Much like the algorithm updates that Google launches every once in a while, the SEO industry is unpredictable. It’s so volatile that if you took a break for a year, you’ll immediately notice a generation gap in regards to digital marketing techniques.

A lot happens in the world of search engine optimisation, so you want to be on top of all these to ensure your rankings are under control. Never think that because one method worked in the past, it’s going to keep on working in the future.

In this article, we’re going to look at trends worth your attention in 2022. It may be overwhelming to keep adjusting your strategy but understand that ignoring them will be a disservice to your business. While it’s still the first month, consider doing these for SEO this year.

What’s up with SEO in 2022?

Boosting page speed

With more and more users accessing the web on the go, it’s become essential for companies to provide fast website experiences regardless if it’s on a laptop or phone. It’s for this reason that Google launched one of their newest ranking factors, Core Web Vitals.

These measure and evaluate the visual stability, responsiveness, and speed of your site. They provide more opportunities for boosting your rankings but only if you get it right. The three vital metrics are: Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), First Input Delay (FID), and Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).

Google looks at how long before people interact with your content. After landing on your website, how soon do they access the information they need to answer their queries. This is why it’s important to audit page speeds every quarter and implement updates as soon as possible.

Creating evergreen content

If you want to succeed with search engine optimisation in 2022, learn to produce dynamic content. If you don’t create copy, you won’t have anything to rank in search engine results. If you want your content to rank on SERPs, you have to optimise it.

To keep up with the latest trends, start making evergreen copy, which is sustainable content that won’t become obsolete as time passes. Things like news articles aren’t evergreen since they are relevant only for a short period.

Your goal is to produce content that will remain relevant for six months or longer after it’s published. Through this, you have more time to optimise it to rank in search results. So, choose topics that are critical in your industry or are common questions from your target audience.

Optimising for semantics

Semantics is a data searching technique wherein queries aim to find keywords plus the contextual meaning and intent of the words a person is using for search. For example, if you typed in ‘wedding Sydney’, search engines might include results for ‘venues in Sydney’ or ‘bridal gowns in Sydney’.

In order to deliver the best user experience for your target audience, optimise for semantic search in 2022. Make content that is focused on your desired customers by:

• Writing for them and not for search engines. In other words, learn to write as if you’re addressing them and avoid sounding robotic just so you may insert keywords into your copy.
• Answering their questions. To make content that works for your audience, provide solutions for their problems in a concise and detailed manner.
• Adding structured data. This includes information like recipe cooking time, product ratings, and other information that makes people more likely to click on your link.

Using different mediums

Apart from text, people are now able to search by image and by voice through apps like Google Lens. Depending on your niche and audience, these platforms may serve as low-competition options for driving revenue, leads, and traffic.

If you’d like to optimise for voice search, account for conversational queries in your strategy. For instance, a person might type, “how to bake a cake” on their phone but they might say, “how do I bake a cake?” These nuances matter when optimising for search algorithms.

When you want to optimise for visual search, begin by offering numerous images of your products or on your web pages. Make sure that you use high-resolution photos that appeal to your audience. Also, always include alternative text, titles, and descriptions in your images.

Providing positive experiences

More people are shopping online so it’s vital that your website provides a positive user experience for everyone, even those who are just browsing. Since the pandemic started, an even greater percentage of shoppers are getting products delivered to their doorsteps for the sake of their health and safety.

It’s expected for this trend to continue well into 2022 and the following years, as more consumers shift to virtual shopping to fulfil their needs. You must prepare your business for this trend and ensure that your site leaves a good impression on your audience.

For one thing, you have to make sure that your site is secure with a secure sockets layer or SSL for safe shopping. Then, check that your website loads quickly as advised above. See to it that your navigation makes it easy for people to find what they’re looking for.

Staying updated on SEO trends in 2022

Search engine optimisation is a fast-moving industry, like many others in the IT field. Even from the earlier days, those who were quick to learn the trends and apply them to their businesses found themselves ahead of the competition. Don’t get left behind and consider the above trends.

If you think that’s too much work, get help from an SEO specialist to do the research and modify your strategy for you. We at Remote Workmate are connected to many SEO professionals from the Philippines and know how to find the best virtual worker for you.