“Experts” and casual searchers alike have been predicting the demise of SEO for years. While their reasoning differs greatly depending upon their backgrounds in the field, they all share one significant similarity…They’re dead wrong! So let’s clear things up right off the bat. Will SEO die? No. Will it change? Yes?
Why do people think it will die?
The world of Search Engine Optimization is complex and ever-changing. What’s considered important in today’s standard SEO strategies may be different tomorrow. Change makes people uneasy. Watching SEO change and evolve makes both searchers and specialists skeptical of what’s to come. Any hole in the system then becomes a reason to believe that the end is near. While this makes reasoning differ greatly based on experience and specialty, fear of change is the most probable and general explanation for unrest among those predicting an SEO Doomsday.
Why does SEO change so frequently?
It’s a matter of practice makes perfect. Major search engines are constantly working to perfect their algorithms. Perfection in their algorithms helps them deliver the most relevant and beneficial search results to their users. That being said, the way users find the best results is constantly changing, leaving search engines with the responsibility to change accordingly.
What do changes mean for SEO specialists?
Anyone who is currently involved in SEO knows that change is inevitable. The good specialists never assume they know everything there is to know about the field. They also understand that in order to do their jobs correctly, they must keep up on the latest and greatest in SEO news and updates.
Industry leaders like Matt Cutts and the Moz blog are great sources for the information SEO specialists need to produce optimal results. You may know your stuff when it comes to SEO, but never assume you’re the best that’s out there.
Does anything remain the same?
This answer may be surprising, but yes! Content will always be key to an effective SEO strategy. No matter how many times the major search engines change their algorithms, content will play an integral role in determining the SEO value of your site.
Keep up with trends in favored content to be sure that your site is optimized for success. Maintain a constant stream of quality, unique content from your site(s) at all times. Creating an editorial schedule with reasonable deadlines will help you accomplish this. As you produce content for this editorial schedule, there are three main points you should focus on for quality work:
- Avoid duplicate content at all costs
- Run spelling and grammar checks for work of higher quality
- Understand your readers and write for them, not just keywords!
So long as you follow these 3 general guidelines in providing quality content for your site viewers, you’ll have the basics of SEO covered for years to come.
So there’s nothing to worry about?
Unless the world stops using search engines all together, nope. SEO will remain an important part of online search no matter what. While technological progression makes the job a little easier, it will always require a human mind to analyze, strategize and implement effective SEO methods and techniques.
Rest assured, our dependence upon receiving instant information will never let search engines die. Hence, SEO will never die. Rather, it will continue to change and grow as search engines create a better search experience for users. Ignore the “warning signs” and nay-sayers. Our beloved industry is here to stay!
