Is SEO Still Relevant In 2022? Here Is What You Need To Know

Every time someone has tried to write off SEO, it has, in fact, come back stronger. There have been many so-called experts that have for the last few years, signalling that the end of Search Engine Optimization or SEO is near. With Google’s recent updates, they say things like link building, guest posting, and other SEO strategies are not going to deliver any results. 

They point towards the advent of new and more exciting digital marketing strategies and platforms like PPC (Pay Per Click) and SMM (Social Media Marketing). Throwing money at things like AdWords helps in generating instant results for a website and brand. While this is true, it should be pointed out that for long-term success, SEO is the strategy to go with. 

There is no denying the fact that SEO is set for a major overhaul. In fact, the last two years have seen major changes to Google’s algorithms in the form of numerous updates. With website owners and SEOs scratching their heads over the updates, it would be worthwhile to discuss whether SEO is still relevant in 2022 or not. 

The Relevance of SEO in 2022: Do you need to still pursue it?

First things first. Let us address the elephant in the room. SEO is very much the best performing digital marketing strategy of 2022. It helps a website generate organic traffic, boost metrics, and increase its rankings (for related keywords) on the Search Engine Ranking Pages (SERPs). 

The maths is simple enough to understand. The higher you rank on search engines, the better are your chances of getting organic clicks. If you are able to convert these clicks to sales and revenues, it presents a win-win situation for your brand and online success. 

In one of the best studies that we’re able to demonstrate the importance of SEO, it was found that of all web traffic, 51% still belonged to organic and natural sources. When you compare the same with PPC (14%) and SMM (5%) you realize that SEO is still very much relevant. 

SEO helps brands with long-term presence and success. It allows a brand to benefit from SEO long after they have paused pursuing the same aggressively. As long as your content ranks or your site occupies a top position on the SERPs, you will enjoy the benefits of SEO. 

How does SEO Benefit your Brand Website: 5 Advantages you should be aware of

In this section, we take help from leading experts at an Atlanta SEO agency. We request them to use their experience and tell us about the major ways in which SEO benefits a brand- 

1. Provides Information and Details to the Consumers- 

In another research that was carried out, it was found that more than 81% of all users turn to search engines like Google when researching a brand, they are going to buy from. When it comes to SEO, it is all about providing consumers with the best information. Through guest posting and content seeding, SEO enables the presence of the brand and its products or services all over the web pages on the internet. This makes it highly discoverable and accessible. 

2. Generates Organic Traffic which is worth its weight in gold- 

There is no denying the fact that organic traffic is the best type of traffic that a brand expects to enjoy and benefit from. One of the core reasons that organic traffic is so highly valued is because of the fact that it reflects the user’s intent. Someone that is looking for an Italian restaurant Bronx is looking to enjoy a hearty meal in a restaurant. There is a strong and definite buyer’s intent that makes SEO an irresistible strategy to follow when looking at results. 

3. Is Cost-Effective and Delivers the Highest ROIs for any strategy- 

While SEO by itself is free, you will have to spend on the tools, professionals, and content creation resources. However, in spite of all these costs, it is still quite affordable when you compare it to PPC, AdWords, and SMM. Since you are always looking for long-term success with SEO, you will be able to enjoy high ROIs that will help you with continued targeted web traffic, sales queries, and conversions from your old ranking articles. 

4. Builds Trust, Credibility, and Faith in the Brand- 

Given how almost everything in SEO is related to organic success and performance, it is one of the few internet strategies that help build trust and credibility in the brand. The emphasis on building a blog, pursuing content and inbound marketing, along seeding positive content on the web space allows the brand to be discovered in a positive light by interested audiences. When credibility is built, it allows for easier buying decisions. 

5. SEO is going to last into the future- 

If SEO was dead, we would not have new emerging subdisciplines like Voice Search SEO or Social Media SEO. Yes, Google’s algorithms have gotten advanced, and rightly so. However, even with AI and ML playing a big role, SEO still has reserved its importance. With more new technologies and platforms, the chances to be found naturally and organically have also increased drastically. This has played a major role in making SEO future-proof. 

The Evolution of SEO: What’s Next?

Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, Pigeon…

If you have been associated with our industry, you must have heard about these Google updates. Each update, more powerful than the last one it came after, changed the SEO game dramatically. 

It is true that Google is trying to revamp how search works. To do this, it is going to start focussing on two major things- 

1. Search Intent
2. Search Relevancy

With more updates expected to unfurl in the next few months, it is true that SEO is probably at its dynamic-best stage. SEO strategies that were considered best practices in 2018 and 2019 are now considered as threats that might invite penalties. 

For brands and agencies, keeping their ears close to the ground and following authority sites and platforms is the only way to keep improving their SEO. 

Like any other digital marketing strategy, you will succeed in SEO if you keep it simple. All you need to do is follow the basics and stick to the foundations. If you are able to do that and stay away from trouble in the form of Black Hat or Grey Hat strategies, you will be able to achieve success and results.