SEO: “The Reports of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated” 

Have you ever heard one of those popular rumors, but no one knows where they originate from, almost like a conspiracy theory? The reports of SEO’s obsolescence stem from similar rumors. No one knows who started spreading these rumors or why but they continue to live on. 

What we do know, though, is the reason behind the onset of the rumors of SEO’s death. 

SEO has been an essential online marketing tactic since the advent of search engines. It has played an important role in developing the search engine world as we know it today. 

From helping searchers find relevant information to propelling entire businesses toward online success, SEO has evolved in its capacities over time. Today, you cannot think of building and running a successful website without considering search engine optimization. That’s how critical SEO has become for modern businesses. 

So, if SEO is as crucial as this, what’s with the news of its death? 

The reports of SEO’s death have been circulating for quite a while now. Each year online marketing individuals and businesses assume this would be the last year of SEO’s popularity. 

SEO surprises them every time by not dying but growing in importance instead. 

The rumors of SEO’s obsoletion originated when search engines like Google introduced paid (Pay per click or PPC) ads. Organic ranking shrunk with the coming of PPC ads and continued to shrink as these ads grew. 

People thought since Google makes money through PPC ads, it would continue prioritizing them in the search engine space. Eventually, they believed, Google would wipe out organic rankings completely, replacing all organic listings with paid ads. 

The belief that organic rankings are going away led to the idea that SEO will die as well because no one will need SEO when there are no organic listings to compete for. 

And this is just one of the reasons why the rumors of SEO’s death originated and spread. There are a couple more reasons why even today, when search engine giants are evidently passionate about their organic ranking algorithms, some people continue to believe in SEO’s futility and eventual demise. 

The reality, however, is far from what people believe. 

SEO isn’t dead. Nor is it about to die anytime soon. And all the talk about its obsolescence? Well, they are only rumors not grounded in reality. 

Search engine users trust organic rankings more than paid ads. If three paid ads appear at the top in response to a search, with the fourth listing being organic, most users will scroll down to the fourth listing instead of clicking any one of the first three ads. 

Now, if search engines wipe all their organic listings, replacing them with paid ads, do you think people will still use that search engine? Not likely. And search engines are aware of it. So, the idea that paid ads will replace organic listings is highly unlikely. 

And if organic listings will stay, so will SEO. This is why it is safe to say that SEO isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The reports of its demise are as authentic as those of Mark Twain’s death that started circulating when he was alive and well. 

Landau Consulting, a NJ SEO company, offers consulting in internet marketing and SEO services and has created this infographic explaining and addressing a couple more reasons that instigated the rumors of SEO’s death. The infographic also has some tips to help you win at SEO that will continue to live on for as long as people continue to turn to Google, looking for answers. So, check it out!

Leave a Comment