Maximixing Content Efficiency with Minimal Environment Impact

We don’t talk about enough in the SEO world: the environmental cost of our content strategies.

Read practical strategies for reducing SEO waste, using AI responsibly, and building sustainable content ecosystems that perform.

Transcript

2. Over 90% of all published content gets zero organic traffic from Google #BrightonSEO Ahrefs, 2023
3. Aviation Industry The ICT Sector (Internet) now contributes around 4% of global emissions
4. The environmental cost of our digital activities is real and growing, but it remains largely invisible to most people. #BrightonSEO A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be Oluwatobi Balogun
5. Slow Sites Pollute More Than You Think
6. The connection between performance optimization and sustainability is crucial to understand as we develop Sustainable SEO strategies #BrightonSEO A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be Oluwatobi Balogun
7. If a webpage loads in 5 seconds instead of 1 second, it emits 3x more CO₂ per visit. #BrightonSEO Website Carbon
8. Each internet search produces 0.2 grams of CO2 Search Emission #BrightonSEO
9. THE CARBON COST OF A BLOG POST #BrightonSEO
10. Estimated 0.8g – 1.5g CO₂ per view (non- optimized). #BrightonSEO
11. THE HIDDEN COST OF HIGH-VOLUME SEO #BrightonSEO
12. 60% of Google searches in the EU end without a click. This means most users get what they need directly on the search results page. #BrightonSEO SparkToro, 2024
13. #BrightonSEO Chart adapted from SparkToro and Datos, 2024. Based on zero- click search data for the EU. Carbon impact and value levels are indicative for educational purposes.
14. Creating massive amounts of content that never gets clicked wastes time, energy, and resources — both human and environmental. #BrightonSEO A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be Oluwatobi Balogun
15. So how do we stop this waste? #BrightonSEO Oluwatobi Balogun A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be
16. Efficiency is the new growth strategy. #BrightonSEO
17. CONTENT EFFICIENCY DRIVES SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE #BrightonSEO
18. Companies embracing sustainable digital practices will gain a competitive advantage and customer loyalty. #BrightonSEO
19. PERFORMANCE + PLANET = PROFIT #BrightonSEO
20. Performance Benefits -Faster load times -Higher conversion rates -Better search visibility - Reduced bounce rates Planet Benefits -Lower carbon emissions - Reduced server resources - Smaller digital footprint - Energy efficiency Profit Benefits - Increased revenue -Reduced hosting costs - Improved customer loyalty - Competitive differentiation #BrightonSEO
21. Interflora, a global flower delivery network, undertook significant website optimisations focusing on media efficiency and performance. #BrightonSEO Source
22. When Vodafone optimised their website for performance and sustainability, they achieved: #BrightonSEO 85% Reduction in Media Size Nearly 2X Faster Media Loading 1.8 Second LCP Loading Time
23. Only create content that serves a real audience need. #BrightonSEO
24. Faster websites rank higher and convert better. Make content fast, lean and easy to consume. #BrightonSEO Load Quickly (LCP) under 2.5 seconds Respond Instantly (INP) under 200 milliseconds Stay Stable while loading (CLS) under 0.1.
25. Repurpose, refresh and recycle content intelligently. #BrightonSEO
26. Accessible content is efficient, lightweight, and user-focused. #BrightonSEO
27. SUSTAINABLE SEO STRATEGY Decision Framework for Prioritizing Efficiency Efforts #BrightonSEO Image Optimization Content Consolidation PDF Optimization Site Redesign
28. Scaling Smart: AI with Purpose #BrightonSEO
29. AI is reshaping how we create, optimise, and deliver content but we must use it responsibly #BrightonSEO
30. #BrightonSEO LLMs are powerful, but if you use them to generate thousands of low-value pages, you're not just hurting rankings, you’re polluting the internet.
31. Generate bite- sized, structured content rather than excessive word coun Each of those pages has a carbon cost to create, host, index and serve #BrightonSEO
32. Use AI to summarise, rewrite, and structure existing content efficiently #BrightonSEO
33. #BrightonSEO AI TOOLS FOR SEO Mentioned tools are examples only not endorsements
34. BUILD A TECH STACK THAT DOESN’T HARM THE PLANET #BrightonSEO
35. Heavy CMS platforms + images = higher carbon emissions. #BrightonSEO
36. Use image CDN that provides lightning-fast user experiences that significantly reduce the size of images with high-quality visuals. e.g ImageEngine.io #BrightonSEO
37. Avoid bloated JS frameworks (e.g., outdated libraries). #BrightonSEO
38. The efficient SEO mindset focuses on getting more value from less content, this reduces the resources needed to create and maintain digital assets. #BrightonSEO A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be Oluwatobi Balogun
39. What gets measured gets managed – ”Peter Drucker” Regular assessment helps identify where improvements can be made. #BrightonSEO A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be Oluwatobi Balogun
40. Measure page weight, server response time, time to interact, and carbon emissions per page view. #BrightonSEO Oluwatobi Balogun A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be
41. #BrightonSEO Ecograder Screaming Frog SEO Spider Google PageSpeed Insights Green Frame Toolbox for Sustainable SEO & Content Efficiency
42. TAPE ROLLING ACTION #BrightonSEO
43. #BrightonSEO Implementing a sustainable SEO tech stack involves using CDNs for speed, static site generators for efficiency, and green hosting to minimise carbon footprints.
44. The technical foundation of your digital presence directly influences its environmental footprint. #BrightonSEO
45. SUSTAINABLE SEO STRATEGY #BrightonSEO Netflix's Open Connect: Netflix uses a CDN to localise content storage and reduce data transmission energy use, collaborating with AWS, which aims for 100% renewable energy by 2025.
46. Optimise data delivery routes #BrightonSEO
47. Speak in business terms: cost savings, performance, UX. #BrightonSEO
48. CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS #BrightonSEO
49. Renewable-Powered Hosting reduces carbon emissions #BrightonSEO
50. Embed Green Thinking in Teams #BrightonSEO
51. Report carbon data to clients #BrightonSEO
52. Add a 'Sustainability Scorecard' to your KPIs #BrightonSEO
53. #BrightonSEO SCAN ME
54. What Happens When We All Contribute #BrightonSEO
55. Zero waste is a journey. Small changes eventually add up to huge results. CONTENT REMINDER @TOBYDONUT
56. If Every Site Did a Little…….. #BrightonSEO
57. 1M 6M 1.5M 7B If the top 1 million websites implemente d these changes: 6.8 million tons of CO2 saved annually Equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off the road Improved user experience for billions of people Collective Impact #BrightonSEO
58. After you leave here #BrightonSEO
59. Create timeless content that remains relevant with minimal updates #BrightonSEO
60. KEY TAKEAWAY Stop the content overload. Optimise for efficiency & sustainability. A blue square with white letters AI-generated content may be Oluwatobi Balogun
61. Thank You for Listening Oluwatobi Balogun / @tobydonut @adesuwag Let’s Connect on LinkedIn Get my Slides on Speaker Deck Download Slides