SEO isn’t dead it’s evolving!
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation to give it it’s proper title isn’t dead, as the title of a recent Web Pro News video asks. Actually, SEO has just evolved. And it will continue evolving for as long as new and different interactive tools are developed.
Back in the dim and murky past, before Google existed, all you needed to do to get to the top position was put some meta tags in your <head> and write a short piece of copy with those keywords in and, hey presto, number one position.*
Then, along came Google, with their advanced algorithm and search became better for the searcher but harder for the sites to appear in top positions in the SERPs. What happened next? SEO evolved.
This is one example of SEO evolving - growing and changing from an unsophisticated activity towards the multi stranded beast it is today. You cannot optimise a site without using various methods, because of the ‘cat and mouse’ game that SEOs play with Google an the other search engines. I suspect the recent update, Caffeine, to Google will force many SEOs make changes to the way they work.
Web Pro News asked Heather Dougherty of Hitwise whether she believed that search engine optimisation was dead due to the growth in social media. Her answer was interesting because she highlighted the fact that social media can drive traffic towards a site, often more than some search engines. This tells me that Social Media, such as Twitter and Facebook will play a bigger role in search engine optimisation, but certainly won’t kill it.
Some ‘non-techy’ people have only just got used to using Google, as opposed to the Yellow Pages to find services such as plumbers, electricians and builders, as well as to buy things online or find a company telephone number or physical address. Why on earth would the non-techy web users want to change their search habits? With this in mind, I don’t see search disappearing anytime soon, therefore SEO will stick around too.
Social Media is a great tool for connecting with people, to spread the word about your company, your products and services as well as to connect with people on a personal level. SEOs are just taking advantage of a tool that is available to them. While the tools of SEO evolve, so will SEO. It will never stand still, but become more and more sophisticated every day.
*OK, I’m over simplifying here, but you get my point…
How do you see SEO evolving in the future?
Do you use Social Media to drive traffic to your site? How effective is it?
