It has been an interesting year in digital marketing thus far. As we have sought to turn the page on COVID and get back to life as normal, 2022 has had its ups and downs. Even more reason for digital marketers to stay the course and keep their eye on the prize.
For better or worse, COVID has left the world a different place. That means how we market must adapt to some degree. With that in mind, Salt Lake City’s Webtek Digital Marketing Agency suggests digital marketers focus on the following five digital marketing trends to close out the year:
1. Take Advantage of Featured Snippets
In digital marketing, it is all about getting the edge on Google. Onsite content is absolutely essential. So is offsite content and social media. But it all begins and ends with the world’s largest search engine. When it comes to Google, few things are as fruitful – for the time and effort you put into them – as featured snippets.
Featured snippets are as important to marketing an educational site as they are to e-commerce marketing. They get attention. They get that little extra push from Google as it tries to give users the most relevant information.
2. Put More Effort into Search Intent
SEO services have traditionally focused heavily on keywords. Yes, keywords are still the primary means by which search engine algorithms rank pages. But thanks to the introduction of mobile search, search intent is now just as important.
When you are doing your in-depth keyword research, make a point of paying attention to intent. In other words, what does a user really want to know when they initiate a Google search? Understanding user intent separates the most valuable keywords from all the rest.
3. Look for Faster Load Times
We all know that Google now ranks pages for speed. Once again, they are thinking about the mobile audience. All this is to say that it is important to continue looking to make pages load faster as we finish out the year. The fastest pages are going to get preferential treatment. That is just the way it is.
4. Go All-In on Local SEO
Digital marketing services that do not push local SEO with their clients are doing those clients a disservice. It has been estimated that nearly half of all Google searches are local searches.
With the economy facing yet another downturn, there is speculation that travel will decrease through the end of the year. Should that be the case, local search will become even more important as people seek to take advantage of what is available around them.
5. Embrace Video Marketing in Earnest
Finally, it is time for digital marketers who have not yet looked at video to embrace it in earnest. There is no denying that millions of videos are watched across the internet daily. From a marketing standpoint, it is tough to beat a good video.
Some 74% of all digital marketers who use video say that it offers a better ROI than traditional graphics. Videos also tend to do better than paid Google ads. Imagine that: your own videos doing better than PPC.
SEO and digital marketing services continue to evolve with the times. We wouldn’t expect anything different. The hardest task for digital marketers is to keep up with the trends. Those who manage to do so come out on top.
If you are digital marketer looking to finish 2022 on a high note, pay attention to the marketing trends in this post. Focus your efforts on them and you will do better than the competition.