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
Dec 4, 2024 • 16min
Leverage planning strategy, data analysis & what-if scenarios to navigate ambiguity - Jonathan Moore
David Bain and Jonathan Moore discuss the importance of leveraging planning strategy, data analysis and what-if scenarios to navigate ambiguity.Talking points include:What data analysis are you referring to when planning a strategy?Where are the best sources of data?What are some examples of what-if scenarios that you are referring to?Link profile may not be what you want it to be?Content may not be what you hoped it would be?How does this help to navigate ambiguity and the unknown?What type of ambiguity are you trying to avoid?Why is it important to do this?How does this measurable impact your SEO success?How often should you be planning SEO strategy?What else should be incorporated in an SEO strategy?
Nov 27, 2024 • 16min
Why you need to add social media to your search strategy - Sabine Ljunggren
David Bain and Sabine Ljunggren discuss why you need to add social media to your search strategy.Talking points include:Why do you need to add social media to your search strategy?What does this mean in practice?What social media are we talking about?What content works best on different social media sites?Why does this fit as part of a search strategy?How do you measure success on social?How do you measure success as part of an integrated search strategy?How will this continue to evolve in the future?
Nov 20, 2024 • 16min
Why STORYTELLING Beats Traditional Link Building - with Desmond Boateng
Desmond Boateng joins David Bain to discuss the importance of building a brand with your own story over link building.Talking points include:Why is building a brand with your own story so important?How do you craft your story?Where should you publish your story?How does your brand story interweave with the rest of your content marketing efforts?What measurable impact does this have on your SEO success?How often should you hone your story?Is this more effective than link building?Read the full transcript of Desmond's interview at https://majestic.com/seo-in-2024/additional-insights/desmond-boateng
Nov 13, 2024 • 17min
Beat the competition with a consistent Link Building strategy! - with Ahmed Bhula
Ahmed Bhula and David Bain discuss balanced/consistent link building and creating content consistently within limits. Before you know it, you'll be competing against the larger companies and every Google update will benefit your rankings.Talking points include:What does Balanced/consistent link building look like?What links are good links in 2024?How many should you be building a month?What are the limits you talk about?What does constant content creation look like?What content is best?Why does this help compete with larger companies?How do Google updates benefit rankings?Read the full transcript of Ahmed's interview at https://majestic.com/seo-in-2024/additional-insights/ahmed-bhula
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.
