Search engine optimization is becoming increasingly competitive. Gone are the days when you could log onto a selling platform and purchase thousands of links to catapult a website to the top of the search engine results. Now, Google wants marketers and search engine professionals to take a more considered approach that puts the user at the forefront of the decision-making process.
According to one leading SEO Company Sydney, the number of businesses that are investing in on-page and off-page SEO practices has increased dramatically over the last three years as Google’s search ranking algorithm continues to change and evolve. In order to get prepared for 2022, we have compiled a list of three essential search engine optimization considerations that businesses should be looking at in 2022.
1. Don’t Underestimate User Experience
Understanding user experience and creating the best possible website to satisfy those users and drive them towards your conversion goals is rapidly becoming one of the most important factors for effective SEO. As Google continues to evolve and update its search algorithm, search results are becoming increasingly personalized with the end goal being to offer the best experience for the users. The relevance of your content and the quality of your website plays an important role in ensuring Google meets its most important target — satisfying its users.
You need to find a balance between creating great content and improving the user experience of your website. These two factors go hand in hand when creating an effective SEO strategy. Begin by analyzing the bounce rate of your website and the time spent on each respective page. See how these numbers compared with your site’s load speed and whether there are technical improvements that can be made.
2. Focus on Link Quality, not Quantity
Gone are the days of logging onto Fiverr and purchasing thousands of links in order to spam your way to the top of Google. Now, Google (and other search engines) want to see a diverse backlink portfolio from high-quality websites. In 2022, it’s important to focus on a considered approach to link building that prioritizes topical authority in building page rank. Outreach to sites that are relevant to your niche and make useful contributions on article source sites such as HARO in order to build quality links that will stand the test of time.
3. Build Topical Authority with Content Marketing
Content marketing is an incredibly powerful way to build onsite content resources that drive organic traffic, accumulate links, and position your website as an authority in your niche. On average, websites that incorporate content marketing into their SEO strategy see 112% more organic traffic than those that do not.
We recommend focussing on topics that can lead to transactional pages on your website. Think about where a user can be led to from that web page and look at ways that your article can be used as a sales funnel – not just an organic traffic generator.
Conclusion
Google is changing fast. In 2021 alone there have been three significant broad core updates and the Google Page Experience update that have all had a substantial effect on how websites rank and who performs well in the search engine results pages. To ensure long-term SEO success, we recommend incorporating the above tips and looking at the white hat, long-term strategies that focus on the user – not on manipulating search engines.
