Top Eight SEO Trends for 2022 From Your San Diego SEO Expert
Google processes over 40,000 search queries every second. That translates to over 3.5 billion searches every day. Worldwide, that’s 1.2 trillion searches a year.
Each time someone searches for your product or service, it’s a chance for you to attract a potential customer to your website.
Without search engine optimization (SEO), however, your website won’t even appear in the search engine results.
Google’s algorithm changes every year, requiring companies to come up with new ways to boost their search ranking. With this SEO trend list, you can rise above the competition and attract more customers!
Without it, you’ll fall behind and miss out on potential sales.
Boost your brand, sales, and ROI with these SEO trends for 2022 from your San Diego SEO expert!
The 2021 SEO Trend List
A top priority for 66% of marketers is to improve their company’s SEO and grow an organic presence for inbound marketing.
Why? Well for starters, a search for content is the number one driver of traffic to websites. In fact, it beats social media by over 300%.
With a strong SEO plan for 2022, you can get ahead of the competition and attract more people to your website. Therefore, those visitors can turn into paying customers who come back for more! However, falling behind on the top SEO trends can cause you to fall behind your competitors.
Don’t worry! With this SEO trend list from your San Diego SEO expert, you can give your business the boost it needs. Here are the top search engine trends of 2022.
1. Snippets, Structured Data, & SERP Marketing
Over the years, Google has evolved to give its users a better search experience from the search page. This led to the popularity of search engine results page (SERP) marketing.
After typing a search query into Google, you might see knowledge graphs, quick answers, or interactive results. These can include lists, the “People also ask” boxes, recipes, and more. By providing users with these quick answers, “zero-click” searches are becoming more popular.
In other words, users don’t have to click on your website to find the answers they need.
Instead of losing potential customers, this provides you with an opportunity. Now, you can show readers the value you have to offer straight from the SERP.
In order to display your content on SERPs, you need to determine the user’s search intent. What are your customers searching for? What answers are they looking for?
The job is now to create content that matches their intent.
Identify which keywords will help you gain clicks. You can use your Google Search Console to see what your website visitors are searching for. Then, optimize your website for rich and featured snippets.
You can structure your content for rich and featured snippets by:
- Structuring content using H2-H3 subheadings that address specific queries
- Providing quick, short answers that Google can easily grab
- Researching current featured snippets your competitors are ranking for
For example, you can try to optimize for a “question and answer” box by writing an article that answers a popular customer question. Optimizing for snippets will help you stand out on search pages.
2. Optimize for Voice Search
Between Siri, Alexa, and Google, voice assistants are making their mark. This year, it’s expected that 50% of all searches will start through a voice assistant.
The number of people relying on voice assistants grows every year. As of 2022, 35.6 million Americans used a voice-activated device at least once a month. Meanwhile, one in six Americans own a smart speaker.
With voice search available, people are now searching for content the way they normally speak aloud. For example, a consumer can ask, “Google, where’s the nearest shoe store?” to discover options based on their location.
As we mentioned above, audience research is key.
Determine what your customers are searching for and how they word their searches. Then, use those queries to create new content. Make sure to organize your content with the direct answer to the query at the beginning of the post.
Optimizing your SEO for voice search will help you attract more organic traffic.
At the same time, you’re creating a conversation with your readers!
3. The Mobile Experience
As more people use voice search from their mobile devices, you need to consider a mobile SEO strategy as well. Many of the items on our SEO trend list rely on a mobile-optimized website.
Google uses mobile-first indexing to determine your website’s SERP ranking. In order to optimize your website, you need to make sure it’s easy to use and navigate on smaller screens.
Try using a minimalistic website design.
A cleaner website is easier to use, which will encourage visitors to click around and explore.
4. Wow-Worthy Videos
By 2022, video content will attract over 80% of global web traffic. Videos are an effective, easy way to communicate and engage customers. Many people prefer video content because it’s easy to consume.
Mix up your content strategy by adding entertaining video content.
However, you need to match your video content with these SEO trends. To start, make sure you’re optimizing your content using your target keyword in the video headline and description. Then, consider creating a transcript.
Creating engaging video content can help you utilize the rest of these SEO practices while keeping visitors entertained.
5. CTR & Dwell Time
Click-through rate (CTR) and dwell time are important ranking factors. Both tell Google that users are satisfied and using your website.
You can increase your CTR by adding lead generators such as buttons and forms to your site. Adding video content can give your CTR a boost, too.
Then, determine how you can get people to stay on your site. For example, lengthy blog posts encourage people to linger. Videos can improve your dwell time as well.
However, it’s important to continue providing users with high-quality, relevant content.
Make sure the content you provide benefits your customers. Answer their questions and show you’re there to help. Then, people will want to stay on your website longer and click around for more information.
6. High-Quality Content
With so many digital ads flooding the internet, it’s important you provide your readers with value. Otherwise, they’ll take their attention elsewhere.
One popular SEO trend for 2022 is prioritizing high-quality content.
Google looks for websites that offer Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness, or “EAT.” It looks for content that provides users with helpful, timely, and relevant information. In order to provide this content, you first need to know what your customers are searching for.
Make sure the information you provide is well researched. Back up any claims with data and link to the original source. This can help your link-building strategy as well.
Make sure your content follows any easy-to-read structure.
Avoid making your content appear heavily sales-related. Instead, try to educate your readers. Mix up your content by transforming blog posts into videos, podcasts, infographics, and more!
7. Speed & Security
Google wants to provide its users with a safe online experience. As a result, Google’s SEO algorithm looks for websites that are safe and secure.
Make sure your website has an SSL certificate. You should see “HTTPS” in front of your URL. In addition to telling Google (and users) that your website is safe, this can also benefit the overall user experience.
Speed is important to user experience, too. No one wants to wait for a page to load. If it takes more than a few seconds, a user will leave your site and visit a competitor’s.
This can cause your bounce rate to increase, which impacts your SEO ranking.
By prioritizing speed and security, you’re telling Google and your customers that you care about the user’s browsing experience.
8. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than an SEO trend; it’s also becoming a norm for the user’s digital experience.
AI allows companies to create personalized experiences for their customers. With AI, you can learn about your customers and what content they value most.
Google’s AI can now organize page rankings based on individual users.
To prepare for AI, create buyer personas. Separate your users by demographics, buying behavior, and interests. Then, make sure to create content that appeals to each persona.
Why You Need Help From a San Diego SEO Expert
Using this SEO trend list, you can boost your ranking and attract more website visitors. Working with a San Diego SEO expert can benefit your business in other ways as well. Here are a few ways teaming up with an expert can help you make the most of these SEO trends.
1. Boost Your Brand
When you rank higher on SERPs, more people will see your company’s name. This allows you to increase brand awareness and recognition.
Ranking above your competitors can also increase your credibility.
After all, most people don’t look beyond Google’s first page. By increasing your SEO ranking, your building your brand and standing out from your competitors.
2. Gain Leads & Sales
In order to use many of these SEO trends, you need to update your website. A fast, secure website that’s mobile-optimized benefits the overall user experience. Then, it’s easier for people to fill out a form or make a purchase on your site.
A better user experience can help you gain leads, which you can then turn into sales. Improving the user experience will also ensure you leave a good impression on customers.
As a result, using these SEO ideas can improve your ROI.
3. It’s a Long-Term Marketing Strategy
Keeping up with the latest SEO trends can get tedious. The algorithm changes throughout the year.
A San Diego SEO expert will keep up with the latest search engine trends for you. Then, they can work with you to improve your site for long-term SEO success. When your site is SEO-optimized, you will continue to bring in leads.
4. Unite Your Marketing Plans into One
SEO gives you the chance to unite all of your marketing plans together. That way, they work in cohesion. Creating a well-thought-out marketing plan will benefit the user by providing a more seamless experience.
SEO and Social
For example, the top social media channels draw over 2 billion monthly active users. In order to properly market your business, you need to spend time where your customers are. To respond to this trend, nearly two-thirds of all U.S. small businesses increased their social media marketing budgets in 2019.
Today, almost 75% of small businesses use social media to promote their brands.
Posting your blog posts and other pieces of website content on social media will increase traffic to your website. As more people read your content, Google will take notice. While social sharing isn’t a direct ranking factor, it does have an impact.
As more people share your posts on social media, you can attract a following and gain more monthly visitors. This, in turn, will show Google’s algorithm that you provide valuable content to an audience.
In order to gain that following in the first place, you need unique, high-quality SEO-optimized content.
As a result, social media marketing and SEO benefit one another.
SEO & PPC
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and social media also go hand-in-hand.
PPC ads appear above organic SEO lists on search pages.
By ranking at the top of a search page for specific keywords, you can draw more traffic to your website. Remember, ranking higher on search engines also boosts your brand credibility and authority. Using PPC ads, you can attract more people to your site, which can help you gain more leads.
At the same time, you’re again showing Google’s algorithm you’re a wanted resource.
As a busy business owner, you don’t have time to manage your PPC ads or post on social media every day. That’s where your San Diego SEO expert comes in. They can help determine new opportunities to bring your SEO and other marketing plans together.
That way, you’re creating a seamless experience for your users without stressing out over everything you need to do in one day.
The 2021 SEO Trend List: 8 Trends From Your San Diego SEO Expert
With this 2021 SEO trend list from your San Diego SEO expert, you can avoid falling behind the competition. Instead, reach the top of the SERP page and stay there with these eight SEO tips!
Ready to get started? Contact your San Diego SEO expert today for a master plan!