Want to get ahead in search this year?
SEO in 2026 is a different discipline to what it was even two years ago. AI Overviews are reducing click-through rates for informational queries, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) has replaced First Input Delay as a Core Web Vitals metric, and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) has emerged as a distinct practice alongside traditional search. Getting the fundamentals right still matters enormously — but the fundamentals have grown. We've gathered our top 10 must-know SEO tips to help you outrank the competition and appear in AI-generated answers. Without further ado, let's dive straight in.
1. Page URLs, Title Tags & H1 Tags
Crafting SEO-friendly URLs, compelling title tags and optimised H1 tags remains foundational for effective SEO. Ensure that your page URLs are concise, descriptive and include your target keywords. Craft title tags that not only include keywords but also entice users to click through. Similarly, optimise H1 tags for relevance and clarity, aligning with both user expectations and search engine algorithms.
2. UX/UI Optimisations
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) optimisations are crucial for SEO success. Prioritise a seamless and intuitive user journey by enhancing navigation to reduce bounce rates and increase engagement. Google considers user experience as a key ranking factor, so investing in a user-friendly interface will positively impact search rankings.
3. Content Organisation & Structure
Organise your content thoughtfully, employing a clear and logical structure. Use headings, subheadings and bullet points to enhance readability and ensure users can find what they're looking for quickly. Well-organised content not only aids users but also helps search engines comprehend the hierarchy and relevance of your content.
4. SEO-Driven Content
Develop high-quality, SEO-driven content that aligns with user intent. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant terms and phrases, then integrate them naturally into your content. Focus on creating valuable, informative and engaging content that addresses user queries and provides genuine solutions.
5. Internal Linking Strategy
Implement a strategic internal linking strategy to connect related content across your website. Internal links facilitate navigation for both users and search engine crawlers, distributing page authority and improving overall site structure. Audit your existing content and identify key internal linking opportunities you can exploit.
6. Optimise for AI Search and GEO
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is now essential alongside traditional SEO. Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT Search and Perplexity are answering queries directly — and they cite sources. To get cited, structure content with clear answers, add FAQ sections, use schema markup, and ensure your site is accessible to AI crawlers. Update your llms.txt file and make sure your content is structured for passage-level citability. A practical starting point is to audit your top 10 organic landing pages: do they include a concise direct answer in the first paragraph? If an AI had to summarise the page in one sentence, could it? Content that passes this test is far more likely to earn citations in AI-generated responses. Tools like Perplexity and Claude can help you stress-test how your content reads to an AI model before publishing.
7. Extensive Topic Coverage
Broaden your website's scope by covering topics extensively. In-depth, comprehensive content tends to perform well in the SERPs. Conduct thorough research and create authoritative content that positions your website as a valuable resource within your niche. A practical framework here is the topic cluster model: identify your core service or product areas (pillar pages) and build a supporting network of long-form blog posts and guides that link back to the pillar. Tools like Ahrefs' Content Gap analysis or SEMrush's Keyword Magic Tool can reveal the subtopics your competitors rank for that you've yet to cover. Closing those gaps systematically is one of the highest-ROI organic growth strategies available.
8. Core Web Vitals
Prioritise your Core Web Vitals — Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). INP replaced First Input Delay as a ranking signal in March 2024, measuring real-world responsiveness rather than first-click delay. Google considers these factors crucial for a positive user experience. Use PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to benchmark and improve your scores. For LCP, the biggest gains typically come from image optimisation (serving WebP or AVIF formats) and eliminating render-blocking resources. For INP, audit your JavaScript execution budget — heavy third-party scripts from tag managers, chat widgets and analytics tools are common culprits. Use Chrome DevTools' Performance panel to identify long tasks that delay user interaction.
9. People-First Approach
Adopt a people-first approach in your SEO strategy. Understand your target audience, create content that resonates with their needs and prioritise user satisfaction. Aligning your SEO efforts with genuine user interests fosters long-term success. In practice, this means writing for comprehension rather than keyword density — use plain language, break up complex ideas into digestible sections, and include examples that reflect real-world scenarios your audience faces. Google's Helpful Content guidelines specifically reward content where the primary purpose is to inform or help the reader, rather than to rank. A useful self-audit question: would your content exist if search engines didn't? If the honest answer is no, it's worth revisiting.
10. Address Broken Links
Regularly audit your website to identify and address broken links. Broken links can negatively impact UX and harm your SEO. Use tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to identify and fix broken links promptly, ensuring a seamless browsing experience. Set up a scheduled crawl (monthly for most sites, weekly for large ecommerce catalogues) so broken links are caught before they compound. Beyond 404 errors, also audit for redirect chains — pages that go A → B → C before reaching the final destination add unnecessary latency and dilute link equity. Wherever possible, update internal links to point directly to the final URL.
By focusing on user experience, crafting SEO-driven content and staying current with evolving signals like Core Web Vitals and GEO, you position your website for long-term search success. SEO is not a one-time task — it's an ongoing process of refinement and adaptation. If you need a helping hand, get in touch.
