Is SEO Dead? A Fresh Look at Age-Old Search Industry Questions

The rush of time is inevitable. And every year, some new technology drives the nail into the coffin of something older.

Whether horses and carts were replaced by cars or rulers were replaced by calculators, they all eventually became obsolete.

And if you listen to the rumors, this time it’s search engine optimization. Rest in peace, SEO: 1997-2022.

There is only one small problem.

SEO is still alive and kicking. It is as relevant today as it was before. If anything, it’s probably even more important.

Today, 53% of all website traffic comes from organic search.

In fact, the first search results on Google average 26.9% click-through on mobile and 32% on desktop.

And what helps Google determine which results are at the top of the search engine results page (SERP)? SEO, of course.

Need more evidence? We have more statistics to back it up.

Thanks to consistent updates to Google’s search algorithms, the entire field of SEO is undergoing rapid evolution.

Completely ignoring the many minor changes search engine algorithms have undergone, we have seen some major updates in the last decade. Some of the more important are:

Each of these updates changes the way Google works, so each one requires SEO professionals to rethink their approach and change their strategy to ensure they get the results they need. But the need for their services remains.

Now that it’s been established that SEO isn’t dead, it begs the question: Where did all this talk of death come from?

Much of it is based on baseless guesswork and wild speculation. The truth is that SEO is in a state of transition, which can be scary.

And that transition was driven by three things:

The Rise Of Machine Learning

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You probably already recognize the impact of AI on the world.

This exciting new technology is starting to appear everywhere, from voice assistants to predictive healthcare to self-driving cars.

And it has been a trending topic in SEO for quite some time.

Unfortunately, most of what is out there is incomplete information gathered from reading patents, analyzing search engine behavior, and guessing.

And part of the reason why it’s so hard to understand what’s going on in AI when it comes to search engines is its constant evolution.

However, we will examine two identifiable trends: machine learning and natural language.

Machine learning is what it sounds like: a machine learning.

For a more sophisticated definition, it can be described as “a method of data analysis that automates the creation of analytical models … a branch of artificial intelligence based on the idea that systems can learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions with minimal human intervention.”

For SEO purposes, this means collecting and analyzing information about content, user behavior, citations, and patterns, and then using that information to create new ranking factors that are more likely to accurately answer user questions.

You’ll want to read this article for a more in-depth explanation of how it works.

One of the most important factors machine learning uses when determining how to rank websites is another of our trends – natural language.

Since its inception, computers have used a unique language. And because it’s so different from languages that humans don’t speak, there’s always a disconnect between user intent and what search engines submit.

However, along with the development of increasingly advanced technology, Google has made great strides in this area.

Most important to SEO professionals is RankBrain, Google’s machine learning system that builds on a rewrite of Google’s core algorithm we mentioned earlier, Hummingbird.

Nearly a decade ago, Google had the foresight to realize that mobile devices were the wave of the future. Anticipating what this might mean for search, Hummingbird focuses on understanding conversational speech.

RankBrain builds on this, moving Google away from a search engine that follows links between concepts to see the concepts they represent.

This moves search engines from matching keywords in queries to more precisely identifying user intent and providing more accurate results according to searches.

This means identifying which words are important for the search and ignoring those that are not.

It also develops an understanding of synonyms, so if a web page matches a query, it may appear in the results, even if it doesn’t include the keyword being searched for.

The biggest impact of RankBrain and machine learning is on long tail keywords.

In the past, websites often stuck on specifics but rarely looked for keywords into their content. This allows them to appear in queries for the topic.

RankBrain is changing the way Google handles this, which means focusing on long tail keywords is no longer a good strategy. It also helps remove content from spammers looking to rank for these terms.

Honey, I Shrunk The Organic Search Space

Search engines are big business, no one can deny that.

And since 2016, Google has slowly penetrated organic search results in favor of paid advertising. That’s when sponsored ads are removed from the sidebar and placed at the top of the SERP.

As a result, organic results are pushed further down the page, or “below half”, to borrow an anachronistic idiom.

From Google’s business perspective, this makes sense. The internet has become a huge part of the global economy, which means more and more companies are willing to pay for ad placement.

As a result of this apparent de-priority, organic SEO professionals are forced to develop new, innovative strategies to not only appear on the first page but also compete with paid advertising.

Changes to local search also affect the SERP. In its endless search to provide users with more relevant results, Google adds local packages to the search results. This group of three nearby businesses seems to fulfill the query. They are listed at the top of the first page of results, along with a map showing their location.

This is good news for local businesses competing with national brands. However, for SEO professionals, it poses a new wrinkle in their work.

In addition to creating competition for local search results, it also opens the door to, you guessed it, local paid search advertising.

And this isn’t the only thing driving organic results down the page. Depending on the search, your links may also have to compete with:

Additionally, Google has started answering questions directly (and suggesting related questions and answers). This has given rise to a phenomenon known as “clickless searches”, i.e. searches that end up in the SERPs without any click-through to other sites.

In 2020, nearly 65% of all searches received no clicks, which is troubling for anyone who makes a living generating clicks.

With this in mind, and as organic results get lower, it’s easy to see why some SEO professionals get frustrated. But savvy web marketers see this as more than a challenge – they see it as an opportunity.

For example, if you can’t get your link at the top of the SERP, you can use structured data markup to fetch the featured snippet. While it’s not technically an SEO tactic, it’s a way to generate clicks and traffic, which is the end goal.

Use Your Voice

Not so long ago, taking notes or making your grocery list meant finding paper and writing on it with a pen. Like a caveman.

Thankfully, those days are gone, or at least on their way out, it has been replaced by technology.

Whether you use Siri to play your favorite song, ask Cortana how much the moon weighs, or have Alexa check Apple’s stock price, much of the internet is now available using just your voice.

By 2020, 4.2 million digital personal assistant devices are in use worldwide. And that’s a number that’s expected to double by 2024 as more people adopt the Amazon Echo, Sonos One, Google Nest Hub, and the like.

And users don’t even have one of these smart speakers to use the power of voice search. 90% of iPhone owners use Siri, and 75% of smartphone owners use Google Assistant.

With the advent of this virtual helper, we have seen a huge increase in voice search. Here are some interesting facts about voice search:

It depends on who you are. If you work in SEO (and since you’re reading this, we’re going to assume you do), this creates some problems.

After all, how do you generate clicks to your website if there are no clicks involved?

The answer is pretty self-explanatory: you need to optimize for voice search.

Voice controlled tools don’t operate like manual search, so your SEO content needs to take this into account.

The best way to do it again is to improve the quality of your information. Your content should be the best answer to someone’s question, ensuring it ranks at the very top and getting the verbal click-through (is that a term?) you need.

And because people already know that more specific queries lead to more specific responses, your content must cater to that niche.

In general, specificity seems to be a growing trend in SEO, so it’s no longer enough to just have a web copy that says, “t-shirts for sale.”

Instead, you need to search for exactly what your target is looking for, for example, “Medium Garfield t-shirt + yellow + long sleeves”.

What Does All This Mean For SEO?

Now that we’ve looked at the main reasons why pessimists and cynics falsely proclaim the death of SEO, let’s review what we’ve learned so far:

Have you noticed the theme that runs throughout this section? It’s evolution, survival of the fittest.

To make sure you don’t miss out on important web traffic, you should constantly monitor the SEO situation and adapt to changes, just as you always do.

Your strategy needs to become more sophisticated as new opportunities arise. It should be ready to spin quickly.

And most importantly, you have to remember that your content remains the most important.

If you can answer questions well, your site will get the traffic you are looking for. If you can’t, you’ll need to rework it until it works.

Just remember, like rock and roll, SEO will never die.

Featured Image: sitthiphong/Shutterstock

How has SEO changed in 2021?

4. Desktop Page Experience (UX Based SEO) and Core Web Data. Google is gradually implementing the Page Experience Algorithm in 2021. This algorithm update consists of several user experience signals, such as Core Web Data, which essentially evaluates the overall experience with web pages.

Why is SEO so important in 2021? SEO research allows you to understand user interests and intentions and build content that addresses and captures those intents. Content Distribution. Focusing on SEO and legit link building allows you to develop relevant and useful content that people want to share and provide digital word of mouth.

What will be the trending SEO technique in 2021?

1. Core Web Data Makes Page Load Speed More Important. Back in May 2020, Google announced a planned update to its ranking criteria in the form of Core Web Vitals: A set of user experience criteria based on page load speed, responsiveness, and visual stability.

What is the best SEO strategy for 2021?

21 SEO Tips, Tactics and Trends for Website Content in 2021

Get ready for more excitement about Core Web Vitals. …
Enjoy the benefits of part. …
Pay attention to subtopics. …
Get featured snippets. …
Protect your land. …
Create new content with SEO in mind. …
Go long. …
Check your website analytics setup.

Is SEO worth it in 2021?

The short answer is that SEO is very effective – not only for generating traffic but also for leads and sales. Don’t worry. The long answer includes research and data, not just empty statements. Most SEOs get too caught up in search-specific metrics like SERP (search engine results pages), ranking, and organic traffic.

Does SEO Still Work 2021?

So is SEO still a good investment in 2021, and beyond?! Short answer: YES! SEO is more important than ever! It is still one of the most powerful digital marketing strategies that drive long-term results.

Does SEO Still Work 2021?

Is SEO worth it in 2021?

How much does SEO cost in 2021?

In 2021, SEO costs for local campaigns will average around $1,000 per month, while nationally focused SEO campaigns will cost between $2,500 – $7,500 per month on average. The cost of SEO services varies depending on the complexity of the keywords and the services included.

Is it worth investing in SEO?

SEO is beneficial if you have the right strategy in place and work with partners who know how to get results. About 93% of online experiences start with a search engine, and the SEO lead closing rate is much higher than traditional marketing. So, SEO provides an impressive return on investment (ROI).

Will SEO be replaced by AI?

AI will completely change SEO as we know it. From optimization to link building, it will have a significant impact on every aspect of SEO. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more sophisticated, search engine optimizers will have to adapt.

Will SEO be affected by increasing artificial intelligence? However, it is likely that over time, AI-based SEO solutions will increasingly react independently or at least semi-autonomously to modifications. In short, it’s clear that AI will be a big part of the SEO market, and likely sooner than expected.

How does AI change SEO?

This technology shift is also driving important changes in search engine optimization (SEO). AI technology is capable of building customized optimization strategies. While the SEO techniques we’ve all learned still serve as the basis for optimization, the changing competitive landscape is prioritizing page one results.

How does AI work in search engines?

Voice search and image search are new AI-enabled search capabilities. AI technologies like NLP have become so advanced that they can actually understand the human voice in real-time, just like when you use the Google Assistant. This AI-powered system can understand your words, then translate them into search results.

Why is artificial influencing important for SEO?

Artificial Intelligence helps businesses increase traffic and rankings and provide users with accurate and relevant results. Google has stepped up its efforts with smart results like rich snippets that provide quick answers to questions that prevent further clicking.

Will AI take over advertising?

HubSpot summarizes an employment study of the possibilities of AI job automation in marketing and other industries. On the one hand, telemarketers are in big trouble; there is a 99% chance their roles will be automated. Advertising salespeople also have a more than 50% chance of losing their jobs because of AI.

Is AI the future of marketing?

AI Shapes Digital Marketing 61% of marketers say artificial intelligence is the most important aspect of their data strategy. 80% of business and technology leaders say AI is already increasing productivity. Today’s AI technology can increase business productivity by up to 40%.

How AI will change advertising?

Today, AI is fast becoming the future of advertising. Advertisers are already using AI to identify and segment audiences, create creatives, test ads, improve ad performance, and optimize spendâ€“all automatically, in real time, at scale.

Why AI is the future of advertising?

With AI-powered tools, marketing teams will be able to automate certain cognitive tasks. They will also be able to see current trends, as well as predict them for the future, helping to ensure the success of their marketing campaigns.

Is Google search powered by AI?

The biggest way search engines use AI is to rank web pages, videos and other content in search results. Google (and other search engines) rely on complex AI to determine how content ranks.

How can I improve my SEO in 2022?

Here are seven ways you can improve your search engine optimization strategy and rankings for 2022:

Optimize your website. …
Target accurate keywords. …
Create longer and better content. …
Track your website traffic. …
Start link building. …
Stay away from black hat SEO. …
Set up a Google My Business profile. …
Conclusion.

Is SEO feasible in 2022? Yes, SEO is valuableâ€“in 2022, in the future, in the past, and always. As long as websites and search engines exist, SEO is necessary. SEO 10 years from now will likely be very different from SEO today, but you should always make sure your website sends the right signals to search engines so you can be found.

How does SEO work 2022?

How Does SEO Work? SEO works by optimizing a website’s content, conducting keyword research, and getting inbound links to increase that content’s ranking and website visibility.

Does SEO still work in 2022?

Will SEO still be relevant in 2022? Yes of course. Although some of the effective SEO tactics in the past have stopped working, SEO continues to evolve. Constantly reinventing itself to try and better match user intent, cutting out ineffective spam tactics to get better.

How Will SEO Change 2022?

By 2022, it is expected that SEO rankings will be more competitive by providing high-quality content that is useful to internet users. Content that simply tries to lure their audience in by linking unnecessary sources will not be as effective as it is today.

Does SEO still work in 2022?

How SEO will change in 2022?

How long does SEO take to Work 2022?

This is a quick answer on how long SEO will take to start working in 2022: At least 6 months. This is quite a long time to see good results from your SEO efforts (if you do it right!). However, 6-12 months is the ideal timeframe as you will see positive gains from your SEO strategy.

Is SEO dead in 2022?

SEO is not dead in 2022. SEO is still a very powerful digital marketing strategy. SEO will continue to change as Google updates its algorithms, but that’s to be expected. If you are considering SEO for your website, now is a good time to start.

How much of a difference does SEO make?

However, the average rate of return is highly dependent on the type of service as well as the industry of the company. For example, technical SEO work (keyword research, title tag rewriting, technical fixes) has an average ROI of 117%, while content-based SEO has an ROI of 748%.

How effective is SEO? SEO can reduce customer acquisition costs on average by 87.41% compared to digital advertising (Terakeet) Due to its low cost barriers, SEO makes acquiring new customers significantly cheaper than other mediums.

Does SEO make a difference?

In short, YES, SEO actually works. The process of fine-tuning your site to load quickly, with clean code and content optimized for your users’ search helps your site have a better chance of ranking well on Google’s search engine results pages.

Is SEO still relevant in 2022?

Is SEO a Waste of time?

Focusing on SEO to increase your traffic at the expense of building a real relationship with your audience is a waste of time. Worse, you never know what SEO mistake you are making unless you acquire some basic SEO skills. You may get penalized for keyword stuffing or bad backlink building.

Is SEO worth it 2020?

Is SEO a waste of money?

SEO is not dead. It’s not a waste of money, if and when done right. The neighbor’s grass is no greener; it’s greener where it’s been watered. If you take care of your website, it will take care of you!

Is there still money in SEO?

The simple answer is that SEO can be a great way to make a decent living, and as long as you have the skills to improve your SEO practices, that’s the limit. Today, there are many ways to make money online: from building an ecommerce website to creating a blog to promote products and services.

Is SEO worth the money?

Does SEO Still Work 2020?

While some traditional marketing methods may become obsolete, SEO will remain in 2020. Whether you invest in SEO early or are just starting out, it can still be a major driver of traffic and leads to your website.

How long does it take SEO to kick in?

SEO RESULTS TIME FRAME â€œIn general, websites can see results within 4 to 6 months.â€ â€“ SEO Mechanic. “Many SEO companies will tell you that it takes 4 to 6 months to start seeing results. That’s generally accurate, but keep in mind â€¦ SEO results grow over time.â€ â€“ Forbes.

Does SEO really matter?

Whether you invest in SEO early or are just starting out, it can still be a major driver of traffic and leads to your website. SEO is especially beneficial for locally focused businesses, those looking to reach more users with their content and businesses hoping to adopt a multichannel approach.

Will SEO become obsolete?

As long as search engine results pages exist, SEO will never be obsolete. As long as algorithms continue to crawl our website, there will always be a need for SEO professionals.

Is SEO still relevant in 2021? So is SEO still a good investment in 2021, and beyond?! Short answer: YES! SEO is more important than ever! It is still one of the most powerful digital marketing strategies that drive long-term results.

Why is SEO dying?

SEO is not dead, it just changes. Sure, the click-through rate is down and Google is constantly adjusting its algorithms, but that’s to be expected. Google has made it so that you can easily target your ideal customers through SEO or paid advertising. It used to be a lot harder before they came.

Is SEO obsolete?

Don’t be fooled: SEO is not dead, but evolved into more than a few years ago. If you’ve been debating whether to invest in SEO for your business or not, read on to find out why SEO isn’t dead – but is really growing – in 2021.

Why does SEO fail?

One of the many reasons startups fail at SEO is the use of the wrong keywords. Choosing the best keywords can be a tiring job especially if you don’t know much about SEO or you are in a very popular niche. Use the keyword research tool for suggestions. Be careful whether you choose short or long tail keywords.

Why is SEO getting harder to do?

Become an Amazing SEO. In short, SEO is difficult because search engines are always changing and updating. It could be anything from Google changing the way it looks on certain types of links, including a major new update to their algorithm, or even recognizing something new as a ranking factor.

Is SEO obsolete?

Is SEO worth it 2020?

Is SEO still relevant in 2022?

Will SEO exist in 5 years?

SEO will not be eliminated in the next five years as social media and search engines will most likely join forces. Facebook has already started to do this: they average more than 1.5 billion searches every day. Twitter has done the same thing; they joined in a partnership with Google.

Does SEO have a future?

The future of SEO will be brand integrity and leveraging partnerships and relationships to build credibility and popularity. The importance of PR and gaining online traction through websites and other media hubs will be invaluable to SEO success.

How long will SEO last?

SEO should show results in a period of 6 to 12 months. By results we mean a measurable increase in traffic and associated leads or conversions.