“You can’t just SEO your website and be done, it’s a forever moving goal post” – Stoney Dogeyter
Is SEO dead or is it alive and kicking?
This has been a debatable topic since quite some time. But let’s face it, SEO is still alive!
On average Google alone experiences over 40 thousand search queries per second, which means 3.5 billion searches in a day and 1.2 trillion per year. That alone should explain that the SEO game is not over yet.
The truth is, SEO has gone through many iterations over the last 30 years. This shows that it is not dead, rather it’s improving. Constantly evolving algorithms may change the way we interact and explore but search engines will always remain a factor to grow online.
Factors that contribute to this doubt:
SEO is not Easy
People doubt SEO and its existence because it is not that easy. They build a website on their own using some SEO techniques, add some links to the site and then sit back to see it rank higher on SERPs.
Sorry, but no magic works here!
Things had been this simple earlier, but in the new age of artificial intelligence, machine learning, voice search and augmented reality, SEO is a little crucial.
SEO and Machine Learning
The IoT is upon us with the smartwatches, automated cars, etc. and time is not far when everything that we own would be connected.
Do we need SEO for internet connected technology?
Yes, it is even more important to optimize a site for machine to machine communication in IoT.
When any internet user scans a page to look for the most relevant results for their needs, machines are forced to look for some contextual clues. Therefore, machines are not replacing the internet rather they are adding to it.
SEO and Voice Search
As per reports, 50% of all searches will be voice-based by 2020. People think this will shoo away search engines, which is not true.
It just changes the way you will have to optimize your business. Long tail keywords and a conversational tone are going to reign supreme as voice search will start taking over.
Do you still doubt, if you need SEO for your business?
Over 80% of Internet Users Access Google
No matter what you type in the Google search bar, it will show some references for almost everything. It is because most of the users access Google to make searches. Therefore, anything that affects Google will affect other search engines too.
75% of Users Resist Scrolling Past the Next Page
The adage “the best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of the Google results” stands true here. Such a big percentage of users do not click to the next page if they do not find what they need on page 1. Instead of going to the next, they type in different keywords and change their query in the search bar.
Over 81% of People Search Online Before Making a Major Purchase
Google is the first place people visit either for reviews or product features before making the final purchase. Imagine the loss your business may bear for not being on top of the Google search results.
18% of Location Based Searches Close Sales in a Day
Google aims to offer the user with the relevant search results. Presently 1 in 5 Google search results refer to a location. Therefore, paying attention to locally relevant search results should be the priority. The user’s interest in the “near me” feature has grown abundantly over the years.
People Need SEO More Than Ever
Technology is constantly evolving and some think it will lead to the death of SEO. The reality is online connectivity today is more important than ever. With endless devices looking for information as fast as possible, brands that are optimized the best will get the most customers.
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