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Five SEO trends set for 2022

SEO is forever evolving. Over the past year, we have seen multiple Google algorithm updates with SEO experts worldwide working hard to maintain and improve their search engine rankings as they fluctuate with every update.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) significantly increases your online visibility and lead/sale generation if managed and monitored correctly. Knowing potential future SEO trends can be time-consuming but beneficial when it comes to creating a marketing strategy that will be successful in helping your business to grow. Deciding which of these trends will suit your business the best can be easier than actually implementing them, one of many reasons why businesses team up with marketing agencies. If you’re currently planning your next marketing strategy and are looking to get a few ideas, here are five SEO trends to look out for in 2022.

  

Is voice search the future?

Once a popular girls name, Alexa can now be heard in households and workplaces across the world as the popularity of speech recognition technology is on the rise. From smart speakers to voice control cars, we can control devices without the touch of a button. But Siri, what does this mean for SEO? This means that conversational content will need to be included as part of your marketing strategy. 

Creating conversational content means less focus on structured format and keywords and more focus on common questions asked starting with “who,” “when,” “what,” “where” “why,” and how-to articles, which users will be referring to when using voice assistance

Another way to strengthen your SEO strategy with voice search is by increasing your local presence online. Including location-based long-tail keywords in your content, optimising for “near me” searches and frequently updating your Google My Business and other local directory listings will all enhance your chances of featuring on a voice search. Read more about this in our voice search article.

Artificial intelligence will influence better content

Google uses machine learning to determine what results appear when searched. AI continues to influence how we interact with content digitally and with that being said, strategic content and relevant keyword research will play a vital role in creating a successful SEO strategy in 2022.

Since the roll out in 2021 of Google’s Core Web Vitals, it is clear that to rank highly in the search engines you must be user-friendly. A website’s click-through and bounce rate will be crucial ranking factors in 2022. If your content isn't what your user is looking for, this could present a massive problem for your website SERP results as Google’s algorithm will only prioritise the content it feels is relevant to the user's search term.

How accessible is your website?

Search engines are focused on the user. If your website isn’t scoring well for accessibility, this will most definitely impact your website’s traffic and search engine rankings. To consider accessibility is to focus on colour contrast, navigation, heading structure, content, and layout, to name just a few. You can use tools, such as ARC to audit your website to identify any accessibility issues that may be holding your website back. It’s important to note that most such issues will require a developer or technical SEO expert to fix.

Think mobile-first to rank high

Since Google rolled out mobile-first indexing in 2019, improving the mobile performance of a website is crucial. In 2020 over 90% of users worldwide accessed the internet via a mobile device. This means that not only should your website be optimised for users accessing via desktop but even more so for mobile. Running your website through Google’s mobile-friendly audit tool will help you determine how well your website performs on mobile.

Local search listings are vital for your SEO strategy

Zero-click search is on the rise and is noted as normal amongst SEO marketers. Zero-click searches happen when a user's search query is answered on the SERP and therefore have no need to click on any other search results. The increase in zero-click searches comes with not only the increase of featured snippets but also local searches. Referred to as the 'local pack', Local enquiries are answered by the information provided by Google My Business, featured at the side of the SERPs.

As the past year of algorithm updates and the mentioned predicted trends have demonstrated, a successful SEO strategy requires more than just effective metadata and thorough keyword research. It must also be forward-thinking. Acknowledging future trends can help you to predict potential future updates and plan for them.

Call in the experts

Need help planning? Get in touch with our SEO experts today and find out how we can help you with your SEO marketing strategy for 2022

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