2021 has been an explosive year when it comes to SEO trends – From Google’s Core Web Vitals, to BERT, how the SEO game is played changed a lot! And it’s not expected to stop any time soon. Here are 6 trends to look for in SEO in 2022.
SEO Trend 1 – Artificial Intelligence
With how much AI has changed the SEO landscape in 2021, it’s no wonder that companies, bloggers, and content creators are latching onto this technology for their marketing and SEO needs.
It’s become clear that SEO in 2022 will heavily rely on AI going forward. Many SEO specialists are already looking at Google’s RankBrain, which is part of their Hummingbird algorithm. And while Google hasn’t released much about this AI, it has said that it will process and refine searches, including long-tail queries, and create your search list that previously would have been unconnected by detecting patterns in certain content. In a sense, it will automate your SEO.
The impact that this can have for your site is insane. By creating the patterns needed to essentially create on search engines, your audience could grow to unimaginable heights.
SEO Trend 2 – Long-Form Content
Do you remember the early days of YouTube when the most you could upload at a time was 10-15 minute videos? At that same time, most of the content that went viral were videos that lasted maybe a few seconds, but never more than a couple of minutes.
Now, we’re seeing videos as long, if not longer, than most episodes on traditional television. If your video is less than 15 minutes, it’s now considered short.
It’s the same with written content. Despite the thoughts of people not wanting to pay attention or read content that is less than 3000 words. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the content itself should be long for length’s sake. It still must be engaging and relevant to what your audience is looking for.
This can be tricky, as people are looking for an increase in the amount of content you are creating. Don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed, though. If you set yourself up to be an authority on a subject, the content will come, no matter how long it may be. And let’s be honest, SEO in 2022 is going to require a lot of content.
SEO Trend 3 – Mobile Friendliness
We live in a world where practically everything we consume is on our phones or tablets. It’s not uncommon to see almost everyone, not just teenagers, scrolling through social media apps like TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram.
This isn’t going to change in 2022. In fact, it’s likely that it will only grow. Some reports are saying that 75% of all internet content consumed will be through some sort of mobile device.
That’s not to say you’re left without resources. Google has a test available to show you what, if anything, needs to be fixed to make your site or content mobile friendly. Google’s Mobile Usability report is also a good resource to see how well your content stacks in your SEO plan for 2022.
SEO Trend 4 – Quality
Your plan for SEO in 2022 should also include methods on either improving or maintaining the quality of the content you create. This aspect should fulfill the principle of K.L.T. – Know, Like, Trust. When your audience knows you as the expert and authority, and likes the content you produce, they not only will trust you for their content and product consumption but will encourage others to do the same.
Earlier, it was mentioned that you should focus on long-form content. That is still true, especially for any plan involving SEO in 2022 and beyond. This presents an opportunity. In the past, it was thought that you had to be so brief that if you had something that was longer than needed, you had to split it up into multiple parts. This not only will save you time, but gives you and your content a bit more room to breathe.
This gives you more of an opportunity to present yourself as the authority, as the expert, and to build the trust of your audience. Quality content is no longer limited by length. Take advantage of that when creating your own strategy for SEO in 2022.
SEO Trend 5 – Video
This is a big one.
Any good SEO strategy needs to include video. You’re no longer limited to the time restrictions that were in place just a few years ago. And given that YouTube is the second most popular search engine behind Google, this has become a need.
You need to be willing to take advantage of any and all video platforms in your 2022 SEO plan. This not only includes YouTube, but also TikTok and Facebook Video. Take the time to engage with your audience through live broadcasts offered through each of these platforms, using the correct keywords to bring people in.
SEO Trend 6 – Automation
You had to have seen this one coming.
There have been plenty of tools that have been developed for this very thing. And it’s why it was placed at the end of this list. Understandably, you may have felt intimidated by the mention of creating longer content, particularly when it comes to video.
Just throughout 2021 alone, new software has been developed to help automate your content creation. These tools can be used to create blog posts, video scripts, or really any other kind of written content you need. If you happen to be pressed for time, and who isn’t these days, you can input a few key words and you have content either ready to publish or ready to edit to make it sound more like your voice.
If it’s for a video, just put in what you want to talk about and you have a script ready to edit or use to shoot your next video.
Finding tools to automate your content is really the biggest trend to jump onto when it comes to your plan for SEO in 2022.
So there you have it. Have fun with what you create, and we’ll see you in the new year!
