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The year ended with significant developments in SEO and search engines, setting the direction for 2025. Here are the key updates from December:
- Google concludes its December 2024 update focusing on combating spam and low-quality content.
- Google’s AI overviews are expanding, intensifying requirements for authoritative content.
- ChatGPT’s Search function becomes freely available to all users.
- Bing launches faster and more accurate searches with advanced AI technology.
1. Google Core Updates: Google Concludes December 2024 with Spam Update
In December 2024, Google implemented an update targeting spam and low-quality content. This update, which has now been fully rolled out, aimed to combat content that doesn’t meet Google’s standards for quality and credibility. According to Google, the update concluded with significant improvements in their ability to identify and downgrade spam and manipulative practices. This underscores Google’s continued efforts to ensure users have access to relevant and reliable content when searching online.
Overview of Google’s Core Updates in 2024
Overall, 2024 has been a year focused on improving search result relevance and quality. In addition to the spam update, Google implemented several core updates that fine-tuned how content is evaluated. Particular emphasis was placed on E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), which has set a higher standard for both technical optimization and content creators.
For businesses and SEO specialists, it’s clear that Google continues to strengthen requirements for authentic and value-creating content, meaning strategies must be adapted to meet these heightened expectations.
2. Google’s AI Overviews Expand Their Reach
Google’s AI overviews, which were previously used on a smaller portion of search results, are now implemented in 18% of publisher-related searches.
What Does This Mean for SEO?
This change makes it even more crucial for publishers to deliver authoritative and engaging content, as only the most relevant sources are included in these overviews. To achieve this exposure, one should focus on structured data and adhere to E-E-A-T best practices.
3. ChatGPT’s Search Function Now Available to Free Users
OpenAI announced that their advanced search function, SearchGPT, is now available to free users.
What Does This Mean?
With SearchGPT, users can search across real-time data and receive precise answers. The function is designed to combine ChatGPT’s natural language capabilities with search engines’ information gathering abilities. This update gives free users access to advanced information searching without subscription costs.
ChatGPT’s Market Share Increases
Since its launch, ChatGPT’s market share among search engines has reached 1%, a milestone demonstrating its growing popularity. At the same time, the user experience continues to improve with frequent updates that create more intuitive results.
4. Bing Introduces Faster Searches with Advanced AI Technology
Microsoft has updated Bing with SLM-models (Sparse LLMs) and TensorRT to make searches faster and more accurate.
- This technology ensures both lower resource consumption and improved performance. This makes Bing an even stronger competitor to Google, especially when it comes to AI-driven searches.
- For businesses, this means an opportunity to expand their visibility on a platform that continues to improve in efficiency and user-friendliness.
December 2024 has concluded the year with significant updates that will shape SEO strategies in 2025. With Google’s focus on quality, ChatGPT’s expanded accessibility, and Bing’s technological advances, it’s clear that search engines are evolving rapidly.
At IIH Nordic, we’re ready to help your business navigate these changes. Whether it’s technical optimization, quality content, or a strategy that ensures visibility across platforms, we can develop a solution that matches your needs. Contact us to take your SEO to the next level.
