How is SEO Marketing Expected to Change in 2022

MARKETING

How is SEO Marketing Expected to Change in 2022

by Sujith TV

Today, if your company isn’t discoverable by a quick Google search, it is practically invisible. After all, about 70% of the world’s website search traffic is directed to Google, and to add to it, 75% of customers don’t move past the first page of web results while researching a product. Clearly, being on top of your customer’s minds and their web pages are crucial while marketing, and an SEO (Search Engine Optimization)- based marketing plan helps you do just that.

But here’s the thing. With search engine algorithms being tweaked frequently, SEO marketing is a very dynamic space. Wondering how the current SEO norms will change throughout 2022? Here’s a list to keep you in the loop.

  1. Artificial Intelligence Will influence SEO Significantly

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now an integral part of our digital lives, including SEO strategy. In fact, according to rumors, RankBrain, Google’s new AI algorithm, will dramatically change the search engine results page (SERP) ranking in 2022. While the software giant hasn’t revealed how the AI algorithm will work, experts believe user experience will be the primary ranking criteria. So, organizations will need to center their SEO strategy around engaging the readers through interactive and useful content, in a bid to raise click-through rates, site-viewing time, and other user experience metrics.

  1. Google Will Focus on Better Page Experience

Google is set to finish the rollout of the Page Experience Algorithm that would rank web pages based on metrics like loading speed, HTTPS security, visual stability, interactivity, etc. No doubt, these factors will significantly influence SEO marketing. Naturally, B2Bs will need to focus on improving user experience through intentional, well-designed, and responsive websites going ahead. Wondering where to start? Run a web page performance audit using tools like PageSpeed Insights, Chrome User Experience report, etc., to understand where you can tweak your current websites for better SEO.

  1. A Seamless Mobile User Experience Is Critical for Ranking Well

A 2020 survey found out that over 70% of B2B decision-makers use a mobile device to conduct some portion of their online research. To that, even Google will now rank mobile-friendly websites higher on its search engine, thanks to the successful rollout of Mobile-First Indexing (MFI). Again this means B2B web pages need to have a fluid User Experience (UX) and be adaptable according to the device used. So, companies will start taking responsive web design (RWD) more seriously and will try optimizing their web pages, including image (and video) loading speeds, minimizing redirects, and implementing browser cookies.

  1. Author Pages Build Trust with the User

Google recently updated its author page guidelines. And in 2022, you’ll see more companies adding author pages to their articles. These pages will include links to articles the author wrote, quick links to other websites, author profiles, etc. Such author pages will help Google identify if a topic is relevant and thereby help article visibility by removing the ambiguity on who the author of the article is. While they might not play a major role in ranking a website per se, author pages will surely be a medium to build trust with your audience, something Google’s ranking algorithm rewards you for.

  1. The Future of SEO is User-Intent Centric

To deliver relevant results to users, Google is prioritizing search intent. And most companies will do the same in 2022 to rank well on the search page. Naturally, SEO practices will evolve to center user intent- whether it means including user queries in articles, following the E.A.T guidelines strictly, or centering the user’s experience by eliminating brand promotion, pop-ups, and sign-up forms entirely from the website navigation experience. What’s more, B2Bs might also need to consider the content types their audiences prefer and deliver them effectively to rank well.

  1. SEO Will Adapt to Voice Search Trends

With over 50% of smartphone users using voice search currently, companies need to consider SEO keywords that work both while typing and speaking. Now, given these search terms are nowhere similar, they cannot rely on traditional SEO practices anymore. Companies will need to make newer forms of content like FAQ pages with simple questions and answers or content with questions, brief answers, and elaborate answers to bring in users using voice search-based keywords too. They might also consider optimizing SEO for voice searches and local searches to ensure their target audience can easily connect with them.

  1. Dedicated Structured Data for Video SEO

Did you know over 55% of all customers online rely on videos to arrive at purchase decisions? Clearly, if your organization hasn’t prioritized video SEO yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Why? Because Google announced two new features, namely- Clip Markup and Seek Markup to prioritize video in the search results. While the Clip Markup allows you to highlight key points, the Seek Markup lets Google display the most significant bits of the video on the search engine results page (SERP) instead. Both these markups raise the click-through rates of your video content, and hence we’ll see companies widely using them going forward.

  1. Localization of SEO For More Region-Specific Content

Google is pushing localized search results to serve its users better. Safe to say, businesses will leverage it to rank well on the search results page. From updating the online business listings to ensuring legitimate reviews on Google My Business and other review platforms, companies will do it all. After all, doing this helps you rank better, building traction for your website too.

The Final Word

There’s no denying that SEO trends are constantly evolving with the entry of new technology. What’s more, the focus of SEO is continually changing too. While optimizing the current SEO strategy to be on top of the current trends is crucial, businesses can no longer rely on keywords or SEO quick fixes alone. They must also ensure that their website is updated, useful, and includes genuine information to be visible on top when a user performs a web search. After all, this is how internet users will primarily connect with your business in the digital age.

Sujith is an expert with search & analytics enabling Top fortunes globally with growth strategies that have enabled exponential business performance. A secret to his success is his exemplary leadership & mentorship skills, constantly guiding & enabling his team to take on greater responsibilities & learning opportunities. An ardent fan of Roger Federer & a die-hard football geek, he swears by the moves of Messi. He says “A team’s success is in the ability to support & trust in each other strengths. You can’t get your team a goal without passing on the ball at the right time, with the right strategy in place. Be it in football or with a customer, it’s the team, trust, timing & strategy that will get you closer to your goal.”

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