Best SEO Strategy For Startups In 2022

A decade back, search engines were not very smart. In fact, they were programmed to offer consolidated search results. This simply translated into immense work for folks looking for particular information. Back then, SEO techniques too were based on limited parameters. As mentioned above, it was not a smart search but just a general dump of related links.

Cut to 2022. Now modern search engines are a different ball game together. They are intelligent, sophisticated, and actually function as a human mind. So, SEO goals in 2022 mean no more keyword stuffing, copy cloaking, fake reviews, and link farming. The motto of search engines is really simple - Earn your way to the number one spot in SERPs. It is this merit-based reward that will make SEO in the coming years even more complex.

Having said that, it is also important to mention that search engine optimization still matters, and plays a crucial role in the success of any startup. If you are a newbie or someone who is an SEO nonbeliever, you must accept the fact that SEO is for real, and the sooner you accomplish this task the better for your business. As mentioned above, search engines such as Google keeps on tweaking their search logic continuously. The idea is to offer users the most updated, succinct, and relevant links.

SEO strategy typically depends on search engine algorithms, and therefore specialists tweak their strategy based on the current rules. However, SEO is not a tangible or a physical element. However, it can be measured through specially designed tools. While some of them are simple to use there are others that are complex in nature. Moreover, as a startup, you need to set realistic goals and not expect miracles. Even the best SEO strategy for startups in 2022 will take time, money, and patience. Mentioned below are some of the popular strategies.
 

• Quality Content is Still the King -

This may sound cliché, but the fact remains that even after a decade search engines value good content. However, its dynamics have changed considerably. Google has set up stringent quality content guidelines. The BERT algorithm allows it to rationalize queries and search results which in turn tend to reward good web copies/content. If you offer a meaningful copy rest assured BERT and its latest updates will shower your business with top ranking. Incidentally, website content is a part of the On-page optimization technique.

SEO folks realize that for any startup to become a hit with the masses, meaningful, relevant, long-form content is a must. The question is, how does one create? Here are some of the content writing tips that are sure to make any search engine smile.

The 3 rules of good content -

• Precision

If your startup is all about food delivery, then writing about cookery will not fit the bill. The search engine will penalize you. It might offer a temporary surge in traffic but rest assured that won’t last long. The mantra is to stick to your core product or service and keep your content as much accurate as possible.

• Ease of Reading

Startups typically make one common mistake. They create complex content which is littered with slang / highly technical words, badly structured pages, and incorrect grammar.  If search engines cannot interpret your writing then it is sure to get lost in its vast labyrinth of useless content.
 

• Content Focus

One of the most rewarding SEO techniques which any visionary startup should adhere to is creating content that focuses on core business. A good write-up not only offers insight into the product or service but also mentions its superiority through charts, graphs, and secondary writings such as blogs, reviews, etc. It reflects authority in the concerned niche, an essential parameter of any good content.
 

• Keyword Research

Keyword research was an important SEO task earlier and it still remains ... there are no two ways about it. Most of the SEO folks generally focus on niche keywords. However, jumping on the popular bandwagon will only create unwanted competition. This rush to reach the top for a particular keyword can make paid ( Inorganic ) digital marketing extremely expensive while organic marketing ( SEO Based ) will suffer because of the newer entities entering your business space.

Keyword research has come a long way since the introduction of Hummingbird and Penguin. A smart keyword researcher approaches this technical chore with a different mindset, a prism that complements one of the SEO Goals In 2022. Mentioned below are some of them.

• A good SEO strategist typically does a quick keyword search for clients’ niche businesses and then analyses the results.  This entity would also look into the suggestions offered by the search engine, generally found at the bottom of the page.
• Another SEO strategy for 2022 is to tweak SEO by introducing short and long-tail keywords. The latter typically consists of four to five words and behaves more like a query than individual keywords.
• Using keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMRush and Ahrefs have become a de facto norm. These tools are intelligent, driven by optimized databases, and provide tabular information which makes keyword strategizing a joy.

LSI Keywords

LSI or latent semantic indexing keywords are basically terms and phrases which make content interpretation by search engines easy and efficient. The result; connects these terms to the web copy or blog posts reflecting similar words. For example, if your startup offers online medicines then using related medical terms such as names of illnesses can fetch a relevant audience. In short, Google sees such phrases or unique keywords as semantically-related to the niche business.

• Backlinks - The Magic of Off-page Activities

While content and keywords are a part of On-page and Off-page SEO strategy, backlinks typically belong to the latter category. So, how does backlink SEO strategy improve business fundamentals? Here are some of the advantages.

• Authority

If a food delivery startup is linked to several authoritative and popular restaurant blogs it can create magic around this brand. Even influential chefs and recipe providers can do wonders for the brand as all these subsets are related to the parent startup in terms of core business function. It creates trust, builds authority which in turn will fetch a higher page rank.

• Brand Recognition

Over a period of time, quality backlinks in the form of blog posts, reviews, and guest posts add value to the brand. It becomes even more popular which leads to a large following. All this translates into improved sales and authority in the niche domain. Backlinks should never be purchased, especially those which have little or no relevance to your core business. It can confuse search engines. Rest assured your page authority and even brand will suffer.

• Page Speed

It is no secret that Google, the number one search engine penalizes sites and apps which are drag or load slowly. Most search engines believe that for an optimized user experience web copies, sites, and apps need to be efficient. Google has set up rigid parameters which any good SEO strategist worth its salt follows religiously. Page speed is typically rated from a score of 1 to 100. Google Chrome’s Lighthouse makes it easy to find out this number.

Mentioned below are three common scenarios -

Score 1 to 50: Bad and therefore needs improvement.

Now, this can be achieved by tweaking the various design, coding, and media elements of a website or app depending on the technologies and tools used.

Score 51 - 80: Fair / Good

Although this score offers a particular web application a thumbs up it nonetheless needs minor tweaking. This could be page speed & image optimization and minification of CSS, JS, and HTML code without changing its core functionality.

Score 81 and above –

Anything above 81 reflects a healthy score. Developers and startup entities simply need to maintain this score or improve further to 90% or even 100% for preventing Google from penalizing. One of the ways to maintain a top page speed score is to use CDN’s, one of the popular SEO techniques. Content delivery networks serve images and other relevant content through a distributed network of servers which in turn reduces drag on local servers. The result is astonishing. Your startup will never suffer from page load issues.

• Technical SEO

Technical SEO is a part of On-page manipulation. However, the million-dollar question is “What is technical SEO and how does it impact startups?” Strategizing technical SEO is important as it can have a positive or negative impact on two essential metrics; crawling and indexing.

Search engines such as Google crawl websites regularly to update their database and thereby offer the latest version of web copies/products/services to its users. Technical issues with your business web application can hamper crawling and thereby you can lose it to your competitor. So, what are these technical issues or errors?
 

1. Slow loading pages.
2. Broken links.
3. Ill-conceived navigation.
4. Unstructured breadcrumb.
5. Canonicalization errors.
6. Missing quality content.

All the above pointers need to be addressed while undertaking technical SEO assignments. In fact, this task also covers a range of On-page activities as such -

1. Meta description tweaking; turning it into a powerful link on the search results page.
2. Structuring page URL with niche keywords.
3. Setting up videos and graphics on different servers to improve website speed.
4. Links that are user and search-engine-friendly build confidence, and it fetches higher click rates than those which are in string format and therefore startups need to look into this area.
5. Sitemap optimization is yet another facet that needs careful planning and execution. A properly formatted sitemap gets crawled and indexed quickly. Businesses can see an immediate effect, in the form of improved organic traffic.

 

• Branding and Social Media

Experienced SEO folks realize the importance of brand value and therefore target this metric also. It is one of the important Off-Page Activities. This is typically achieved through brand keywords and their subsets. For example, Nike, an immensely popular shoemaker is often searched via its brand name. However, its subsets such as Air Force 1, Air Max 1, Air Jordan 1, Air Huarache, Nike Waffle Racer, and Nike Cortez are equally popular and therefore searched with respective keywords.

Established brands fetch quality backlinks from social media influencers, bloggers, and even sports celebrities without coercion or financing. It is a great way to enhance Off-page SEO score and at the same time build credibility and trust.

On the other hand social sharing, engagement, and brand mentions are not directly linked to page ranking and therefore it has little impact on the overall SEO strategy. However, these parameters definitely improve brand image. Finally, product reviews, app download links, and its placement on the website, Google My Business page are some of the other areas startups need to focus on in 2022.

Conclusion –

Remember, SEO is accomplished organically and inorganically. While the former is accomplished through On-page optimization and Off-page optimization, the latter is typically achieved through paid promotions. Both these strategies are an essential part of digital marketing. While SEO helps fetch traffic from a bouquet of digital platforms, non-SEO actions such as paid promotions fetch audience through clicks.