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 11, 2023 • 16min
Keep a human eye on your AI-generated content – with Adelina Bordea
According to Adelina Bordea from FreePik, another key use of your human intuition is your ability to differentiate between AI-generated content and human-generated content.
Dec 8, 2023 • 15min
Be human in order to sell to humans – with Jess Joyce
SEO Consultant Jess Joyce shares that your humanity can give you the edge in multiple SEO disciplines.
Dec 7, 2023 • 21min
Emotional intelligence can be your superpower – with Petra Kis-Herczegh
Following on from Rebecca’s emphasis on personal adaptability, Petra Kis-Herczegh from Kameleon Journal believes that your emotional intelligence might make all the difference.
Dec 6, 2023 • 15min
Become more adaptable so that you can take advantage of change – with Rebecca Berbel
There’s no doubt that 2024 will see the wind of change continuing to strike the SEO landscape. Rebecca Berbel from OnCrawl believes that adaptability will be key.
Dec 5, 2023 • 16min
How Neurodivergent thinking can supercharge your SEO - with Heike Knip
David and Heike discuss how neurodivergent thinking can supercharge your SEO.Talking points include:- What is Neurodivergent thinking?- Is this from the perspective of someone who is neurodivergent or who is managing someone who is Neurodivergent?- How should someone who is Neurodivergent grow their SEO career?- Does an SEO team leader who is managing someone who is neurodivergent need to be aware of anything in particular?
Dec 4, 2023 • 19min
Every algorithm update is only ever optimising toward a better user experience - Tom Peyton
David and Tom discuss how every algorithm update is only ever optimising toward a better user experience - and if you constantly optimise for that, you can't go far wrong.Talking points include:- What sort of user experience should you optimise for?- How does that increase your organic traffic?- How do you measure improved user experience from an organic search perspective?- Why constantly optimise for user experience? Is it not a set it and forget it opportunity?
Dec 1, 2023 • 20min
Educate Google about your brand and control your customer journey narrative - Leanne Summers
David and Leanne discuss why you need to educate Google about your brand and control your narrative through the entire customer journey.Talking points include:- How do you Educate Google about your brand?- In which aspects of your customer journey can you control your narrative?- How do you control your narrative?- What measurable impact does this have?
Nov 30, 2023 • 19min
The importance of using hybrid models for AI - with Victoria Olsina
Victoria Olsina discussed the importance of using hybrid models for AI. Topics covered include:- What tasks do humans do best and what tasks does AI do best?- How do you use AI for keyword research?- What AI do you use to cluster topics?
Nov 29, 2023 • 16min
Keep an eye on Google's updates and changing guidelines - with Ivana Flynn
In this episode, David and Ivana discuss how to keep an eye on Google's updates and changing guidelines.Discussion points include:- How should you keep on top of it? Can you follow everything?- How do you prepare for crazy volatility?- How long after Google's update finishes should you panic?- What is AI good for?- What does this mean practically for the way you alter your SEO strategy?
Nov 28, 2023 • 21min
Adapt, Adapt, Adapt - with Casie Gillette
Casie Gillette discusses the importance of being able to adapt, covering:- With all of the changes currently taking place in search, we have to adapt our strategies and tactics faster than ever.- How often should you set a strategy?- What do we adapt?- How do we adapt?- What skills will remain the same?
