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The way people search for information online is evolving. Even the devices they use to do so are changing. Google is capitalizing on this, making the transition from search engine to personal assistant. All these developments mean that search engine optimization (SEO) never stands still. In this article, we look at the most important SEO trends for 2022.
By keeping up with those trends, you ensure that your site will start or continue to receive relevant visitors. By no means all companies and institutions are on top of these developments. Chances are, then, that you will outperform one or more competitors by shifting your SEO focus to 2022.
Load speed and latency have always been important, but were brought into sharper focus by the Google Page Experience update, last summer. That search engine update focused mainly on the mobile-friendliness of websites.
What that has to do with loading speed? With mobile Internet, you are nowhere near the connection speeds that office workers achieve with a fiber-optic network. So by definition, a website on mobile loads slower. How fast a page loads on mobile is and will continue to be an essential ranking factor.
So keep monitoring and optimizing your loading speed. For example, you can run a quarterly test and make any improvements. Of course, you can also outsource this to a competent Internet agency.
Page speed is just one of the factors that makes a site mobile-friendly. You want to offer the complete package of mobile-friendliness. After all, mobile Internet usage continues to rise; depending on the topic, some websites are already creeping toward 70% of all their website visitors.
What makes a site mobile-friendly? First of all, responsive web design. If you guys are already 2manydots customers, you already have one of those sites that automatically adjusts to screen size. If not, schedule a no-obligation consultation with us about your options.
You also want to avoid using pop-ups as much as possible. Those are irritating on any device, but on mobile you often have to rotate the screen again to see the cross. Besides, you don’t just scare off visitors with a poorly accessible mobile website; Google penalizes you for it, too.
Google also looks at the security of your site. An SSL certificate is a must, and automatic downloads or malware are, of course, strictly forbidden.
Publishing new content remains important. But just as important is updating previous content. If it is a minor update, you can place a box at the top of the page or blog post with the update status. If it involves a complete rebuild of your content, including up-to-date information, you may want to adjust the publication date. But be aware that this is mostly cosmetic; Google itself sees very well when content is updated.
Long-form content, of say 2,000-3,000 words, scores significantly better in search results. Of course, you can’t write so many words on every topic and, above all, you shouldn’t force it. But if you find a topic that has a lot to say about it, that is your chance to show your expertise.
In doing so, don’t just use text, but consider other content preferences. With images, videos, infographics and PDF downloads, make sure that as many people in your target audience as possible can absorb the information.
Think beyond your own site. Can you share knowledge through an external publication? Consider a physical or digital trade magazine or blog in your industry. Mike of 2manydots regularly posts a guest blog on marketing blog Frankwatching. From there, links point to this website and this is how we receive relevant visitors.
Through a platform like YouTube, you can tap into a huge stream of new visitors. Think seriously about a video strategy; what would your target audience find interesting? Tutorials? Interviews? Sketches? Take a look at competitors to get ideas. From your YouTube profile and the descriptions under the videos, you can link to your own site. We at 2manydots also have video ambitions, of course. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed.
Along those same lines, it may be interesting to set up a podcast. An alternative option is to read aloud your latest blog posts. Many people search through Spotify or Apple Podcasts, for example, for interesting content on the go or to listen to during household chores.
An interesting new development that started this year and will undoubtedly continue in 2022 is that of voice search. On desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile, each of you now have the ability to voice your search. Teenagers only search this way anymore.
If you can start talking to machines, chances are you will use different search terms than if you have to type. So brainstorm together about voice search terms that you can optimize content on. A good place to start is your FAQ: to what extent do those questions align with voice search queries from your target audience?
