15 SEO Trends to Watch Out for in 2022
SEO Trends: An SEO can fall into hibernation after a year of detecting a gap in their industry.
SEO is an ever-changing industry. It is important to stay up-to-date on all developments in SEO.
This blog will address some SEO hot topics as well as speculate about the future of SEO.
It’s possible to wonder why anyone would make speculations. It’s quite easy. SEO cannot be fully data-driven before Google discloses all ranking factors.
These are some of the best practices you can use to help your clients reach new heights. Google’s testing shows that even minor adjustments can make your business more prepared for 2022.
Many of the SEO trends from 2021 may be repeated in 2022. Some trends will not change as long as there is an SEO industry.
Voice Search was taken off this list because of the negative impact the pandemic had upon Voice Search’s growth prospects. This could be due to the widespread use masks. Although it’s not apparent, we know that people no longer speak to their smartphones and computers as much. They use voice search only while driving.
Google Trends also shows a declining trend in keywords used to voice search.
1. IndexNow
Recent reports suggest that Google is the next search engines to use IndexNow.
IndexNow can be used by search engines to discover new content. It uses the push approach rather than the pull method.
IndexNow API allows websites integration with it. The API pushes information towards search engines, updating, deleting and publishing new content.
Microsoft introduced IndexNow API to the market in October 2021.
IndexNow is supported both by Yandex as well as Bing. IndexNow’s speed indexing allows search engines reduce crawl load and makes the whole process easier.
A Google spokesperson confirmed that Google is involved in IndexNow. They are currently testing its effectiveness to determine if they will increase Google’s sustainability initiatives.
Google’s 2030 goal for renewable energy is to become 100% of its business. Google will likely adopt IndexNow’s Carbon Neutral initiative. Google will have an easier time indexing pages.
Garry Illyes is a Search Advocate at Google and confirmed that Google’s indexing, crawling, and other processes will be sustainable in an episode of Search Off The Record.
He stated that indexing creates a large carbon footprint. It is possible, however, to reduce this carbon footprint. IndexNow was among his suggestions.
Martin Splitt was John Mueller’s search advocate. He supported him. Illyes indicated that Google could try IndexNow, choose a similar form and then change the functionality.
He also stated that the Google bots’ spider doesn’t necessarily have to spend as long updating pages that aren’t being updated. But this is not what’s happening right now. Illyes says that Google can crawl only updated pages in order to save energy.
He also mentioned news publications like NYT and CNN, which update their homepage content often but don’t update their About Us pages. Illyes believes bots could be trained to not update pages such as this one.
IndexNowAPI can be enabled by anyone in just three steps
- Get an API Key from Bing to create it.
- Next, upload your text file to the root folder of your server.
- The following URL parameters allow you to submit URLs in bulk or individually to search engines.
Microsoft and Yandex both recently announced IndexNow, which will be used to share URLs submitted. Yandex or Microsoft can immediately receive URLs. IndexNow is a WordPress plugin that automates the entire process.
Bing data shows IndexNow being used on approximately 80,000 websites. Cloudflare is used by over 60,000 websites and supports IndexNow. Google involvement is likely to lead to more websites joining the initiative.
2. To improve your rankings, make sure to take MUM into account
Google uses Artificial Intelligence (advanced Artificial Intelligence) to improve the quality of its search results.
It was the 2019 launch of RankBrain, then BERT. The greatest increase in search engine usage was attributable to RankBrain. Multitask United Model (MUM), the next phase of the search engine giant, is here.
Prabhakar Raghavan stated that the new Natural Language Processing Model MUM was 1000x faster than the old BERT. Multitasking is possible. It can process video, images and text in 75 different languages. This allows users to find the answers they are looking for in complex search queries.
MUM will combine elements from your search query to try to understand the context of the user. MUM will try to understand the user’s intention to provide answers that meet their expectations.
Raghavan displayed the power of MUM with a complex query: Raghavan “I’ve hiked Mt. Adams, but I now want Mt. How do I prepare for Fuji next fall?
This video shows MUM’s search which returned a much better result than the ones we are used too.
Raghavan claims that MUM can simultaneously understand, generate and train in 75 languages, unlike other models who are limited to one language.
Google is still testing MUM. It is possible that MUM will soon be released and integrated into Google Search. Google should inform us about the integration, just as it did for BERT.
Search’s impact is something webmasters must understand. The community has some suggestions, despite our collective ignorance.
- Google Answers might offer a new type or improved version of a search result. This combination provides users with all the information they need to find the answers they seek.
- This could increase click-throughs to your search. This is already happening.
- Structured data is a great idea. Google uses all the Knowledge Graph data and feeds it through each site’s markups.
- Because one source can give you a lot of information, longform content is very popular.
- Avoid keyword stuffing. Instead, focus on natural content that addresses the pain points of your audience.
- The MUM’s actual power is unknown. Keep the content short and easy to understand. MUM might not be able to find the content’s relevance if it is too complex with jargon.
Google I/ introduced LaMDA in 2021 as another Language Model. This Language Model to Dialogue Applications is essential for search and will have an impact on the Google Assistants search.
LaMDA stands for Language Model for Dialogue Applications. It is setting new standards for natural AI conversations. It can also access Google Knowledge Graph information to make conversation natural.
Sundar Pichai (Google’s CEO) presented LaMDA (“Language Model For Dialogue Applications”) during the company’s I/O conference. LaMDA gives users the ability to have an open-ended conversation without repeating the exact same information.
LaMDA, a transformer-based model that is similar to MUM and BERT, is similar to MUM and BERT. It can be taught to read words and understand their relationships.
Google places greater emphasis on training its computers to produce specific and sensible responses than generic ones.
3. Passage Indexing
Google has just released Passage Indexing as a new algorithm.
Passage Indexing may be for you if you have ever regretted writing long-form content and not getting traction.
Google claims that it will index web pages through natural language processing. It will attempt to determine the meaning of each page.
If your article includes a section, or passage, search results for similar queries will display it.
Google’s Cathay Eds stated in the Search On video, that Passage Indexing would impact 7% all searches in all languages by 2020.
Similar announcements were made for BERT in 2018, if you recall. BERT was to be used for 10% of all searches.
Prabhakar Raghavan also confirmed that BERT could deliver results for nearly every query typed.
Passage Indexing will have a greater impact on SERP results. This system acts more like an internal ranking.
Passage Indexing Ranking Algorithm is almost certain to be beneficial for pages that have well-structured content.
Google will also focus on holistic content ranking by 2022.
A holistic content strategy focuses on one topic and addresses the most pressing concerns of the target audience.
Passage Indexing will also affect search results for long-tail queries and question-based questions.
Because it is normal that certain questions require a needle in a haystack approach in order to find the right answer.
Google is trying to do exactly this with Passage Indexing.
What’s the secret to ?
Google claims that they discover 15% of all search queries every day. These queries are often question-based and long-tail.
Passage Indexing is a great way to get reliable answers from multiple credible sources.
Google wants to give the best answer to a question from a forum page, and not redirect users to another site.
The current indexing system considers the context and relevancy of each page. Passage Indexing allows Google to search pages within a page for more relevant answers.
Passage Indexing is not meant to replace any other indexing processes. Google’s Advance Natural Language Processing algorithms let you read specific passages, while Google crawls and indexes pages.
Google Passage Indexing
Let’s suppose you are looking for “how can I tell if my windows have ultraviolet glass?” Many websites have information on this topic, as well as how to apply a special film. These sites are not designed to help laypeople. This question can be answered by our algorithm. This algorithm ignores all other posts and uses the reflection of firefly to determine it.
Structure your Content is an important aspect to content design
In the next few weeks, Passage Indexing is going live. Your content’s structure is as important as its quality.
It is crucial that content be broken down into sections. Each section should focus on a subtopic.
Google will inform you of the depth and utility of your content for the search query.
Heading tags can be a great way of organizing your content.
Passage Indexing might not be able to show its benefits if your article is too long. Google claims Passage Indexing will be beneficial to sites that have valuable content.
Shorter content will reduce your ability to cover sub-topics or shorter passages. Google will rank you according to the core topic. However, it won’t rank you for specific queries.
It is clear that 9 out of 10 Google pages that rank highest for highly competitive terms are composed of long-form content greater than 2000 words.
Long-form content can impact the user experience. A table or sticky should be placed at the top of your site.
Users will not wait for you to add a link. It is impossible to force users into reading the entire content. If they cannot navigate correctly, users abandon login-form pages. Users may find it difficult or time-consuming to locate the information.
4. Core Web Vitals
Before Passage Indexing was announced, the SEO community was abuzz about the Core Web Vitals.
Google is pushing webmasters towards providing a better user experience.
This was done in order to ensure that visitors who search for pages via Google don’t abandon the page because of a bad experience.
The Page Experience Algorithm was created in 1999. The core web vitals will be made available from May 2021.
It will now join the existing Page Experience signals (HTTPs, IntrusiveInterstitial, Safe Browsing, Mobile Friendliness) to determine the page ranking.
Core Web Vitals provides Google data about user experience on individual web pages. It includes three metrics that are essential to understand page experience.
These Core Web Vital Factors
- Largest Contentful Painting (LCP).
- First input relay
- Cumulative Layout Shifts
Google has confirmed Core Web Vitals will feature on ranking pages beginning May 2021. Google announced the news via an FAQ on Core Web Vitals.
Google has confirmed that Core Web Vitals compliance is not required for websites that are AMP-enabled. This requirement is usually met by AMP-enabled sites.
Google uses its server to render AMP pages. These pages are not very structured and can slow down loading.
Google warns webmasters to avoid using large images or external elements in AMP. This could impact web vitality scores.
Core Web Vitals will not be used to rank pages in the SERP. Google promises to rank web pages with high-quality information and links, even if they don’t meet Web Vitals standards.
You can save time and money by activating AMP on your website for Web Vitals.
5. Focus on the User + Search Intent
2022 is the year you begin to place your search intent first, and user behavior second.
The search habits and intentions of people are constantly changing. Google and other Search Engines are able to assist them in finding the answers or more information they need.
Understanding the needs of users can help businesses and users to create content that is relevant.
Britney Muller, Britney Müller LLC believes that SEO professionals should abandon traditional methods as they are not relevant today. Algorithms are becoming more powerful.
Businesses should instead place more importance on search intent. Search terms can help companies create content that appeals online to their target audience.
Mary Hynes, CEO of Marie Haynes Consulting Inc., says that SEO will become a competitive field by 2022. It is essential to be an expert at providing the correct information to users.
Google will improve its understanding of expert-assisted searches. It will rank content that adheres to the E.A.T guidelines as the top search results. Without understanding search terms, SEO professionals will not be able to dominate search engines in 2022.
Brands should be responsive to customers’ needs and not only promote their products. This includes not asking users to register on your website, showing them pop-ups, redirecting to registration forms, and not requiring that they sign up.
Steven van Vessum is ContentKing’s Vice President of Community. He believes that users should not only be able understand what content they are searching for but also identify the types of content they prefer (videos, podcasts, etc.). Deliver as such.
Alexander Kesler, CEO INFUSEmedia, provided additional guidance regarding search intent. According to Kesler, businesses should look at the on-site journeys and search data taken from organic leads. This will allow them to not only identify the search term that led to your content but also what keywords they used on each page of your website. Brands can map this data aggregation back to their content path.
6. SEO Localization
Google will be more likely to promote local businesses because of the clear push for highly localized searches.
Now it’s time to focus on getting high-quality reviews on Google My Business and other review sites.
In the past few months, we noticed that search results have been more beneficial to businesses than for global entities. This is because we have seen content specific to each country. T
Google wants its users to see beneficial results. The results I get for “solar panels homes” in the US are different from those in India.
Because sites ranked in the US do not serve Indians directly, this is why it ranks lower. It is less popular than its Indian counterparts, despite being more authoritative.
This is a macro example Google’s search engine. However, it also does the same at the micro level. This means that search results, not the Map pack, will change depending upon the user’s geographic location.
Local websites should include the name and the state of the country or the city to allow Google to rank your site higher.
7. Two structured data for video SEO
Google I/O 2021 provides lots of video SEO information. Google has announced Clip Markup and Seek Markup structured information to assist video content in search engine result pages.
Key Moments can be a huge help for YouTube videos. Any platform hosting videos can now make use of any of the structured data markups.
Clip Markup gives Google information about timestamps in videos. This information is automatically sent to Google Search by the Seek Markup.
These markups can be useful if you want to increase click-throughs for your video content via search engines results pages.
Clip video Markup
clip must be manually set up to tell Google which timestamps are used for key moments. These properties must be included in Video Object element.
Watch
Video markup is different from its sibling.
It informs Google about the URL structure. Google will then be able to display key moments of your video automatically using the following properties. Your VideoObject
While SeekToAction properties are possible to be added without additional requirements, these properties are necessary if Google needs information about your URL structure to allow users to directly link to the relevant section of the video. This markup is still in beta. We expect more features to be added soon.
8. Analytics, retention, and lifetime value for customers
Over the years, SEO has changed significantly. Brands will need to do more to close the gap between web traffic, and ROI in 2022. Data on behavioral analytics will be a major area of focus this year.
Google’s continuous evolution means that revenue and conversions are becoming more important. This year, keyword volume will decrease and behavioral analytics will be more prominent.
Brands need to pay attention to what their customers are doing and how they act. This information must be reverse engineered in order to create content.
COVID-19 showed that keyword research can be unsuccessful when the world is in reflux. Behavioral analytics can uncover hidden content opportunities that keywords searches don’t see.
Businesses will have to focus more on customer retention, customer life value (LTV) and possible solutions via content. Businesses that focus on customer retention will be more successful than those who do not.
Izzi Smith, Technical SEO Analyst at Ryte, urges companies to provide better customer service online. To ensure customers are satisfied with the service they receive, brands need to have a formal process in place with sales staff and support staff.
To find relevant topics, you can use common question modifiers and search your Google Search Console keyword database. These questions should be answered clearly and posted to the relevant FAQ sections of the website.
If you don’t offer value, it is easy for customers to lose trust and attention. Customers will be drawn to brands that provide useful, accurate, and detailed content. This content requires dedication and focus.
9. SEO for Brands, Knowledge Graphs & Entities
This year, it is crucial to monitor brand SERPs as well as knowledge panels. Other businesses will find it valuable to learn who you are and your offerings.
By 2022, personalized knowledge graphs may be possible. Google could personalize knowledge graphs based on the vast amount of information it has about you, such as your search history, behaviour and email.
What does this all mean for SEO in 2022 This means optimizing every aspect a brand’s digital footprint, such as its Youtube channel and social media profiles, to get Google to show them what they want.
Website content and design are not the most important. Now it is all about your digital brand and how that interacts with the SERP. SEO professionals must be able recognize the importance NLP (natural-language processing) and entities in Google rankings.
Keywords are essential, but they aren’t the only thing you need to know in order to understand the intent or topic behind the query.
Google Discover is the only site where keywords are not allowed. It is possible to optimize for it by creating a Google Knowledge graph entity and focusing on the connections between topic layers. It is possible, according to Jes Scholz, International Digital Director at Ringier.
Scholz suggests that you focus on these activities.
- Assuring an accurate and complete organization markup
- Establishing a strong presence in knowledge bases like Wikidata.
- To use Google posts, you must first create your knowledge panel.
- Google My Business Profile brick and mortar businesses
10. SEO must be mobile-friendly
By 2022, your website must be mobile-friendly. All SEO professionals must consider mobile device experience.
Simple is the key to user-friendly web design. Personalizing your website content is crucial. Google will soon move away from your desktop website and instead focus on your mobile site to rank you highly.
You are currently focusing on mobile device user experiences. It is time to shift your focus. It is time to switch to responsive mobile websites if you currently have separate mobile and desktop websites.
11. Assess, Adapt, then Execute
It is important to think outside the box in 2021. It is important to be open to all possibilities. It is crucial to plan, organize, and then follow that plan.
To stay ahead of your competitors, it is important to create a strategy for SEO. It is crucial to shift your focus away from user behavior and towards understanding the market. This will enable you to react more strategically to new needs as they arise.
There are many resources and platforms that can help you understand the psychological, social, and economic factors that influence search demand. Next, get to know the consumer.
behavior.
12. More automation
It is evident that there are more SEO opportunities in 2022, based on the number of tasks we were able automate in 2021. This year, we can expect to see an increase in the quality and quantity AI-generated content. Search engines will have greater difficulties weeding spammy content from this source.
These industry-leading tools now provide automated features that allow site changes. This is especially beneficial for SEO professionals, who can now focus on site performance and strategies.
13. SERP Layout Modifications and Functionality Modifications
Google Passage Ranking was first announced. This will make a significant change in how websites view content. Why not just create one page about the same topic instead of creating several pages?
Cindy Krum, founder of MobileMoxie, believes that Google rankings will become a big trend in SEO in 2021. Her belief is that it will be crucial to identify passages and identify them. Google’s ability extract the information the audience needs makes passages so crucial.
Strong page structure and schema structures are essential for optimization. These structures ensure that text is easy to read and easy to use NLP.
Google has tested several layout changes, including inclusive autosuggestion. This makes it possible for users to quickly find what they need without having to scroll through search results or click the search button.
Google will likely add continuous scrolling to search results. In the US, this feature was first implemented in mobile searches in 2021. It might also be available in other regions or countries.
14. Long-Form Content
You will be able to rank higher than your competitors by 2022 if you consistently publish relevant, long-form material on your website. Your content must adhere to the E.A.T guidelines. It should not exceed 2000 words
Long-form content will be important in 2022. Well-written, long-form content may even surpass 2000 words.
15. SEO Scalability
You must scale up your SEO services if you want to be competitive in 2022.
Mark Traphagen is Vice President of Product Marketing & Training for seoClarity. He recommends that you list all tasks and workflows first, then determine which steps can be automated with SEO tools.
Set up an alert system to monitor changes in keyword and URL ranking. For any other tasks that you cannot automate, create Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs).
Conclusion
These are the SEO trends of 2021. These SEO strategies will help you stay ahead of your competition. Which one of these SEO strategies do you believe will be most effective in 2022?
Tim Sabre
Tim Sabre have helped over 11,000 businesses and counting. A search and social expert, assisting many businesses and brands get the most from their online presence Trained and led teams in 3 countries with over 27 Certified Google AdWords Specialists. Currently offering my services as a freelance digital consultant.