SEO: Reflections on 2022 and Outlooks for 2023
The face of SEO is constantly changing and 2022 was no different. As we start 2023, we thought it would be a great time to look at back at the way SEO changed in 2022, what lessons have been learnt and what we can take forward into 2023. Read on to find out more!
What Google Updates Have There Been in 2022?
One thing that is clear, is that SEO isn’t becoming any easier. In fact, with Google’s need to constantly provide users with a better experience and authoritative information, 2022 felt like a year where maintaining positions in the search rankings was as win in itself!
In 2022, we have seen a total of 10 Google updates, with 2 core updates – the latest being in September 2022. A core update is an update to the Google search algorithm and as with all core updates, Google is striving to provide its users with reliable and helpful content; this was no different in 2022. If you own a site which lacks content, displays duplicate content or information which is inaccurate, then you will have likely seen drops in your rankings at some point within 2022.
We also saw 2 ‘helpful content’ updates, which were again, centred around site owners working to provide useful and accurate answers to common user questions. This is opposed to sites which contain content which offers little to no value to the reader. Gone are the days where you could throw up 1000 words on a page and see results in a matter of weeks. 500 words of helpful content, is better than 1000 words of useless blabber!
There were 2 spam updates which centred around penalising sites containing spammy content and links. Spam is never good, however a common early SEO tactic was to generate many inbound links from sites across the web in order to improve rankings. In 2022, this does not cut it. Google’s AI spam detection has been coming down hard on sites which contain spam, link to spam, or have inbound links from spam. The takeaway here is that link quality matters. Inbound and outbound links should be from sites that are industry relevant where possible and that have high trust metrics.
2022 felt like a year where maintaining positions in the search rankings was as win in itself!
Our experiences in 2022
Longer indexing times – in our experience, it is taking longer for new domains to become indexed and even longer before new domains become visible for organic search terms. If you want to use your website as a lead generator in 2023, we recommend getting your domain published as soon as possible, whilst focusing on building out the content on your website while Google gets to know your domain.
Your whole site matters - one of the biggest factors to be aware of is that in 2022, your whole site matters. The quality of content on one page can now influence the positioning of your entire site. The main lesson from this is that it is important to consider why a page exists on your site and whether it is offering relevance and use for your target audience. If you are adding a page purely for the sake of making your site larger, then it might be time to rethink your strategy. If you are in a service-based industry, a top tip is to include an about page on your site to offer readers a solid introduction to your company, its ethos and why they should choose to work with you.
Google cracking down on spam – in 2022, we had complaints from many clients and peers alike that reviews had been taken off their Google Business Profile listing. The rise in the number of spam reviews saw Google take a big crack down on companies using fake reviews on their Google Business Profile and this approach saw many companies lose legitimate reviews as well. The takeaway from this is to ensure that you encourage customers to leave reviews from their own accounts and to make sure they add as much detail and sincerity to the review as possible. We recommend asking customers if they would be happy to leave a few photos the work carried out as part of their review. If you struggle with getting reviews, try asking customers to leave review whilst you are present with them. Google makes it easy for you to share a link with customers, so send a quick link to their phone and ask them to fill the review in on the spot. Another option is to present the customer with a prewritten review and ask if they would be happy to authorise and post it from their account. This way, you can assure that the quality of the content within the review will be just right!
Content is still king – the quality of content presented on your site is still the best way to ensure you appear favourably on the search engines and 2022 reaffirmed this to us. Google wants its users to benefit from authoritative and accurate content and the best way to ensure that is to solve problems for users with your content. One way in which Google tracks the quality of content, is by analysing how users interact with your site. If users are quickly clicking off your site, chances are the content is not helping them in anyway. Create content which users want to engage with and Google will reward you accordingly.
Outlooks for 2023
For 2023, we are predicting much more of the same from Google. Volatility will be high, updates will be regular, and many business owners will see their rankings (and leads) take a big hit. We will still see a priority placed on high quality, original content, that is well structured and easy to engage with.
The use of other forms of visual media, such as Tik Tok and Instagram, will continue to intensify. Capturing your audience in a matter of seconds is a priority. Offering up useful visuals on your site can only help as we move towards a generation of people who no longer have the time or desire to read pages of text.
The use of AI will help content creators to generate media in a matter of seconds, but we recommend using AI automated content with caution. It is unclear whether Google will favour or penalise content creators for the use of AI derived media, so our advice is to play it safe. If you are an expert in your field, produce content that you know is factually correct and that satisfies user demand. If you are not an expert, find one. The investment you make into this could position your business at the top of Google's rankings for years to come.
It is our opinion that SEO will only continue to get more difficult in 2023. With more ruthless updates, Google will continue to separate out the wheat from the chaff. With the barrier to entry being so high, we foresee that more and more business owners will be making use of SEO and marketing experts, with the benefits of paying for such services, far outweighing the costs.
If you need help managing your SEO, from experts who have helped many business owners just like you, then call
Ntwine International Limited. Our wide range of services is designed to make your business bulletproof, no matter what the search engines throw up. Get in touch with us to find out more and take the first step towards a successful 2023 for your business!
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