Considerations and life hacks from industry experts.
Google SEO Changes in 2022
Alexander Shestakov
Head of Linked Products at Links.Sape
We regularly conduct SEO market research. We recently collected data on how Google promotion has changed since the beginning of 2022. We analyzed user data and saw the following picture:
- in March, the price of rental links increased markedly. In January and February, the price did not change, and now the growth has averaged 2 rubles - for rental links, this is quite a lot;
- links in March began to buy significantly more compared to February, but slightly more compared to January. This is partly due to the fact that there are fewer days in February;
- in the second half of February, this process stopped, but since the end of February, growth began again. It should be noted that Google's search results in March were cleared of commercial ads, and therefore the activity of optimizers increased .
If we compare the number of new projects created in the system every month, then in March there were about 10% more of them than in January. People began to actively promote sites, we are seeing a steady growth. Link building is becoming more popular, many marketers have begun to actively study SEO, since this skill is especially relevant now. First of all, for Google, since ads are no longer shown, and the first positions of organic results have become better visible to users.
Replacing inaccessible SEO tools to work in Google
Mikhail Shakin
SEO expert, blog creator Shakin.ru
As you know, some of the analytics services have left the Runet. This is a problem, for example, for Ahrefs users: they have lost the opportunity to conduct a detailed analysis of successful competitors.
If we talk about alternatives, then for myself I found an option - SEO Spyglass from SEO PowerSuite. Haven't used this program for many years, but now it's time to uncover it. This service has less functionality than Ahrefs, but you need to understand that you won’t be able to quickly create an analogue in Runet. Of course, there is a small error in their data, but it is insignificant. For a quick analysis - what you need.
The only problematic point is that it may not be possible to pay for their services, since their payment system is tied to a Western bank, but this issue is solvable.
The same MegaIndex has much less data, stronger deviations in link mass and an objectively outdated interface. Perhaps, in connection with current events, it will be finalized and it will change for the better.
Many are wondering if there is an alternative to SimilarWeb. Here you can suggest trying MegaIndex. There is a free PR-CY.ru. You can also try BE1.ru - they display data from MegaIndex, you can see examples of links, the dynamics of the link mass. Such an analysis is sufficient to, for example, select suitable reference donors in Sape services.
Change in the client base of SEO and issuance in Google
Petr Savinov
CEO of automatic promotion system Wizard.Sape
For the Russian segment of the Internet, search results in Google have changed very noticeably. Previously, AdWords offers came first, then GoogleMaps, and only then organic. Now on the first screen of Google Maps, while the maps themselves have received a new design - now they take up less space, and the user immediately sees the result of organic issuance.
Previously, many people wondered whether it makes sense to promote a site on Google, because even the top 1 site can only be seen on the second or third screen. Now there is much more traffic. If you look at the statistics of Wizard.Sape, the traffic of clients who promoted through organic increased by 17% with the same positions, just because AdWords left.
It has become easier to promote a site on Google - there is no way to go into paid advertising, only organic remains. Traditional promotion methods work well in this search engine, especially link building.
Also now you should definitely promote your card in Google Maps. There the site will rank much stronger. If the search query is local, promoting a card is easier than promoting a website. In addition, Local SEO allows you to generate hot traffic that is already aimed at getting services. To reach the top, you need to achieve a positive dynamics of new reviews, preferably positive ones. But if there is an opportunity to receive at least some, it is better than if there are none at all.
It is necessary that every week a new review is left about the company. For greater efficiency, you can put links to the company card and indicate key queries in your responses to reviews - they are taken into account by search engines when ranking the card on maps.
At the same time, due to the closure of businesses in February-March, there is a noticeable departure of customers. About 20% of clients left the IQAD agency. However, in March, sales increased, and the average check became higher and the drop in income was compensated. Checks are growing for a number of reasons: the semantic core is expanding due to new queries, new channels and services are being added (SERM and promotion through maps), and site owners are investing in content optimization and finalizing the site for Google promotion.
Some segments of the market are now growing.
- Construction and renovation - in any crisis, people tend to invest in real estate, in addition, spring is a traditional renovation season.
- Furniture - we are seeing the emergence of new domestic manufacturers who want to occupy the vacated market.
- Car services - we are talking about unauthorized service centers, the cost of which was not affected by the increase in the exchange rate, and which use non-original spare parts.
- Leisure, tourism - regional hotels show growth.
- Medicine - growth is shown not only by clinics, but also by companies involved in issuing exit visas for medical reasons.
The specifics of working with foreign clients and services
Kirill Yandovsky
SEO expert
The key problem in the current situation is with payment for services, which, especially if the client is from Europe, has become impossible. We have to look for technical ways of mutual settlements with colleagues, up to the transition to barter.
This also applies to services. For example, I don’t want to leave Ahrefs, because it’s very difficult to advance in foreign Google without keyword analysis through this service. But you need a VPN, there are difficulties when paying for a foreign option. Therefore, we have to negotiate, ask clients or colleagues from other countries to pay for these services. We solve the problem with Google Ads in a similar way.
As for receiving payment for promotion, I will note from my own experience that money from the USA and from the UAE comes to Tinkoff without any problems. Although you can exchange them for rubles only at the internal rate, which differs from the external one.
Many optimizers are interested in the question - how to find the first foreign customers? In my case, most of them are Russian-speaking business owners abroad. The first customers came after the publication of cases on foreign promotion (on his own initiative, he undertook to promote several sites inexpensively). Habr Freelance is an excellent service for those who promote foreign resources. I also recommend creating a foreign site for yourself and promoting it to the first places - the best advertisement for the optimizer.
As for the topics of such resources, our compatriots prefer to create businesses that help with the opening or relocation of legal entities abroad, as well as various IT companies. Before the pandemic, tourism was one of the main topics, but in the last couple of years this topic has become irrelevant.
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