2022 SEO Review – Wrap Up & Expectations for 2023
Last Updated on January 12, 2023 by Angela
SEO Review 2022
In this 2022 SEO review, our SEO experts cover the biggest takeaways of the year and what to expect for SEO in 2023.
Yup, another year bites the dust!
As we move into 2023, it is essential that we take a moment to reflect on the past year. Along with this year’s SEO review, we also want to take a look at what has been trending and where online marketing is heading in 2023.
To be sure, 2022 was a tumultuous year for many reasons.
- We emerged from global lockdowns
- We faced supply chain issues and labor shortages
- Plus, we discovered that many new pandemic habits are here to stay
Online shopping isn’t going anywhere, mobile-first design continues to dominate, and voice and image search is booming in all sectors.
As we head into the brave new world of 2023, online marketers and businesses may be wondering what to expect.
This SEO review just a snapshot of we’ve seen over the course of 2022. We’ll analyze both the trends and challenges. We will then move into predictions for the new year and what you can do to ensure your business is ready to take 2023 by storm.
Biggest Takeaways from 2022
Change is nothing new for anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past few years.
Emerging from lockdowns had many wondering if the online-first mindset that dominated throughout the pandemic would fade away and return to normal.
Have in-person interactions once again stolen the spotlight? Well, yes and no.
Online Shopping Rules The Scene
While we can see a return to events and gatherings, our SEO review reveals that e-commerce and online shopping is still going strong and shows no signs of abating. Retailers have shifted to a broader online offering compared to in-store, and customers have taken notice.
What does this mean for SEO?
That it’s more important than ever, especially if you operate an e-commerce business. Even big players like Google are taking notice of the online shopping trend, and if Google is involved, you know you better start taking notes.
Google began implementing changes last year to make selling on its platform easier.
- Google eliminated commission fees and made it free for businesses to sell on Google.
- They also introduced the Shopping Graph, an AI-enhanced model that can understand different types of products and brands.
This delivers the most relevant products in real time to those who shop for them while also allowing shoppers to search via pictures or screenshots.
This means that creating keyword-rich product listings is key for capitalizing on the Google Shopping Graph in 2023.
Lightning Site Speed Is Non-Negotiable
Page speed optimization is a must and an important topic in our SEO review.
We probably sound like a broken record at this point, but some things bear repeating because there are still so many slow websites out there! If we’ve said it once, then we’ve said it a million times: nobody wants to wait around for your website to load!
Just take a look at what it does to your bounce rate – as in, the percentage of people who enter and then leave your site without browsing any other pages.
- Page load time increase from 1 to 3 seconds = 32% increase in bounce rate
- Page load time increase from 1 to 5 seconds = 90% increase in bounce rate
- Page load time up to 10 seconds = 123% increase in bounce rate
A high bounce rate tells Google that your website does not provide a good user experience. The result? Goodbye first page…
Mobile-First Is A Must
Mobile “friendly” just doesn’t cut it anymore; you should be designing for mobile first. Mobile responsiveness is critical for a good user experience, but it’s also vital for your SEO.
Once upon a time, a mobile-friendly website was just a nice bonus. Now, however, it’s a ranking factor. This means that even the most die-hard of desktop lovers cannot ignore mobile responsiveness and still have a prayer of showing up in search results.
Google finalized mobile-first indexing in 2021, which means crawlers will comb through the mobile version of your website before looking at any other version. Looking for faster indexing and better rankings? Make sure your mobile website is fast, user-friendly, and all-around amazing. Ask us about mobile SEO.
SEO Review – Are You Spending Enough On SEO?
Is your SEO budget good enough?
Allotting the right online marketing budget is no easy feat. Everyone wants the best results for the least amount of dollars possible. When determining your SEO budget for 2023, let’s first reflect on this SEO review and what marketers said were their biggest struggles this past year.
The biggest SEO challenges in 2022, as reported by marketers (SEJ)
- Lack of resources
- Strategy issues
- Scaling processes
- Pandemic-related issues
- Alignment with other departments
If you want your business to be competitive in the digital landscape, then you have to invest in good SEO, especially for e-commerce businesses. If you’re not showing up in the SERPs, then your business will be left behind.
As a general rule, your online marketing budget should be between 2 and 5% of your revenue for B2B companies and between 5 and 10% for B2C. But that’s just a jumping-off point.
Some recommend that 5% to 10% of your business revenue should be allotted to SEO alone.
It’s important to consider how competitive your niche is and how reliant your business is on online leads when determining an SEO budget.
Before you make any decisions, try asking yourself the following questions:
- Is your website ranking well compared to your competition?
- Is your website mobile optimized?
- Do your web pages load in 2-3 seconds?
- Does your website meet visitors’ expectations?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of those questions, you need to invest more in SEO.
What To Expect in 2023 SEO
Now that we’ve taken a moment to do an SEO review for 2022, here’s what to keep an eye on going into the new year. These are the SEO trends to watch for 2023, according to the results of Search Engine Journal’s annual first-party survey.
2022 SEO Review – Biggest Shifts & Industry Changes In SEO
- Machine learning and AI SEO
- Google updates
- Third-party cookie deprecation
- Google zero-click pages
- Competition for talent
Trends To Watch for In 2023
- Machine learning and AI
- Core Web Vitals & User Experience
- EAT & trusted sources
- Mobile SEO
- SERP features
Personalized search results that focus on user experience will continue to be important in 2023. With machine learning and voice and image search, search engines are constantly modifying their algorithm to cater to individual needs. That means you have to consider user behavior when planning your SEO strategy.
- Think about how people talk. How are they phrasing their searches to their smart speaker? Are you targeting those keyword phrases?
- How are people browsing? Have you optimized for mobile and local SEO?
- Which social media platforms does your audience use? Is your business visible and easy to find on those platforms?
A good SEO strategy in 2023 demands more than just technical skills.
Consider user behavior and keep abreast with the new and evolving ways people are using search engines. The future of search is looking smart, so that means your SEO strategy will have to be smarter.
Looking To Improve Your SEO Strategy in 2023?
Was our 2022 SEO review helpful? Are you ready for 2023? Does all that new tech sound intimidating?
Let our team of SEO experts here at 1st on the List help!
Contact us toll-free by calling 1-888-262-6687 or email us at to take your SEO strategy into the new year and beyond!
