The SEO industry is very much unpredictable, just like the algorithm updates given by Google from time to time. This industry is so unstable that suppose if an SEO expert goes into the hibernation period, he will sense a generation gap after waking up. It is because so much is happening around SEO and in order to keep things under your control, you need to be on the top of all these.
In this blog, we will discuss the latest trends in SEO and best practices that will help you to take your website to the next level. Now you may find that some of the SEO updates of the year 2021 are repeating in the year 2022. This is because some of the SEO trends will stay as long as the industry exists.
1) Zero click searches
Zero click searches mainly refer to a search engine result page that will display the answer of your question at the top of Google search results. Zero click searches are increasing these days because users are getting their answers quickly and directly and they don’t need any further click for completing the search.
Let us see an example of Zero click search:
Example: When one has searched for the time in New York and Google displays the answer instantly below the search column. This is a zero click search and it will make the user happy as his search intent will be satisfied and he doesn’t need to click any other links from Google search results.
Zero click searches are most common on smart devices where voice searches are mostly used and people look for short and quick answers. Now let us see some of the types of zero click searches:
Types of Zero Click Searches
There are many zero click searches but here we will check some of the common zero click searches that one find on Google:
a) Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are basically short search snippets that display on the top of Google search engine results pages.
For example if you search for the keyword term “famous restaurants of the world”, then a list of the top 10 or 20 restaurants will appear at the top of search engine results pages.
b) Instant Answers
Instant answers are basically quick answers to the search query of a user. For example if you search for “how many months in a year” then Google will show the answer instantly below the search column on the search engine results page.
c) Knowledge Panel
The Knowledge panel is basically like a featured snippet but it provides more information than is asked by the searcher. For example if you search for a particular actor or a cricket player and Google shows more details about him than you have asked for.
Now check how you can prepare your website for zero click searches:
Prepare your website for zero click searches
Here we will discuss some of the ways to rank for zero click searches in the years to come:
- Try to satisfy your user’s search intent. You should properly understand your searcher’s intent to rank for zero click searches. Then you should provide them with instant and correct answers.
- Also place the “people also ask box”. These are basically questions that are relevant to the user queries
- You can also create click worthy meta descriptions as meta descriptions play a vital role. You can make your meta description within 120-150 characters and make it properly as Google uses it for understanding the context of your content.
2) AI will have a major impact on SEO
AI(Artificial Intelligence) is modifying the way users interact with online content. This intelligence algorithm is helping us by displaying the things we like the most and facilitating our searches on the Internet.
Though search engines do not share their technologies, it is expected that it will improve the user experience during the search. Elements from click through rate to time on web pages can be included. For doing this, you should engage users with attractive and relevant content. It will also help your users to find you on any platform more easily.
3) Building first party data hub with SEO traffic
Big organizations like Google are retiring third party cookies, so it is becoming essential for businesses to build first party data hubs for themselves. This first party data hub will help you to build targeted marketing initiatives for driving revenue.
Search will play a vital part in creating your data hub when it comes to the future of SEO. So make sure to create your first party data hub as it will play a major role in the future for getting your business ahead of competitors.
One thing that you should always keep in mind is that search engine optimization in the present as well as in the future will help you to build and maintain your online presence and attract potential users to your website. Therefore always keep yourself updated with the latest SEO trends in the market to get the best results in the years to come.
4) Improving Page Speed
Page Speed is a vital factor for the present as well as the future of SEO. These days maximum users are accessing the Internet from their laptop or smartphone and so it is important for organizations to provide them fast website experiences. That is why Google launched one of its news ranking factors, core web vitals:
Google analyzes with core web vitals :
- How much time is taken by the largest element to load on your page
- How many elements move around while loading in a page
- How long an element on a page takes to respond to clicks
Basically Google is checking how long it takes by people to interact with content on your website. It is checking how soon users can access information on your website. Therefore we can say that page speed will continue to be a significant ranking factor in the year 2022 and beyond.
So make sure to audit your website twice in a year. That way you can check your website speed and also implement the necessary updates.
Conclusion,
Hope the information given here will help you to prepare your website for the future of SEO in 2022. Thus by implementing these latest trends you will be able to take your website to a new height. In case if you are not sure how and where to start, then you can reach out to the top SEO agency providing high-quality SEO services in India for guidance.