MW176 | SEO Unlocked : Stay on top, now and into the future

In our recent 30-minute Mediaworks Masterclass, over 200 delegates joined us to delve into the four essential pillars of SEO:

• Technical

• Onsite Content

• Offsite

• Advancement

Led by Jack Minot, Organic Search Director, and David Norris, Group Operations Director, the session offered actionable insights, real-world examples, and an exploration of the latest trends shaping the future of search.

Attendees were also provided with the opportunity to receive a comprehensive digital SEO audit. If you haven't yet secured yours, click here to book:

https://outlook.office365.com/book/MediaworksSEOUnlocked2@mediaworks.co.uk/

As SEO continues to evolve, it's imperative to adapt your strategies to maintain a competitive advantage. Whether you're refining your current approach or aiming to future-proof your digital presence, our team is here to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel.

Unlock the full potential of SEO with Mediaworks. Let's enhance your organic visibility together.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

How do feature snippets and AI-generated search results affect SEO strategies?

Featured snippets and AI-generated results are changing how people interact with search. Instead of clicking through, users often get their answers directly from search pages, reducing site traffic. To adapt, you need to structure content to be AI-friendly—clear, concise, and authoritative. Schema markup, well-formatted sections, and direct answers improve the chances of being featured. Brand authority is also key, as AI prefers sources it trusts.

What is the one (SEO) thing I should do today?

Pick a high-value page and make an improvement. That could be updating a category page title, adding FAQs, improving internal links, or refining content to better match search intent. Small, structured changes compound over time and can drive noticeable ranking gains.

Any tips on how to have the conversation around the value of outreach/digital beyond traditional PR efforts?

This is hard and often a challenge. Traditional PR builds awareness, but digital outreach directly impacts rankings, referral traffic, and long-term visibility. The best way to prove its value is with measurable impact. Show how high-authority backlinks improve rankings, driving organic leads for months rather than being a one-off mention.

Where possible, run controlled tests—point links at a specific page or file path and track ranking uplift as part of a wider SEO strategy. If there’s pushback, highlight competitor activity and the risk of falling behind. Position outreach as scalable and evergreen, delivering long-term returns rather than short-term PR wins.

Should we disavow toxic backlinks any longer or are there more important things to focus on?

Unless you've received a manual penalty or are dealing with an extreme case of negative SEO, disavowing backlinks isn’t a priority. Google largely ignores spammy links, so time spent removing them is better spent acquiring high-quality ones.

Focus on building authority with relevant, trusted backlinks rather than worrying about low-value ones. If you're concerned about a sudden ranking drop, analyse your overall link profile, but in most cases, Google’s algorithm (should) do the filtering for you.

What’s the difference between categories and keywords?

Categories help organise your site, making it easier for users (and Google) to navigate. Think of them as the broad topics that group related pages together, like "Men’s Trainers" or "Office Chairs."

Category keywords are the search terms that describe and optimise those categories. For example, if you sell running shoes, your category might be "Men’s Running Shoes," and the keywords you target could be "best running shoes for men" or "lightweight running trainers." These should be reflected in titles, headings, and on-page content to improve rankings.

Then there are general keywords, which apply to all kinds of pages—not just categories. These tend to be more specific, like "best trail running shoes for beginners" or "adjustable office chair for back pain."

A good SEO strategy makes sure category pages are optimised with the right keywords while also targeting more specific searches with individual pages.

When will Google change their algorithm and will it affect my ranking?

Google changes its algorithm all the time—minor tweaks happen daily, and major updates roll out every few months. There’s no way to predict exactly when the next update will hit or how it will impact rankings.

The best way to stay ahead is to focus on what Google consistently values: high-quality content, strong site structure, and a good user experience. If your rankings drop after an update, check competitors, analyse what’s changed, and adjust accordingly. Rather than chasing updates, build a strategy that works long-term—fresh, useful content and solid technical SEO will always be a safe bet.

It can be difficult to rely on in-house experts for content as they’re often very busy and don’t see the value we do in expert articles. How can we tackle this?

Getting in-house experts to contribute is always a challenge. They’re busy, and content isn’t their priority. The best approach is to make it as easy as possible for them. Instead of asking them to write full articles, get their insights in a quick 10-minute call, use structured Q&A formats, or have them review a draft instead of starting from scratch.

To show the value, tie their contributions to real performance metrics. Highlight how a blog post featuring their expertise led to increased rankings, organic traffic, or engagement. Show how a well-placed quote in an article resulted in high-authority backlinks or media coverage. If their input directly drives traffic, leads, or visibility, it becomes easier to justify their time. When they see tangible results, they’re more likely to engage.

How is SEO going to be impacted with searching in AI itself, i.e. Apple Intelligence, which doesn’t seem to be returning results in a SERP style? How’s it also impacting PPC?

AI-driven search, like Apple Intelligence, is shifting away from traditional rankings. Instead of showing a list of links, AI pulls from multiple sources to generate direct answers. This means less organic traffic from search as fewer users will click through to websites. To adapt, brands need to focus on structured content, strong branding, and first-party data. If AI models are using certain sources, you want to be one of them—through clear, authoritative content and well-optimised structured data.

For PPC, the impact is still evolving. If AI overviews replace traditional search results, ad impressions could drop, especially for informational queries. However, new opportunities may emerge, like AI-driven shopping recommendations or voice-based search ads. The key is to monitor how users interact with AI-generated results and adjust strategies accordingly.