As Nathan Safran aptly wrote in one of his most recent blog posts for Search Engine Land, the Penguin algorithm update left many SEOs with something of an existential crisis. With everyone struggling to define what SEO has become, the industry is sitting at the entrance to the “intersection of liberal arts and technology” – a reference to Steve Jobs (digital Einstein and Apple billionaire).The transition means that SEOs are having to utilise both the left and right side of their brain – the logical, analytical AND the creative, intuitive hemispheres.
You’ll have to excuse my cliché analogy, but SEO is a recipe. Its overall success is determined by its ingredients. Search professionals are like the chefs that appear on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen. We’re all looking (and cooking) to try and impress the numero uno in the kitchen (or in this case, on the Internet). For a long time search specialists were of the persuasion that Google was our master- the Gordon Ramsay of the Internet. We are now waking up to the fact that we are all slaves to the online consumer.
SEO 3.0
In this new industry era, SEO professionals are constantly making reference to conversion-oriented B2B campaigns, content marketing strategies and technical offsite and onsite optimisation. All of these plans are ultimately directed at searchers.
So what do search professionals need to know about searchers?
- They are mighty in number. According to 2013 stats released by Search Engine Journal, 82.6% of Internet users are savvy search engine patrons. Together, these users conduct over 100 billion global searches a month. That’s a lot of search queries!
- They put their money where their mouth is. MarketingCharts released a report showing that 39% of customers come from search. This is partly why the search engine industry is worth more than $16 billion.
- Even searchers have gone green (in the technical sense). Search Engine Journal recently made reference to the fact that 70% of the links search users click on are organic.
- PPC has its place. While 70-80% of users ignore paid ads, they do admit to occasionally clicking on sponsored search results.
- Personalised shopping is preferred. 49% of consumers surveyed in the US and the UK have revealed that they don’t mind relinquishing personal data to trusted retailers in exchange for a personalised shopping experience. The reason behind this assent is that the vast majority of people enjoy being shown content that is both relevant and appealing to them.
In SEO, quality, targeted content has become everything. In the wise words of Thomas Schonenberger, senior search engine specialist and CEO of MediaVision Interactive, “where content was king, quality content is the new ruler.” Getting back to my recipe analogy – bakers measure and refine their different ingredients to make a cake. Likewise, search engine optimisers need to utilise and balance all the ingredients at their disposal to reach the vast number of searchers that begin and end their online experiences with a search engine.
In the eyes of the consumer, SEO doesn’t have the best reputation. Most individuals still associate the industry as a gang of blackhat tricksters who enjoy spray painting the Internet with spam and poor content. This is because, for a long time, search engine bots and website visibility were the be all and end all of SEO. More than ever in 2013 however, search professionals are forced to appeal to their audiences – the HUMANS examining the results appearing in the SERPS. Our industry has moved away from the type of spammy backlink building and keyword stuffing that was previously acceptable.
A New Year’s Resolution for SEOs
I’ve always thought New Year’s resolutions were for punks, but if ever there were a time to resolve to merge content and data SEO tactics – 2013 is it. In an Internet era where quality is king, let’s strive to deliver the highest standard of industry professionalism and skill to our clients.
The Dawn of the New SEO Professional – Optimiser Supreme and Creative Genii
