The Next Move for SEO in 2022: Considering Search Engine Evolution and SNS Proliferation～

SEO (search engine optimization) is widely regarded as a crucial strategy for driving traffic to websites. However, many have likely experienced the frustration of wanting to rank highly for a specific keyword but struggling to achieve it. SEO is inherently not an instant solution; it's a strategy that yields results through consistent, long-term effort. Yet, recently, voices suggesting "SEO is no longer effective" have begun to surface. This is a topic likely of concern to those responsible for SEO, and we'll explore it here.

Analyzing SEO's Current State Through Social Media Voices

First, let's start by understanding the current state of SEO. This time, we utilized a social listening tool capable of collecting and analyzing social media posts to examine the real opinions and thoughts being shared on social media regarding SEO recently.

After analyzing posts from November 2020 to October 2021, we found that the "SEO is ineffective" opinion could be categorized into two groups based on context:

1. SEO as a method has become less effective
2. The search channel itself is weakening, rather than SEO specifically

Now, let's delve into these two groups: Are these phenomena actually occurring? And how should we address them moving forward?

Is it true that "SEO as a technique is becoming less effective"?

Search engine updates have made it harder to improve rankings

A prominent opinion within this group is that "SEO has become more difficult" compared to the past (around the early 2010s). A common scenario is where a site that previously ranked highly suddenly drops in position. Attempts to counter this, such as adding keywords, prove ineffective, leading to the feeling that "SEO no longer works."

To some extent, this sentiment is valid. The author has also observed that traditional SEO tactics have become less effective over the past five years. This shift stems from various updates implemented by search engines. For example, late 2019 saw tuning that improved the accuracy of interpreting search keywords and context through natural language processing technology. Furthermore, SEO tactics that deceive search engines to rank low-quality content higher through unethical means—so-called "black hat SEO"—have been increasingly targeted as detrimental to users, leading to stricter countermeasures. Consequently, it has become harder to boost search rankings solely through superficial techniques.

In specific genres, "reliability" has become a strongly demanded factor.

Furthermore, posts mentioning algorithm updates (the computational methods related to search) were frequently seen on social media. Search engines regularly update their algorithms to improve search quality, which can cause significant fluctuations in search rankings after implementation. Many people seem to believe that SEO has become ineffective due to these algorithm updates.

This logic may hold some truth. This is because many of these posts originate from bloggers and affiliate marketers, for whom finance-related keywords are particularly important targets. Achieving high rankings for these keywords on blogs and affiliate sites has indeed become extremely difficult.

For example, the search rankings for the two keywords "cash advance" and "card loan" as of November 29, 2021, are as follows. It is clear that personally operated sites like blogs are not ranking highly.

Incidentally, search rankings are not fixed and can fluctuate within hours. However, the ranking situation for these finance-related keywords is quite stable. Similar trends are observed in other domains, such as medical information.

The reason for this is that updates have been made to place greater emphasis on "trustworthiness" in areas significantly impacting people's lives, such as matters concerning money or health. Search engines have also announced that achieving high rankings in these areas now particularly requires expertise and authority. As a result, it has become difficult for personal blogs, or even newly launched corporate sites, to rank highly.

Considering this situation, it's fair to say that SEO has become more difficult compared to before, and achieving high rankings in specific fields has indeed become harder.

However, even in the finance example mentioned above, new sites can still aim for top rankings with keyword combinations like "credit card + [specific term]" or keywords targeting users with more latent needs. While the number of keywords that are difficult to rank for has increased, it remains limited. By carefully selecting target keywords, new entrants still have room to compete. Conversely, it's not uncommon to see cases where sites have achieved higher rankings precisely because they benefited from the updates discussed earlier.

Search engines aren't trying to make site operators suffer; they repeatedly update their algorithms to prioritize displaying information that is more useful to users in search results. In fact, we've seen very few unreasonable changes so far. It's important for site operators to proactively adapt, recognizing that keeping pace with search engine updates ultimately benefits users too. This will likely lead to increased site revenue.

Is it true that "the search channel itself is weakening, rather than SEO"?

Some argue that it's not about SEO techniques, but that "the search channel itself is weakening." Statements like "It's not SEO anymore, it's SNS!" are prime examples. This type of opinion has existed for some time. In 2016, a prominent celebrity's statement to the effect that "when looking up information, I use SNS more often than search engines" was met with significant surprise in marketing circles.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Survey on Communication Usage Trends," SNS usage rates across all age groups rose by over 20 percentage points between 2015 and 2020. In 2020, over 90% of respondents in their 20s and over 60% of those in their 60s reported using SNS, making non-users the minority.

The rise of the influencer market may also be one contributing factor. However, while such data indicates SNS growth, it does not yet clearly demonstrate a decline in search usage. While slightly outdated, data from the international research firm Search Engine Land indicates that a certain search engine processed 365 billion searches globally in 2009. This figure is estimated to have reached approximately 1.2 trillion searches annually between 2012 and 2015, and about 2 trillion searches in 2016 (Source:Search Engine Land).

Furthermore, a 2021 study revealed that search volume among young people using browsers actually increased from 2016 to 2020, and that they were using both social media and browser search simultaneously during this period.

Given this data, it seems reasonable to conclude that increased social media usage does not necessarily lead to a decrease in search activity; the two are not necessarily a trade-off. Furthermore, even if social media were to replace a certain percentage of searches, there are compelling reasons to believe search will not disappear entirely. One reason is the negative aspects of SNS, such as online backlashes and damage to mental health. In response, SNS operators have implemented countermeasures like deleting spam accounts and adding reminder features to encourage users to take breaks to prevent excessive prolonged use. In late November 2021, a certain cosmetics brand operating globally announced it would sign out of certain SNS platforms ( Source: LUSH ). Pointing out that many social media platforms lack a secure environment for users, the brand decided to "temporarily suspend usage until a safer environment is provided." Considering the possibility that such moves may continue, it is crucial for marketing strategies to avoid over-reliance on specific channels and instead utilize search and social media in a balanced manner.

Due to factors like search engine updates, certain keywords and sites may now be more challenging to optimize for. Furthermore, the rise of social media might be creating headwinds for search. That said, SEO still holds significant potential, and it would be premature to conclude that "SEO efforts are pointless." This should be clear. Not just SEO, but the entire marketing landscape is constantly evolving. Staying informed about the latest trends provides crucial insights for shaping your company's marketing strategies.