Is SEO Dead?
Brett Sutherlin
Lexus | Toyota | Subaru | Dealer Principal. Dealership Technology Expert.
- Is Search Engine Optimization dead?
- My thoughts on the subject
Is Search Engine Optimization a thing of the past? Google My Business if done correctly can generate more traffic than you can imagine. Is there still a need for you to buy Search Engine Optimization? I have always felt that SEO salespeople did not sell a real tangible thing of value; it was more an idea than anything else. And in today's environment, if your website isn't ranking on Google then it's your problem and you should change website providers immediately! No website company should be allowed to sell a site that is not equipped to grow organically, so I am here to tell you one simple truth about Search Engine Optimization: It's dead.
- With all of Google's updates, SEO not an important strategy anymore. It does not make sense to pursue SEO as a marketing channel. I have always felt that SEO salespeople were selling more of an idea than they were something tangible. In today’s environment and with all the changes that Google continually makes, it is no longer necessary. If you are using a website that is not lightning fast, is not on a secure URL, does not have the proper URL structure to index, you have a website problem not an SEO problem. Google has leveled the playing field when it comes to websites and what is possible. The things that worked 2-3 years ago will now get you blacklisted from Google. Things such as Keyword stuffing, generating thousands of pages through word scrambling. It has leveled the playing field.
Google has also changed the way in which it ranks sites, looking more closely at user experience and how users interact with a site. How does Google rank websites? It is no longer about keyword density or what number of keywords you have on your page. The ranking factors that are now being used are based on website performance metrics such as site speed and looking for original content. If you have the basics covered that I mentioned above, you should rely on content creation, this works. It is a long play game but if done correctly you should see steady gains monthly. If you are looking for immediate traction, learn to optimize your Google My Business account. This platform is pure gold and can generate instant traffic.