SEO (search engine optimization) has become a household name in the business world, kind of like Kleenex, Adele, or Nike. SEO is the process of optimizing your web content to drive traffic to your website from search engines. SEO targets unpaid/ organic, which is why it’s so effective. The users who come to your website from search are already interested in what you have to offer because they are looking for it. As with most marketing strategies, however, SEO is constantly changing. Customer behavior isn’t static, and sadly search engines like Google aren’t either. Because of this, it’s essential to know which tactics are working right now. Here are the top SEO strategies that will dominate this year.
SEO Strategies To Use This Year
Embrace New Technology
2022 SEO strategies are all about embracing change. Customers and the technology they prefer are much different from even a year ago.
You’ve likely heard the term artificial intelligence (AI). Google’s AI algorithm, RankBrain, plays a vital role in its ranking factors for search engine results pages.
Voice search is also playing a significant role in SEO. Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa are surging in popularity, and many consumers use their voices to search for things they want to know more about.
Additionally, it’s no surprise that mobile search is growing too. 73% of people will access the internet with only mobile devices by 2025.
To stay top of mind with customers and search engines, ensure that your content is engaging, helpful, and well-organized. An on-page SEO checker can help you assess your efforts. To optimize for voice search, think about how people speak versus how they type. Use long-tail keywords in a question format. For example, if you are a plumber, a potential customer might ask Alexa, “How do I fix a clogged drain?”
Finally, optimize your mobile site and check its effectiveness with Google’s free mobile-friendly test.
Have Your Cake & EAT It Too
Google prefers web pages with quality content, not repeated keywords. This is called keyword stuffing, and search engines hate it. However, quality is a subjective term, so how does Google define it?
The EAT principle is a great place to start. EAT stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. These factors help Google determine if a web page has valuable quality content.
To create quality content, think about your customers. What do they want? What are they searching for? Put yourself in their shoes and determine what pain points they have. For example, if they are price-sensitive, you may want to emphasize how to do something more affordably. Next, work to understand their search intent. Do they want an answer to a specific question, do they want basic information, or do they simply want to perform an “in and out” transaction? Lastly, deliver your content in a way that is pleasing to your audience. If they’re going to find an answer quickly, ensure your content is clear and concise.
Long-Form Content Is King
It’s challenging to produce quality content that search engines love with 300-word articles. There simply is not enough space to utilize keywords effectively. Longer content, in the 3,000-plus word range, gets more traffic. According to The State of Content Marketing 2020 report published by SEMRush, long-form content has proven to be more engaging, shareable, and better for SEO.
Write long and compelling articles that users will want to share with their friends, co-workers, or family members for the best results.
Use Video
Online video is essential for any business. YouTube and TikTok have more than 1 billion users. If you aren’t creating video content, the time is now. Videos don’t need to be long either; 1-2 minutes is ideal. Create videos that aren’t just commercials for your brand but provide helpful, interesting or sought-after content. Remember, you still need to optimize keywords on video platforms too!
At Kurv Agency, we’ll work with you from day one to identify the best keywords for your business and make the appropriate adjustments throughout your site so potential clients can discover you. Having a website that can’t be found is pointless, so search engine optimization is so important. Get seen by the right people and take your business to the next level with SEO.
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