The World Wide Web is constantly evolving, and with it, the role of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) evolves as well.

What was once one of the best-kept secrets in the marketing world has now become an industry-wide phenomenon that can make or break your company's success.

What will SEO look like in 2022? It's hard to say for sure, but there are some trends that are starting to gain traction that you should be aware of so you can prepare your business accordingly.

Before we dive into the trends, first let's take a look at SEO Mistakes to Avoid in 2022. Here's one of our Account Managers, Michelle:

Ok, now let's dive into the trends.

Top 5 SEO Trends in 2022 To Watch Out For

1) Featured Snippets

If you've ever noticed a box at the top of Google's search results, you've seen featured snippets.

These short little blurbs that summarize your search results are popping up all over searches and bringing users directly to your site.

For example, if someone searches for vacation spots near Seattle and they don't find what they're looking for on page one of Google, it may appear right there with a link directly to your website!

This is crucial to understand as we move forward because now more than ever before, as content creators, we must write concise and accurate content that speaks to exactly what people are searching for.

2) Website Speed

Never before has it been more important to have a website that loads quickly and easily for your users. In mid-June 2021, Google announced a massive update to their algorithm known as Core Web Vitals - an update dedicated to solely optimizing search results based on website performance and visual stability. In simple terms, if your site isn't optimized for fast load times, you may see yourself dropped from page one of Google altogether!

3) User Experience

From personalized content to visual branding, users are quickly becoming more demanding than ever. Keeping your user's experience top of mind will be essential as we move into an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Don't forget, your website is where people come first; keeping them there will be key! That is why experts recommend that you start by analyzing your navigation structure and overall conversion processes.

If users can't find what they need within two clicks or less, they may not visit again! It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't - understanding UX is all about realizing what your target audience wants and where they look for answers.

Once you know that, guiding them towards their goal becomes much easier! So those fancy animations might look intriguing but are they fulfilling their purpose? Do people actually use them? What if you did something simpler instead...?

4) Mobile-First Indexing

Google had announced its intention to transition over to mobile-first indexing by July 1, 2019, after which it became apparent that webpages on mobile devices would have priority over desktop searches.

It seems obvious now that smartphones are commonplace in today's society, but back then, no one could be sure how Google would handle prioritizing new desktop indexes while migrating existing ones away from traditional personal computers.

Luckily for us, they figured it out! To prepare your business for mobile-first indexing, you will need to start optimizing your website's design for mobile devices.

Fortunately, this is much easier to achieve than it may seem; one of several quick and easy ways to do so includes using responsive web design techniques such as utilizing media queries and resource detection.

Moreover, if you are website is powered by any established CMS or blogging platform like WordPress, Drupal, or Ghost, all you must do is switch to a mobile responsive template, and that's it!

You can go a step further by optimizing your website for PWA (Progressive Web App). Progressive Web Apps look and feel just like native applications installed on a user's device - making them even more appealing to users.

5) Shopping Graph

For years now, we've been hearing about how Amazon is crushing other retailers and that there is a clear shift towards e-commerce.

The statistics prove it; as of August 2018, 44% of Americans made a purchase online, and 31% bought something using their smartphone.

This has huge implications for smaller stores and physical shopping centers, but it also means that you need to start taking your business online seriously!

By incorporating things like product tagging and location awareness, you can improve discoverability through search engines such as Google.

Further utilizing Shopping Graphs or rich snippets adds even more information directly to a user's search results. Shoppers are already coming from one direction—make sure they find what they want when they get there!

Conclusion

If you're serious about your business, taking steps towards future-proofing it should be high on your list of priorities. Remember that one step at a time is better than no steps at all! If you take these five trends into consideration now, you'll find yourself leaps and bounds ahead of your competition next year - guaranteed! Contact us today if you are interested in hearing more about SEO Trends in 2022 and what we can do for your business.