From the time it was first introduced in 1990, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), has changed significantly.
Back then all you had to do to succeed was to use keywords so your website could rank higher on search results, but a lot of things have changed since as the number of websites and the competition has dramatically increased. In the mid-90s there were 2,738 websites.
That number is not even close to today’s number. Today we have over 1.9 B active websites, a number that will continue to grow in the future.
Today’s Requirements
You can imagine why keywords are not enough anymore to guarantee you success. In fact, right now you have to consider a number of factors that can affect your website’s position. Some of the key actions you need to implement are:
- Target Relevant Primary and Secondary Keywords
- Write Quality Original Content
- Format Your Content for Search Engines & Target Featured Snippets
- Optimize Your Page Title and Meta Description
- Use Short, Descriptive URLs
- Generate Backlinks from High Site Authority Websites
- Remove Anything That Loads Slowly
- Use a Mix of Internal and External Links
- Optimize Your Graphics
- Conduct Regular Site Audits
- Study Your Competitors
- Continue Learning About SEO
There are a lot of things you have to do, but this is what it takes now to use SEO successfully. A lot of companies are still facing struggles due to the increasing complexity of SEO strategies.
In this blog article, we are going to mention the 6 SEO challenges that companies will need to overcome in 2022.
Algorithm Changes
Google is continuously making changes in a lot of areas in order to evolve and better its products and services, but also address security issues that are becoming more of a priority for every user.
A report from HubSpot mentions that in 2020 Google ran more than 500,000 updates which led to over 4,000 changes in their search engine. No wonder why it is a challenge to stay on top of these changes. The good news though is that you don’t have to make changes for every small change that is done.
What you have to do is to stay up to date with the industry news in order to know when a big change is coming, and then you can be prepared to make the necessary changes and stay on top of the competition. Another reason that indicates that it is better not to follow each and every change, is that many times an update may not achieve its goal and then Google returns to the previous version. So it is better to test the waters a little before you decide to utilize an update.
Failing to rank higher
SEO is not SEM (Search Engine Marketing). You cannot buy your position. In fact, SEO is a long-term strategy where it requires time to determine whether something works or not. The actions provided above are what every company needs in order to be placed higher on search results. Furthermore, keep in mind that it will take some time to reach the end goal.
Using keywords incorrectly
As we mentioned before, keywords alone cannot do anything, but they still play their role as the Google algorithm tries to determine the website’s authority, tone, and relevancy.
What needs to be considered also is your visitors' search intent when searching for an answer to their problem. Furthermore, tracking the search volume of your targeted keywords is important in order to be able to identify drops and spikes in search volume, and plan accordingly (eg write a blog on a spiking keyword).
Titles and Meta-descriptions
Titles and Meta descriptions are a great way to strengthen your SEO, but coming up with the right ones can be a challenge. Emotional and powerful words can bring success, but there is a fine line. You always have to consider avoiding giving the impression of a clickbait.
Missing out on Mobile
The use of mobile phones is continuously growing, which means that the number of people that are searching for something on Google is also growing. In fact, 41% of web traffic is coming from mobile. That’s why it is significant for every company to optimize their SEO for mobile. Furthermore, Google now uses mobile-first indexing, which means it uses the mobile version of your web pages when indexing and ranking pages. That is why 25% of companies are investing primarily in mobile SEO tactics.
What does this mean for Companies?
All these struggles were created due to the increasing complexity of SEO strategies. The increasing complexity of SEO strategies can be linked back to the increased competition of course, which will continue to increase. At the beginning SEO strategies had one way to success with keywords but now as can be derived from what was mentioned above, an SEO strategy requires a combination of actions.
How can a company ensure that it will succeed on SEO? Well, to fight increased complexity you need increased knowledge, that is why the past few years there was an increased demand for SEO Specialists, a demand that is expected to last. Being involved in different projects for companies within different industries, we can identify the struggles but one struggle mentioned on this article is what is all about. That is staying on top of algorithm changes that often can alter the approach to an SEO strategy. Being informed and being able to foresee changes is what allowed us to bring success to our customers through SEO strategies.
SEO is not what it once was. It is a long-term, highly complex strategy. It is also a field where a lot can change from one day to another and it is understandable that it is a struggle to stay up to date with everything that is going on.
Do you need support with your SEO strategies?
We are here for you. Reach out to us through email and let us share our expertise and help you reach the top!
Sources:
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-challenges
https://www.internetlivestats.com/total-number-of-websites/
https://www.semrush.com/blog/seo-tips/
https://marketbusinessnews.com/are-seo-specialists-in-demand/289681/