SEO in 2026
Majestic.com
SEO is continuing to change at an alarming pace. And yet, in some sense, the principles of good SEO remain the same.
Hello, and welcome to SEO in 2026 – a significant repository of current thinking from many of the world’s leading SEOs.
We're pleased to be able to welcome you to the fifth book and fifth series in this podcast, now well and truly an annual tradition, brought to you by Majestic.
“How people search has seen a bigger shift in the last 12 months than the last 12 years, and this makes SEOin2026 a must-read for anyone working in the industry. Majestic has brought together 117 of the SEO industry's brightest minds to share their insights into what matters, and what doesn't, to continue to drive growth with organic search during a period of massive uncertainty, and the book should be seen as a valuable reference point to keep your strategy on the right track.”
JAMES BROCKBANK
Managing Director and Founder, Digitaloft
“I highly recommend that every SEO professional set aside a couple of days for SEOin2026. You'll thank me for helping you plan your year effectively. I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside some of the world's leading SEO champions.”
NITIN MANCHANDA
Founder & Chief SEO Consultant, Botpresso
“This collection of wisdom from many of the best minds in SEO today is a great line in the sand of where we as an industry are, what problems we face, and how we tackle them. Anyone in SEO or marketing should be dipping into this on a regular basis.”
SIMON COX
Technical SEO Consultant, Cox and Co. Creative
“This series continues to be the industry’s leading source of the most timely advice a marketer could ever want. The most forward-thinking SEO experts in the world come together once a year to create this invaluable collection of new knowledge that should never be passed up on!”
PAM AUNGST CRONIN
President and Founder, Pam Ann Marketing and Stealth Search and Analytics
“2025 has been a sprint for the SEO industry, with AI reshaping how we understand visibility, relevance, and authority. SEOin2026 is not just another trends book; it’s a roadmap for what’s actually coming. I loved being part of it and seeing how experts around the world approach the same challenges from different angles.”
RAMONA JOITA
SEO Consultant and Founder
“David is good at drawing out the substance of a conversation. He will explore the topic and challenge assumptions, steer the conversation into an unexpected direction, and build on your ideas – making you think a bit deeper and sharper. Our recent conversation flew by as always, and as always – I’ve come out energised about the topic with more to think about.”
SUKHJINDER SINGH
Freelance SEO Consultant
Hello, and welcome to SEO in 2026 – a significant repository of current thinking from many of the world’s leading SEOs.
We're pleased to be able to welcome you to the fifth book and fifth series in this podcast, now well and truly an annual tradition, brought to you by Majestic.
“How people search has seen a bigger shift in the last 12 months than the last 12 years, and this makes SEOin2026 a must-read for anyone working in the industry. Majestic has brought together 117 of the SEO industry's brightest minds to share their insights into what matters, and what doesn't, to continue to drive growth with organic search during a period of massive uncertainty, and the book should be seen as a valuable reference point to keep your strategy on the right track.”
JAMES BROCKBANK
Managing Director and Founder, Digitaloft
“I highly recommend that every SEO professional set aside a couple of days for SEOin2026. You'll thank me for helping you plan your year effectively. I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside some of the world's leading SEO champions.”
NITIN MANCHANDA
Founder & Chief SEO Consultant, Botpresso
“This collection of wisdom from many of the best minds in SEO today is a great line in the sand of where we as an industry are, what problems we face, and how we tackle them. Anyone in SEO or marketing should be dipping into this on a regular basis.”
SIMON COX
Technical SEO Consultant, Cox and Co. Creative
“This series continues to be the industry’s leading source of the most timely advice a marketer could ever want. The most forward-thinking SEO experts in the world come together once a year to create this invaluable collection of new knowledge that should never be passed up on!”
PAM AUNGST CRONIN
President and Founder, Pam Ann Marketing and Stealth Search and Analytics
“2025 has been a sprint for the SEO industry, with AI reshaping how we understand visibility, relevance, and authority. SEOin2026 is not just another trends book; it’s a roadmap for what’s actually coming. I loved being part of it and seeing how experts around the world approach the same challenges from different angles.”
RAMONA JOITA
SEO Consultant and Founder
“David is good at drawing out the substance of a conversation. He will explore the topic and challenge assumptions, steer the conversation into an unexpected direction, and build on your ideas – making you think a bit deeper and sharper. Our recent conversation flew by as always, and as always – I’ve come out energised about the topic with more to think about.”
SUKHJINDER SINGH
Freelance SEO Consultant
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 6, 2024 • 18min
What's the Secret to Customizing GA4 Reports for SEO Success? - with Kyle Rushton McGregor
Kyle Rushton McGregor and David Bain discuss how to utilise the customisation options in GA4 to your advantage.Talking points include:What are the customisation options?How should SEOs be customising them?Why should SEOs be using them?Should SEOs get assistance from a GA4 professional?What data is available?How should SEOs be using this data?What other software do you like to connect to GA4?Are the customisation options likely to change again in the near future?Read the full transcript of Kyle's interview at https://majestic.com/seo-in-2024/additional-insights/kyle-rushton-mcgregor
Oct 30, 2024 • 17min
PPC can be your SECRET WEAPON for SEO Success - with Sophie Fell
Sophie Fell, a Paid Media expert at Two Trees PPC, shares her insights on harnessing PPC as a powerful ally for SEO. She emphasizes the crucial collaboration between SEO and PPC teams to drive targeted traffic and improve conversion rates. Sophie discusses the testing process for PPC opportunities, tools to utilize, and criteria for selecting winning strategies. She also touches on the rising influence of Microsoft Ads as a viable alternative to Google. Tune in for actionable tips to enhance your digital marketing efforts!
Oct 23, 2024 • 18min
Focus on building a strong, recognizable brand - Dani Leitner
David and Dani discuss the importance of focusing on building a strong, recognizable brand around a specific topic, so people automatically think of you, ensuring that regardless of changes in algorithms, your brand remains a go-to source. Discussion topics include:How do you build a strong, recognizable brand around a specific topic?How can you ensure that people remember your brand after reading your content?What content do you prefer to publish?Where do you publish your content?How do you measure the SEO value of this?How do you view AI content?Read the full transcript of Dani's interview at https://majestic.com/seo-in-2024/additional-insights/dani-leitner
Oct 16, 2024 • 16min
Team up with AI by using the Cyborg Method to deliver content - with Tom Winter
Tom Winter, Chief Growth Officer and co-founder at SEOWind, shares insights on teaming up with AI using the Cyborg Method for content creation. He discusses how to effectively collaborate with AI, the essential role of human input, and the importance of understanding search intent over traditional keyword stuffing. Tom emphasizes the significance of strategic thinking and defining brand voice to enhance content quality. He also explores the potential risks of AI in content delivery and how to measure its added value.
Oct 9, 2024 • 17min
If you have a strong, authoritative domain, publish as much as you can - with Michał Suski
Michał Suski, Head of Innovation at Surfer, sheds light on maximizing the potential of a strong, authoritative domain. He explains how to assess domain strength through key metrics and why frequent publishing is essential for visibility. The conversation dives into effective content forms and the evolving role of AI in content strategies. Michał also highlights the importance of consistent content creation for better Google indexing and warns against low-quality backlinks in 2024, advocating for authentic relationship-building.
Oct 2, 2024 • 17min
Learn About Zero-Lead Marketing - with Luca Tagliaferro
Luca Tagliaferro, a Senior SEO consultant, delves into the transformative concept of zero-lead marketing. He explains how this approach prioritizes brand development over immediate conversions, effectively reshaping SEO strategies. Luca highlights the power of brand recognition, using giants like Amazon and Apple for illustration. He also discusses the importance of leveraging customer insights for enriching SEO content and warns against an over-reliance on AI, advocating for high-quality, human-refined content.
Sep 25, 2024 • 17min
Log files analysis is still an underrated source of SEO knowledge - Julien Deneuville
We're in 2024 and log files analysis is still an underrated source of SEO knowledge.David and Julien discuss:What is log file analysis?How do you get access to your log files?Where are log files stored and are everyone’s log files a similar structure?What software do you use to analyse your log files?What do you look for when analysing your log files?Do you combine your log file analysis with other data for better insights?How should log file analysis impact your SEO strategy?
Sep 18, 2024 • 18min
Look at SEO holistically, from an entity building perspective - Adam Collins
Adam Collins, Founder of Ignite SEO, delves into the art of holistic SEO, emphasizing the interconnectedness of on-page and off-page strategies. He discusses building a robust online entity by leveraging structured data and meaningful backlinks. The conversation highlights the pitfalls of traditional guest posting and advocates for a sustainable, long-term approach to SEO. Adam also examines the future of SEO in the context of AI, underscoring the necessity for SEO professionals to avoid time-wasting tasks and focus on impactful strategies.
Sep 11, 2024 • 19min
Focus on User Intent - Amanda Walls
Focus on User Intent and build content, authority and a website experience that matches that and helps them to get towards their goals. David and Amanda discuss:How do you focus on user intent?How do you prefer to categorise user intent?How do you define a user’s goals?How do you build content, authority and a website experience that matches user intent?How do you build authority by delivering the right user intent?How do you alter a website experience to match a user intent?How is user intent changing?How do you determine the likely user intent?
Sep 4, 2024 • 21min
Save time, increase efficiency, and minimise errors - utilise automation - Jonathon Roberts
To save time, increase efficiency, and minimise errors, utilise automation for auditing your websites.David and Jonathon discuss:What automation is key?What software do you use?How much time do you save?Why do you minimise errors and what errors do you tend to minimise?How often should you audit your websites?What are the primary issues that you are looking for when you are auditing?How is the automation of auditing likely to change over the coming year?
