signaling trust and authority (certifications, awards, author bios, case studies, etc.)
3. Building a presence on forums
One of the biggest SEO developments to happen in 2026 is the increased visibility of forums like Reddit and Quora in search results. Discovering how to use Reddit for SEO can lead to organic traffic growth and improved brand visibility across different online platforms. Forum posts are gaining more visibility in search engine results. In fact, Reddit saw a nearly 40% increase in traffic year-over-year (YoY).
Google even has a spot dedicated to forums in some search results:
Google’s shift to highlighting first-hand information from Internet users on topics of interest has already had a major effect on SEO, siphoning search traffic from other organic results, and we expect it to continue to do so in 2026.
Expert insights from
Jordan D.Senior Performance Support Operations Lead
In 2025, we saw a dramatic shift take place in the SERPs with Google increasing visibility for forum websites such as Reddit and Quora. Since that change was made, we have seen these sites siphon traffic from client results to the degree where Reddit reported a 40% increase in organic search traffic during the first half of the year.
To combat this lost search traffic, try boosting your presence on forums through organic posts to better position yourself as a prominent industry voice. Or, consider running ad campaigns on forums your audience spends time on, along with strategic content promotion.
Forum sites aren’t the only ones popping up in SERPs — today, users are met with relevant YouTube videos in search results, making video optimization and YouTube SEO a major 2026 SEO trend.
Expert insights from
Jordan D.Senior Performance Support Operations Lead
We’ve known for years that Google sees value in on-page video, as pages with video generally perform better than pages without video. At the same time we saw forum websites pop up in the SERPs, we have seen more YouTube results as well. This means we need to double down on video in 2026 with an on-page video strategy and YouTube SEO as well. Users want to hear directly from a trusted source, which follows the same logic as the increased prominence of forum sites in the SERPs.
To stay on top of this SEO trend in 2026, businesses need to diversify their content strategies. Invest in written content as well as video to set up a one-two strategy that’s poised for long-term success.
Additionally, optimize for YouTube SEO to take your video strategy to the next level. Integrate relevant keywords, and optimize video titles, tags, thumbnails, and descriptions to boost your visibility on YouTube and start earning more valuable traffic.
5. Doubling down on traditional SEO strategies
Where there are many new and exciting SEO strategies to try in 2026, many of the traditional strategies still work well and shouldn’t be put on the back burner.
Expert insights from
Jordan D.Senior Performance Support Operations Lead
We should continue focusing on tried and true content strategies, as they will drive performance for sites in 2026. For example, both B2C and B2B companies continue to see success with geo-targeted content such as service pages focusing on each of their locations, and ecommerce sites still see the best results when focusing on valuable, short-form category content like FAQs.
Traditional SEO strategies like local and technical optimization, as well as targeted content creation, are still incredibly relevant. By strengthening your traditional SEO efforts while also integrating new strategies like AI optimization and YouTube SEO, you can build a multifaceted campaign that’s capable of driving leads from multiple different search channels.
The prevalence of AI in search has ushered in an era of zero-click searches, so one of the biggest SEO trends for the coming year is adapting to this search mentality.
To be successful in a zero-click environment, you must create content that’s helpful and puts users first. This means ensuring your content has a zero-click framework. In other words, it should:
Be optimized for featured snippets and relevant keywords
Target FAQs and People Also Ask (PAA) queries
Present information in an organized, easy-to-scan manner
Directly address user search intent
7. Taking an OmniSEO™ approach
If there’s one thing you should take away from this list of SEO trends for 2026, it’s that search has become much more diverse.
Now more than ever, businesses need to adapt their search strategies to new channels like ChatGPT and Meta AI, as the search landscape now involves AI and SEO. By adapting their strategies, brands can continue getting in front of their target audiences no matter where they are.
That’s where OmniSEO™ can help. OmniSEO™ is an all-encompassing generative search strategy that helps you optimize your presence on platforms where people search, like:
Google & AI Overviews
Bing & Copilot
Apple Intelligence
Generative engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity
Social media platforms like Facebook (Meta AI)
Social forums like Reddit
By taking an OmniSEO™ approach, you focus on building up content and your website’s branding. That way, when generative engines (for example), pull information from your website, you’ll be cited as a source.
This approach also involves optimizing for and tracking keywords that people search when using these platforms. That means optimizing for more conversational keywords, for example, that people use on generative engines.
Optimizing for the different places where people search will help you get ahead of your competition and increase your reach with your target audience.
Expert insights from
Jordan D.Senior Performance Support Operations Lead
We cannot shy away from this powerful SERP feature. There must be a shift in our optimization strategy to the OmniSEO approach, leaning into AI placement and featured snippet opportunities. Studies have found that pages ranking in a SERP with both an AI Overview and a featured snippet have a more significant CTR drop, making featured snippet optimization a critical piece of this strategy as well.
8. Leveraging AI tools to enhance search strategy
One of the biggest trends in SEO for 2026 is leveraging AI tools to enhance search performance. Whether you’re a marketing professional, business owner, or someone in between, there’s no shortage of tasks that need to be done to market your company. That’s why maximizing your efficiency, through the use of AI tools, is crucial for growth in 2026.
Other marketers are already leveraging AI to help speed up processes — 86% of SEO pros use AI tools to help improve their SEO strategy.
AI tools can help you speed up the process of basic, but fundamental, tasks like:
A feature that Google added to the engine to help create a better experience for users is search personalization. Users can toggle on Search Personalization, which delivers results based on activity. The goal of this feature is to deliver information to users that’s most helpful to them.
Here are some things to know about personalized search results:
Not all results are personalized, even if someone has it toggled on
Personalization can affect the order of the search results
Personalization can affect the order and appearance of certain content blocks (Ex. if you search history shows you prefer videos, personalized search may put the video result higher on the page)
So, how can you optimize for this Google feature?
The best thing to do is ensure the content on your website is tailored to your audience and their interests. Leverage your first-party data to create content that’s tailored to your audience and the information they seek.
When your content is tailored to your audience, you’ll have a better chance of appearing at the top of people’s personalized results when it’s relevant to them.
10. Taking a bigger focus on local SEO
Another one of the top SEO trends for 2026 is focusing on local SEO. Local SEO is fundamental for businesses that cater to people in their community.
With more people using generative platforms to find local information, building your local presence is crucial for appearing in these search results. You want your business’s name to appear when they conduct these searches.
You can build your local presence by:
Optimizing your Google Business Profile with accurate information
Targeting location-based keywords on your website
Creating local content
Optimizing any third-party local listings (Yelp, for example)
11. Optimizing for social search
While Google remains the top place to search for information, it isn’t the only one. Social media is becoming a top place where people search for information online.
Let’s say you want to learn how to caulk a tub. Instead of doing a Google search and reading an article about it, you might opt to go to YouTube and search for a video that tells you how to do it.
In another scenario, imagine you want to make chicken this week but don’t know how you want to prepare it. Instead of searching on Google, you go to TikTok and look for videos of chicken recipes you can watch.
These are just a few of the many scenarios taking place each day as people look for information.
So, optimizing for social search is a must to reach these people.
Here’s how you can do it:
Create content tailored to your audience and brand to appear in their searches
Leverage cross-channel content promotion to reach people on different social platforms
Use hashtags to show relevance to user searches
Create consistent branding on each platform to build brand recognition in searches
12. Having a solid technical infrastructure
While it may not be as flashy as AI or social search, having a solid technical infrastructure is a big SEO trend for 2026. Having a good technical SEO structure leads to a better user experience, which means increased dwell time, conversions, and sales.
Technical SEO is often an area where businesses fall behind.
Here’s an example: Page speed is one of the biggest technical SEO factors that impacts performance. Slow-loading websites lead to $2.6 billion in revenue loss annually because people don’t want to wait for websites to load.
And yet, only 40% of websites now pass Google’s Core Web Vitals assessment (which measures speed, stability, and interactivity). That means over half of all websites on Google deliver a negative experience.
That’s just one aspect of technical SEO, too.
So, if you want to have an advantage in 2026, focus on developing your technical SEO. In addition to optimizing page speed, tasks include:
Calculating SEO ROI shows you how much revenue your organic strategy generates compared to what you spend. This is a critical metric when leaders want proof that SEO drives bottom-line growth. In fact, high-quality SEO campaigns average a ~748% ROI, according to industry data, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available.
To calculate SEO ROI, use the standard formula:
SEO ROI = (Gain from SEO – Cost of SEO) / Cost of SEO × 100
Here’s what that looks like in action:
If you spend $5,000/month on SEO and generate $30,000 in revenue, your ROI is 500%.
To get accurate numbers, make sure you:
Calculate your investment: Include in-house SEO salaries, agency retainers, tools, and content costs.
Track conversions in Google Analytics A4: Ecommerce sites can use purchase events, while lead-based businesses can assign dollar values to form fills, calls, or bookings.
Tie conversions back to organic traffic: Filter reports so you see revenue earned specifically from SEO.
When you connect the dollars you invest with the revenue SEO delivers, you don’t just prove value, you also get the insights to prioritize high-impact strategies, secure bigger budgets, and align SEO with ROI.
High-ROI SEO strategies to prioritize in 2026
Not every SEO trend in 2026 delivers the same payoff. Some unlock fast wins for traffic and revenue, while others eat up hours with limited upside. To prioritize effectively, think of SEO as animpact vs. effort scoreboard. The goal is to double down on high-impact actions that protect clicks and conversions while pausing the low-return time sinks.
The SEO ROI scoreboard
SEO task
Revenue impact
Effort level
Optimize for AI Overviews/snippets
High
High
Strengthen E-E-A-T signals
High
Medium
Target high-intent / BOFU keywords
High
Medium
Refresh aging content
Medium-High
Low
Diversify into video & forums
Medium
Medium-High
Fix critical technical issues
Medium-High
Medium
Start with: Quick wins like content refreshes, high-intent keyword targeting, and E-E-A-T improvements.
Structure your content for clear answers and strengthen trust signals so your brand gets cited (and clicked) inside these new SERP features.
2. Strengthen E-E-A-T signals
Google and AI engines weigh expertise, authority, and trust more than ever. Add expert bylines, credentials, case studies, and topical clusters to improve your odds of being cited in AI results and ranking in organic.
3. Target keywords with purchase intent
Traffic without conversions doesn’t move the ROI needle. Focus on MOFU and BOFU keywords that bring in buyers, not just browsers.
4. Refresh old content that’s slipping in rankings
Outdated content loses clicks fast. Updating stats, examples, and CTAs is a low-effort, high-return way to reclaim visibility and conversions.
5. Diversify into video and forums
Reddit saw a huge YoY traffic spike, and YouTube dominates how-to queries. Repurpose content into short-form video or participate in forums to capture attention where users are shifting.
6. Fix critical technical SEO issues
Crawl errors, broken links, and slow load times still cost revenue. Focus fixes on high-value conversion pages first. Don’t waste cycles on low-impact technical busywork.
Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping SERPs by answering queries directly in search results. Our study of 2.37 million U.S. keywords found that AI Overviews now appear in 25.8% of searches, and in over half of long-tail queries. That means TOFU content is more likely to lose clicks, while MOFU and BOFU content optimized with strong E-E-A-T has a better chance of being cited and driving revenue.
Google and AI engines lean heavily on E-E-A-T to decide which content to cite or rank. In 2026, building authority and trust is non-negotiable. Expert bylines, case studies, certifications, and topical authority clusters signal credibility, helping your content rise above AI summaries and zero-click results.
With AI Overviews, featured snippets, and People Also Ask boxes, more users are getting answers without clicking through. That makes it critical to optimize for snippets and FAQs, create content that anticipates follow-up questions, and shift focus toward high-intent keywords that drive clicks and conversions.
Yes! While AI and content trends get the spotlight, technical SEO is still the foundation. Slow or unstable pages cost businesses billions in lost revenue annually. Fixing crawl errors, broken links, and site speed issues on conversion pages remains one of the most reliable ROI-boosting moves.
Absolutely. SEO isn’t dying, it’s evolving. In fact, high-quality SEO campaigns average ~748% ROI across industries. Businesses that adapt to AI-driven search, strengthen trust signals, and diversify into video and forums will not just survive, they’ll also gain a competitive edge as competitors pull back.
Partner with Clutch’s #1 SEO agency today!
SEO is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop once you’ve implemented the trends we’ve just discussed. It takes continuous time and effort to monitor and adjust, and when you’re already running a business, that can feel like a lot. Enter an SEO agency like WebFX. We’re an award-winningUSA SEO services agency and a top Atlanta SEO agency, with multiple locations across the world.
When you partner with WebFX for SEO services, you’re not getting a one-size-fits-all strategy that temporarily solves your SEO needs — you’re getting a custom SEO solution that’s scaled to fit your business and foster long-term growth and success. With a dedicated team of SEO by your side, adjusting your campaign for the latest SEO trends will be a breeze.
Get in touch with our team today to learn more about how you can leverage the latest SEO trends along with WebFX’s custom professional SEO services in 2026!
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Savannah is a content marketer with editorial experience spanning several businesses. Specializing in social media and marketing trends, she loves talking about the latest developments in online marketing. When she’s not writing, Savannah loves traveling, hoarding books and coffee mugs, and adoring her cat. Please don’t ask her about famous true crime cases, or else she’ll tell you all about her theories and get absolutely no work done.
