7 Top SEO Trends To Be Mindful Of In 2022 To Drive More Traffic

Matija 3 February, 2022

While SEO was once predicted to suffer a fast and fiery death, this marketing strategy (as that is what search engine optimization essentially boils down to) is still very much alive, and as lucrative as ever. As 68% of online experiences begin with a search query, but less than 1% of users click on a second-page result, ranking on page one remains an admirable goal in 2022. SEO leads also happen to be 8 times more likely to convert, and now is the perfect time to examine the top SEO trends that will define the industry this year and consider implementing them in your own strategies.

1 – Core Web Vitals Are Essential

Core web vitals have become a ranking factor in 2021, but sadly, the vast majority of websites fail to pass it to this day. This gives you a unique edge: if you ensure your website passes this test, you can outrank competitors who have not taken the time to comply with the latest requirements. There are 3 core web vitals:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
First Input Delay (FID)
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

To pass, you need to achieve a “good” result in all three categories. Unless you are an SEO expert yourself, it’s worth considering outsourcing this task to professionals and allowing a good SEO Agency to do it for you. As we can expect this signal to become even more critical in 2022, failure to tackle it as soon as possible can even arguably lead to ranking hits shortly. In fact, we may even argue that the loss of traffic many websites have seen in Q4 2021 could be due to their lack of core web vitals compliance.

2 – Voice Search Becomes Even More Popular

A third of US customers use voice search to find items and answers online regularly. Failing to optimize your pages and store for it can cause you to miss out on this valuable traffic source. As most voice searches are localized, start by updating your Google My Business profile, building up your local backlink profile, and trying to add more location-based keywords to your pages, if possible.

You should also focus on long-tail keywords and adopt a conversational tone and language. People who use voice search most often frame their query as a question, so identifying the ones your target audience is likely to ask and providing short, and to-the-point answers can improve your chances of showing up in the voice search.

Top SEO Trends – #3 – Video Is Still on the Rise

Video is a format used by 86% of marketers to drive traffic, improve dwell time and boost user experience. And while it does have its drawbacks, even a very short video can help you stand out in a crowd, and convey your messages and value to a wider audience.

To make your video marketing more effective, you will need to ensure that it ticks all the SEO boxes. First and foremost, it needs to load fast, and not slow the page down. It also needs to comply with core web vitals requirements, of course. It should also be optimized for mobile, and not be set to autoplay. Make sure to promote your video via different channels (including social media), to capitalize on some backlink juice. If you need help in B2B video marketing, tools like VocalVideo can make your life easier.

4 – Republishing, Refurbishing, and Research

When it comes to content and SEO, one way to boost the value of your blog posts is to republish and refurbish them. Conduct a content audit and identify the posts that are bringing you the most traffic. Read through all of them and determine whether they can be improved:

Check your grammar and spelling
Update your internal and external links
Add a fresh CTA
Check your facts and figures, and add the most relevant data
Provide any additional value, if possible

Once you have updated your content, make sure to republish it with a new date, as this will send a clear signal to search engines that the content needs to be re-ranked. You should also capitalize on re-promoting this content. Whether you choose to do influencer marketing or blogger outreach for SEO, make sure you tell the world about your new posts, and reach as wide an audience as you can, to drive some fresh traffic to these updated pages.

Top SEO Trends – #5. Content Quality vs. Quantity

Long-form content will typically rank better than shorter articles, and this trend will certainly continue in 2022. However, the key is not in writing long posts just for the sake of it, but in writing quality posts that provide real value to the reader. Writing good blog posts doesn’t have to be all that difficult either. While you are still advised to do some keyword research, you should refrain from stuffing your posts with keyword variations.

Writing the best possible post on a given topic should be all you need to rank it well. When it comes to publishing frequency, you do want to stick to as consistent a schedule as possible, but twice a week is all you need to hit to get noticed by search engines. Better to publish quality posts less often, than write rubbish every day.

6 – Search Intent Matters Even More

As search engine AIs become even smarter, they are better able to understand search intent. Consequently, they can deliver better results. To get this point right, make sure to consider what a user wants to see from a search. Terms like “buy” and “near me” show very clear intent, while long-tail variations may be more difficult to gauge.

Your goal is to differentiate between transactional intent (for which you want to rank your product and service pages) and informational intent (which you should target with your blog posts). Your search console is a great place to start analyzing how your pages are currently ranking, and if you need to make any tweaks to them.

7 – Omnichannel Is to Be Expected

Finally, you should ensure your SEO strategy complements your sales and marketing goals and tactics. If they are not aligned, you will most likely be missing out on a fair share of opportunities. For instance, if your marketing team is promoting a page that has not yet been optimized, your influx of visitors will quickly abandon ship. Similarly, if the sales team wants to focus on pushing a certain product or service, the SEO team can jump in and help, by providing more relevant content, or fine-tuning buyer personas.

Top SEO Trends – Wrapping It Up

The SEO landscape isn’t expected to undergo any earth-shattering changes in 2022. The days when algorithm updates could cause absolute havoc among digital marketers are thankfully over. However, staying abreast of the subtle shifts and emerging top SEO trends that will shape search engine optimization can help you put your brand on the digital map, and ensure you secure those top search positions you have been coveting.