The SEO Trends That Will Matter Most In 2022
If you run a business in New Orleans, then you better know about SEO and the impact that it can have on your business.
In an online-search-first culture, your business needs to be visible and ranking high on relevant search engine results pages if you want to reach new customers and grow your business.
That’s why it’s critical to stay up-to-date on the latest SEO trends to adapt your strategy and stay ahead of your competition.
However, not all SEO trends are created equal. Some are simply fads that come and go, while others have the potential to stick around and make a real impact on your business.
So, which SEO trends should your New Orleans business pay attention to in 2022? How can you ensure that your business is visible online and that you get the most ROI from your SEO efforts?
Here are 7 top SEO trends that you need to know about to stay ahead of the curve:
Trend 1: AI and Machine Learning are Leading the Way
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is one of the biggest SEO trends that will shape search in 2022 and beyond.
What does this mean for businesses? In short, AI-powered search engines are getting better at understanding user intent and delivering results that meet those needs.
This means that businesses need to focus on creating content that is not only keyword-rich but also relevant and useful to their target audience.
Search algorithms are becoming increasingly intelligent at taking EAT into account – expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness – so businesses need to ensure that their content comes from a place of authority if they want to rank high in search results.
Trend 2: The Shift to Voice Search
Another big SEO trend businesses need to be aware of is the shift to voice search. As more people depend on smart speakers and voice-activated assistants like Siri and Alexa, more people are using their voices to search for information online.
That means when someone says, “Alexa, list the top pizza restaurants in New Orleans” or “Hey Google, find me a plumber in the Garden District,” your business needs to be at the top of that list.
To optimize your website for voice search, you need to ensure that your content is structured in a way that is easy for voice assistants to understand and parse.
This means using natural language and long-tail keywords that reflect how people speak, not just how they type. Take note of how you write your content and make sure that it sounds natural when spoken aloud.
Trend 3: Mobile-First Indexing is Here to Stay
Mobile-first indexing was first introduced by Google several years ago, and it’s only become more critical in the years since.
With more people than ever using their mobile devices to search for information online, businesses must have a mobile-friendly website if they want to rank high in search results.
If you haven’t already, you need to make sure that your website is optimized for mobile devices. This means having:
- A responsive design that automatically adjusts to any screen size
- Fast loading times
- Easy-to-navigate menus and links
- Engaging and mobile-friendly content
If you want to make sure that your website is ready for mobile-first indexing, you can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to see how your website stacks up.
Trend 4: The Rise of Visual Search
Another big trend that businesses need to be aware of is the rise of visual search. With the popularity of Pinterest and Instagram, more and more people are using images to find information online.
To make sure that your business is visible in visual search results, you need to make sure that your images are optimized for search engines. This means adding keywords to your image file names and alt text to appear in search results.
Alt text not only helps enhance your SEO, but it can make your website more accessible for users who are blind or have low vision. When adding alt text to your images, make sure to describe the image in a way that is accurate and reflective of the context in which it is being used.
Trend 5: The Importance of Local SEO
Local SEO is more important than ever for businesses that want to be visible in search results. With the rise of mobile devices and the popularity of location-based services, people are using their smartphones to find information on businesses in their area.
To make sure that your business is visible in local search results, you need to make sure that your website is optimized for local SEO. One of the best ways to do this for free is to register with Google My Business.
GMB allows you to list your New Orleans business information – like your address, phone number, and hours of operation – on Google so that people can find it when they’re searching for businesses in your area.
You can also enhance your local SEO by adding location-based keywords to your website content and making sure that your website is listed on local directories and business listing sites.
For example, if you operate with neighborhoods such as the French Quarter, Marigny, Bywater, or Treme, you can use those in your content as well.
Trend 6: Long-Form Content Is King
One of the best ways to improve your SEO is to create long-form content that is informative and engaging. Unlike short blog posts or web pages, long-form content is typically over 1,000 words and provides in-depth information on a particular topic.
Not only does long-form content allow you to rank for more keywords, but it also shows that you’re an expert in your field. This can help build trust with potential customers and encourage them to do business with you.
When creating long-form content, include relevant keywords and links to other pages on your website. This will not only help improve your SEO, but it will also help keep people on your website longer.
Additionally, you should build your long-form content in a “snippet-friendly” format. As Google’s featured snippets continue to grow in popularity, it’s becoming more and more critical for businesses to make their content “snippet-friendly.”
This means creating formatted content that makes it easy for Google to pull information from your website and display it in a featured snippet.
To do this, you need to make sure that your content is well-organized and easy to read. Use headings, subheadings, and bulleted lists to break up your text and make it easier for Google to find the information they’re looking for.
Trend 7: Video Is Taking Over
As more and more people consume content online, video is becoming an increasingly important part of an effective SEO strategy. People are more likely to watch a video than read a blog post or article, so including videos on your website can help you reach a wider audience.
Additionally, Google prefers websites that include videos in their search results. This means that if you want your website to be visible in search results, you need to include videos.
When creating videos for your website, make sure to optimize them for SEO. This means including keywords in your video titles and descriptions so that they come up in search results.
While you can create many different types of videos for your website, some of the most popular include product demonstrations, how-to videos, customer testimonials, and company culture videos.
No matter what type of video you create, make sure it’s high quality and informative. This will help ensure that people watch your videos and share them with their friends and followers.
Enhance Your SEO This Year with the New Orleans SEO Experts
As you can see, there are several important SEO trends that you need to be aware of in order to improve your online visibility and ROI. But the number of trends out there can seem overwhelming for New Orleans business owners who are already trying to do it all.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and make sure your website is optimized for the latest trends, partner with an experienced New Orleans SEO company.
Expert SEO professionals can help you design, implement, and audit your website so that it’s optimized for Google’s ever-changing algorithm.
This way, you can focus on running your business while we take care of the technical details.