Search Is About to Change in a Big Way | OVBlogger: Blogging and SEO

Search Is About to Change in a Big Way…

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According to Aaron Wall, a well-respected Search Engine Optimization specialist, Google is about to do more than change the algorithm. The now 10-year-old search giant seems to be poised to expect top-notch client experience, rather than keyword density or any of the other familiar aspects we know as SEO.

Here is what Wall said in his SearchNewz article of 9-22-08, entitled, “SEO - Evolution Or Extinction?“

clipped from www.searchnewz.com

Why is this change going to be so different? In the past, the search engines have incrementally updated certain aspects of their algorithms to improve the quality of their SERPs, for example, eliminating the positive effect of Meta tag keyword stuffing which was being abused by spammers. Anyone who has been in the SEO industry for more than a few years probably remembers the chaos and panic when the major search engines stopped ranking websites based on this approach. This time around though, were looking at something much more significant than simply updating an algorithm to favor particular factors or discount others. We are looking at not only a completely new way for search engines to assign value to web pages, but more importantly, a new way for search engines to function.

Scary? Shouldn’t be, if you’re not using Black Hat techniques. Wall sees Google penalizing for paid linking on both sides of the equation and duplicate content becoming invisible. He also goes on to say that local search will become more important as will plain old quality, unique content.

So, is SEO dead? Wall doesn’t think so, and neither do I. Just as with any other change that Google has made, we’ll have to learn to adapt.

This shouldn’t be too tough, if you’ve been putting the good silver out, instead of the every day flatware. Serving our clients and readers well is what it will probably be all about, according to Wall.

And shouldn’t it be, after all? Who wants to search for something and find the same damned thing over and over again on the page? The more I thought about the Howie Schwartz method of just blasting things out into Web 2.0, the more I realized that it’s a huge time sink. It may work now, but I wonder how long the effects will last? If you’re doing throw-away campaigns, I guess it works in the short-run. But…

I encourage you to read the full article to see what Wall sees as Google’s next evolution.

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3 Responses

Monica Yun Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

I believe that by Google updating it’s algorithm every now and then helps to level the playing field between white hat and black hat strategies. Of course this should be a concern to major internet campaigns, as to survive and compete on the search engines, it’s realistic to have some hybrid mix between classic SEO and the black hat voodoo methods. They will always coexist, but if you’re utilizing sound SEO tactics and staying up to date with the next wave of SEO tools and implementing them properly, then the next “Google flush” should be no more than just another minor bump on the road. Good luck to all!

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Palapple Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 10:33 pm

SEO is indeed a cost effective marketing effort when compared to traditional selling. Great post.

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SEOobserver Says:
October 5th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

The Google algorithm must be so complicated by now that it may not be possible for any one person to explain the rank of a search result or to predict the rank of a given URL and search term.

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