The 9 SEO Factors You Need to Pay Attention to in 2022
As a website owner, you know that SEO is crucial to your success. But with so many factors to consider, it can be overwhelming to know where to focus your efforts. In this article, we'll cover the nine SEO factors you need to pay attention to in 2022. These factors are not the basics, but they will help you future-proof your website and move the needle this year.
📈 Factor 1: Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are a set of user-centric metrics that measure key aspects of your website's performance, including load speed, interactivity, and visual stability. While site speed is not a true ranking factor, it is important for providing a good user experience. Optimizing for speed can also increase time on page, which can lead to more ad revenue and sales. If you don't want to deal with tweaking and testing, WP Rocket is a good plugin for optimizing your site's speed.
🤝 Factor 2: Personalization
Google is targeting thin review affiliate content, and AI will only increase in prevalence. To stand out from AI and avoid Google's product review wrath, adding personalization is a good place to start. Adding statements to your articles and content, along with unique images of you using products, can help convey a much better signal to Google and your readers that you're actually a part of the content.
🎥 Factor 3: Embedding Video
After the May 2022 Google core update, more videos started showing up in the SERPs, and articles with relevant embedded video content seem to survive better in the rankings. Best case scenario, make your own videos. If you can't shoot your own, embed other popular and relevant YouTube videos into your articles.
🔗 Factor 4: Tighter Internal Linking and Anchor Text
Internal links are important for creating topical authority, but it's easy to get carried away with your internal links. Pay attention to your internal link anchor text, as Google learns a lot about a specific page by the anchor text and the links that point to it. Be liberal with the anchor text you use, but don't be too generic about it, or you'll water down the topical authority that internal linking can create.
📷 Factor 5: Unique Images
Creating unique images is high ROI, as it helps set you apart and helps you survive any future Google updates. Unique imagery is preferred by Google, and it makes a great connection with your audience. You can take great photos with your phone, and it doesn't take that much work to take photos that are good enough.
🏢 Factor 6: Author and Company Validation
Your website needs to be a real business, and you need to connect the dots for Google so that they can see it. Use proper schema for your company information, your about page, and your author pages. Your authors need to have the signals that show they're real people.
📝 Factor 7: Page-Level Schema
Schema is a form of structured data markup that can help improve search rankings and visibility by providing additional context and information to search engines like Google. Use advanced schemas like FAQ schema, author schema, company schema, local schema, review schema, and recipe schema to give you a leg up.
🌍 Factor 8: Local Citations
Local citations are online mentions of your business's name, address, and phone number on other websites and directories. They're a great way to build your brand entities for Google to see. Ensure that your NAP information is accurate and consistent across all online listings, including your website, social media profiles, and local directories.
🚀 Factor 9: Future-Proofing Your Website
Remember that none of these factors are a substitute for doing the basics right with your website and your SEO. Good content, building out topical authority, and links are still the hallmark metrics of a good SEO plan. But if you're looking for a leg up and want to future-proof your website, these tips can help you get ahead of the curve.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Helps future-proof your website
- Can improve search rankings and visibility
- Provides a better user experience
- Can increase time on page, ad revenue, and sales
- Helps you stand out from AI and avoid Google's product review wrath
Cons:
- Requires time and effort to implement
- Can be overwhelming to know where to focus your efforts
Highlights
- Core Web Vitals are a set of user-centric metrics that measure key aspects of your website's performance.
- Adding personalization can help you stand out from AI and avoid Google's product review wrath.
- Embedding video can help your articles survive better in the rankings.
- Tighter internal linking and anchor text can create topical authority.
- Unique images are preferred by Google and can help you survive any future Google updates.
- Author and company validation can help Google see that your website is a real business.
- Page-level schema can improve search rankings and visibility.
- Local citations are a great way to build your brand entities for Google to see.
- Future-proofing your website requires doing the basics right with your website and your SEO.
FAQ
Q: What are Core Web Vitals?
A: Core Web Vitals are a set of user-centric metrics that measure key aspects of your website's performance, including load speed, interactivity, and visual stability.
Q: How can I future-proof my website?
A: You can future-proof your website by doing the basics right with your website and your SEO, and by focusing on the nine SEO factors we've covered in this article.
Q: What is schema?
A: Schema is a form of structured data markup that can help improve search rankings and visibility by providing additional context and information to search engines like Google.
Q: What are local citations?
A: Local citations are online mentions of your business's name, address, and phone number on other websites and directories. They're a great way to build your brand entities for Google to see.
Q: How can I stand out from AI?
A: Adding personalization to your articles and content, along with unique images of you using products, can help convey a much better signal to Google and your readers that you're actually a part of the content.
