Why, hello there, dear reader! Ready for another monthly helping of the top SEO news? Of course you are! Let’s get into this month’s Supersede SEO Roundup with stories and advice from across the search marketing industry.
February 2022: the top stories
With so much going on, we had a hard time whittling down all the SEO headlines this month! However, we’ve selected a few gems from this month’s news especially for you. Our highlights include a new study on the effectiveness of TikTok, Google Chrome’s Journeys feature, and the expansion of Microsoft Advertising.
TikTok is now a major part of the path to purchase
As 2021 drew to a close, a shock statistic emerged: TikTok had dethroned Google as the most visited website worldwide. Despite its prominence, many businesses are continuing to neglect TikTok marketing. However, the video sharing app wants you to reconsider—and has even commissioned a study showing how it helps to drive sales.
According to the study, TikTok has reshaped the path to purchase. Now, instead of the traditional ‘funnel’, there’s an infinite loop at which customers can enter and exit at any point. This, in turn, makes it possible for businesses to turn customers into brand advocates and loyalists. The study also revealed plenty of interesting stats—here’s a small selection of them:
- 49% of TikTok users use the app to discover something new, 35% to learn something new, and 29% for inspiration
- 44% want the branded content they see to be fun and entertaining
- Users are 1.7 times more likely to find new products on TikTok than they are on other platforms
- ‘Lifting spirits’ is an important factor behind purchase decisions for 39% of TikTok users
Get more information by checking out TikTok’s Retail Path to Purchase study.
See your search history in Google Chrome with Journeys
You know the feeling: a few days or weeks ago, you stumbled upon a great website on a certain topic. Maybe it was a recipe you decided you wanted to make, or an article you wish you could read. The problem? You forgot to bookmark it, and that tab has long since been closed and forgotten. You might not have even found it directly from Google, making the process of rediscovering it infuriating.
Now, there’s a possible solution to your anguish: Google Chrome’s new Journeys feature. Journeys groups together your history by theme or intent, making it much easier to find pages you searched for in the past. Not only is this a massive bonus for the end user, but there are potential benefits for businesses, too, as prospects that may have been lost forever can now find their way back home.
Microsoft Advertising comes to 29 new countries
Businesses selling their products internationally want to know that they’ll be able to advertise widely across their target area. With this in mind, marketers operating in Europe and Africa will have their interest piqued by the news that Microsoft Advertising has launched in 29 additional countries and 19 more languages. The new regions able to access the platform are:
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The expansion is the first in a series of waves planned to roll out throughout 2022. In the coming months, Microsoft Advertising (formerly known as Bing Ads) is set to come to more African markets, as well as regions in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
NEWS IN BRIEF
We’re not quite done with the month’s news yet! Here are a few more stories that made their way onto our radar in the past few weeks:
- Facebook Renames ‘News Feed’ to Just ‘Feed’ to Avoid Potential Confusion (Social Media Today)
- Instagram Launches Private Likes on Stories (Mediarun Search)
- The Jobs Americans Want, According to Google Search Data (Vox)
- YouTube Adding More Analytics Data About Views & Revenue (Search Engine Journal)
SEO advice we love
Here at Supersede, we’re all about sharing our expertise with the world—but that doesn’t mean we’re the only ones worth listening to! Here’s a selection of some of the best SEO advice we’ve read this February.
- How to Write an SEO-Friendly Conclusion (Yoast)
- 8.5 Content Marketing Trends in 2022: Global Study (Semrush)
- FS and B2B Brands: How to Turn Complex Topics into Engaging Content (Builtvisible)
- How to Build a Topic Cluster in 10 Minutes (Ahrefs)
Tip of the month
“When we decide whether or not to buy something, we don’t always have the inclination to weigh up every single factor involved. It’s time-consuming and takes up more effort than we’re willing to part with. Instead, we use heuristics to instinctively take action, rather than depending on logic.”
Some decisions are worth spending time thinking about. Sometimes, though, it’s better to avoid agonising over things. In the latter case, we rely on heuristics, which are a kind of ‘mental shortcut’. Not sure how this is useful in the world of SEO? Check out our guide to How Heuristics Can Improve Your Copywriting. You’ll see how, by understanding the decision-making process, you can influence customer behaviour and drive purchases.
That’s all from our February 2022 SEO news roundup! We’ll be posting new stories and advice every week, so don’t be a stranger—stick around and see how Supersede Media can help you to reach your goals for the year ahead!
