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 27, 2023 • 17min
Know how your customers think and make decisions, to be the brand they'll always come back to
In this episode David and Giulia discuss how to know how your customers think and make decisions, to be the brand they'll always come back to.Discussion points include:- Why is it important to Know how your customers think?- How do you Know how your customers think?- How do you measure what your customers think?- What do you mean by “make decisions to be the brand they'll always come back to?”- What are examples of doing this?- How does this impact SEO?- How do you measure this?
Dec 22, 2023 • 17min
Learn how to tackle generative AI in search – with Jason Barnard
Jason Barnard from Kalicube is focussed on another side to the technological capabilities of AI. He delves into the ways that generative AI is also impacting search results, and what to do about it.
Dec 21, 2023 • 17min
Use LLMs to improve your forecasting and save you time – with Arpad Balogh
Once you have an understanding of how they work, you can start using large language models to improve your forecasting and save you time, according to Arpad Balough from Slothio.
Dec 20, 2023 • 15min
Bullet-proof your SEO efforts with E-E-A-T to supercharge organic performance - with Kapwom Dingis
In this episode, David and Kapwom discuss how to bulletproof your SEO efforts with E-E-A-T to supercharge organic performance.Topics include:- How does E-E-A-T bulletproof your SEO?- What is the most effective way of maximising your EEAT?- What does a supercharged organic performance look like?- How do you measure success?- Is AI impacting EEAT?
Dec 19, 2023 • 21min
Familiarise yourself with the capabilities and limitations of large language models – with Bastian Grimm
Just as we need to get into the nuts and bolts of SEO, we also need to take the time to understand the technology that powers AI, as Bastian Grimm from PeakAce explains.
Dec 18, 2023 • 17min
Consider how AI will impact user behaviour – with Annika Haataja
According to Annika Haataja from Seeker Digital, one of the key questions that you should be asking prior to implementing the use of AI in your workflow is “How might AI impact user behaviour?”
Dec 15, 2023 • 16min
Stop worrying about the future and start optimizing for it – with Jake Gauntley
As Billie emphasised, you can’t expect AI to solve all of your content production woes automatically. But as Jake Gauntley from KINESSO shares, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be harnessing AI’s power.
Dec 14, 2023 • 16min
Prepare for the AI-fuelled duplication epidemic – with Billie Geena
Billie Geena from Uptake would like to add a warning though – don’t run full-speed into the unknown with AI without being aware of the potential consequences.
Dec 13, 2023 • 16min
Get hands-on to grow your career in SEO - with Jade Symons
In this episode, David and Jade discuss how to get hands-on to grow your career in SEO.Discussion points include:- What do you mean by hands-on?- What should you get hands-on with?- How does this help to grow your career?- How often should you be doing this?
Dec 12, 2023 • 18min
Stay ahead of the game by embracing AI – with Nitin Manchanda
Although the first chapter emphasised the need to retain your human touch, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room – AI is changing many aspects of SEO, fast. That’s the message that Nitin Manchanda from Botpresso would like to share with you.
