Why SEO wont matter in about 3 years

[benzwm02]

Anyone in interent marketing and SEO knows the internet is not the same as it was 2-3 years ago. Authority sites will soon take over all the top positions and control the majority of the money spent over the internet.

If you dont think this will happen just look back at history..every free market type situation starts with proliferation and ends with consolidation (ie the newpaper industry, auto industry, ect..) A handful of sites will control all the top spots and Google will only cater to these large corporate business (im sure alot of you have already experienced this in adwords)

As 'mom and pop' internet marketers about to lose the majority of your business..what are you going to do about this? I have some ideas but just interested what the warrior community has to say.

(ps if this thread should be in a different area like jv please move it.)

[E. Brian Rose]

Small players will always have a way of making a BIG presence on the Internet, regardless of what the latest algorithm does. SEO skills are great to have, but marketing skills trump all.

[SEOMasters]

Simple answer. Make/create your won authority sites/empires.

Since you are 3 years ahead, why not start now?

[YasirYar]

Originally Posted by benzwm02

Anyone in interent marketing and SEO knows the internet is not the same as it was 2-3 years ago. Authority sites will soon take over all the top positions and control the majority of the money spent over the internet.

If you dont think this will happen just look back at history..every free market type situation starts with proliferation and ends with consolidation (ie the newpaper industry, auto industry, ect..) A handful of sites will control all the top spots and Google will only cater to these large corporate business (im sure alot of you have already experienced this in adwords)

As 'mom and pop' internet marketers about to lose the majority of your business..what are you going to do about this? I have some ideas but just interested what the warrior community has to say.

(ps if this thread should be in a different area like jv please move it.)

Yes this is generally true but the small guy always can use strategies which can beat the big guys at their own game, just because of flexibility.

Also, even though the big companies will flourish more in the future, new tactics will become available which will help the small guy leverage SEO and make good money still.

[sbucciarel]

Search engines are a very small part of my traffic. Google can take their algo and stuff it where the sun don't shine.

[buckz55]

The world is supposed to end in 2012 so your right ,SEO will not matter.

[SEOMasters]

Originally Posted by buckz55

The world is supposed to end in 2012 so your right ,SEO will not matter.

LOL that was fun and yeah right
Was it 2012 or 2212 can't remember

[Dash Evra]

Originally Posted by buckz55

The world is supposed to end in 2012 so your right ,SEO will not matter.

I thought it ended on May 21st 2011 :/

Anyway, to OP: SEO is great and all but you're putting too much emphasis on it. You're talking like it's the only way for the small guys to get free traffic.

I have a weight loss site I started on May 16th of this year and it's been average 500 unique visitors per day and about 1500 daily pageviews for the past 3 months. Guess what? I have done ZERO SEO work and have not paid even 1 cent from advertisement. None of my traffic come from Google or other search engines(unless the person type in my domain name (xxxxx.com) on Google).

It seems like you're concluding the all of us are relying on SEO when that is definitely not the case. How did you come to the conclusion that only big authority website will rank on first page anyway?? If I've learned one thing from Google is that there is no way of telling what they will do next.

[bionictortoise]

The way I see it, that could happen, but then again there will most likely be lots more even better ways to do business. For every problem marketers provide a solution right?

The gurus will look after us. There'll be expensive products on every new problem to be solved, then cheaper and cheaper ones, then free ones.

If you look for things to worry about, you'll find them.

Just don't worry about it!

[Bill_Z]

There will always be keywords and niches that you can target in my opinion. That won't change.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by benzwm02

A handful of sites will control all the top spots and Google will only cater to these large corporate business (im sure alot of you have already experienced this in adwords)

As 'mom and pop' internet marketers about to lose the majority of your business..what are you going to do about this? I have some ideas but just interested what the warrior community has to say.

I must be one of the few that takes a relatively benign view of Google when it comes to SEO. Yes, you CAN pay big money and secure the top PAID spots in the SERPS but, unless Google drastically changes it's entire search algorithm then, IMO, just throwing money at it won't guarantee you'll secure the 10 "free" sports on the page...and it still won't in 1, or 3, or 5, or even 10 years from now.

For what it's worth, I have a website (with just 8 backlinks) the just popped into the number 2 slot for a nice juicy keyword, right above the website of one of the biggest companies of it's kind in the country (which itself was bought out a few years ago by a huge €9 billion (US$12.5bn) multinational with 20,000+ employees).

Assuming they're even aware of it (which they may not be; not everyone views SEO as the be-all-and-end-all), simply being a large business with deep pockets didn't prevent their being bumped down a notch.

Originally Posted by benzwm02

I have some ideas...

What are they?

[Suthan M]

They said in 2003 that seo wont matter in three more years..

then they say it in 2006 that seo wont matter in three more years..

Than, someone else said in 2009 that seo wont matter in the next 3 years..

Now, dont tell me in 2011, its not gonna come for another 3 more years?

darn it..

[YasirYar]

Originally Posted by Suthan M

They said in 2003 that seo wont matter in three more years..

then they say it in 2006 that seo wont matter in three more years..

Than, someone else said in 2009 that seo wont matter in the next 3 years..

Now, dont tell me in 2011, its not gonna come for another 3 more years?

darn it..

Haha! True.

They said the same thing about the world ending soon.. still waiting for that to happen.

[bretski]

This all sounds a lot like Ryan Deiss' sales pitch not too long ago. This isn't the whole sales pitch but I think it's the first ten pages or so paraphrased.

[cashtree]

Originally Posted by Dash Evra

I thought it ended on May 21st 2011 :/

Anyway, to OP: SEO is great and all but you're putting too much emphasis on it. You're talking like it's the only way for the small guys to get free traffic.

I have a weight loss site I started on May 16th of this year and it's been average 500 unique visitors per day and about 1500 daily pageviews for the past 3 months. Guess what? I have done ZERO SEO work and have not paid even 1 cent from advertisement. None of my traffic come from Google or other search engines(unless the person type in my domain name (xxxxx.com) on Google).

It seems like you're concluding the all of us are relying on SEO when that is definitely not the case. How did you come to the conclusion that only big authority website will rank on first page anyway?? If I've learned one thing from Google is that there is no way of telling what they will do next.

I just started a niche in weight loss, any advice? You do all facebook,social book marking or what?

[vikramd]

Short sightedness will lose out always. Someone who registers 100 domains and SEO's 100 mini sites instead of 1 or 2 sites is obviously going to lose.

[ShawnSells]

Originally Posted by E. Brian Rose

Small players will always have a way of making a BIG presence on the Internet, regardless of what the latest algorithm does. SEO skills are great to have, but marketing skills trump all.

Absolutely! If all it took was great SEO skills, then SEO companies would be the biggest earners on the net. But they're not.

I also happen to think Google will end up a more and more like Microsoft, still very big, but less and less relevant.

[Andrei Rotariu]

These are good points you bring up Benz.

I think there is some truth to this.

... BUt.

The internet is different.

The net is full of people. People run the internet. The internet was created by people for people. The majority of the content is created by real people NOT campanies.

Case in point. Wikipedia, youtube, facebook, twitter... hell this very website!

Plus they would be ruining an entire industry. SEO. Do you really think that multi million dollar seo firms will just let this slide away from them?

Do you also think if google, yahoo and bing started feeding us B.S. results that people wouldnt switch to newer search engines with better quality results?

You have to understand that the web and search is all about information. Data. The people that give the best data, will always come out on top. The big boys know this and I doubt they will give up their positions as the best and most relevant.

If and only if there is a total and mass shut down of the web, where by domains and websites are capped with licensing and all sorts of other BS thats the only way i see it happening. And if that happens people will demonstrate, believe me.

[LarryC]

Originally Posted by bretski

This all sounds a lot like Ryan Deiss' sales pitch not too long ago. This isn't the whole sales pitch but I think it's the first ten pages or so paraphrased.

Yes, I watched one of his videos about a month ago and that's exactly what he says. Of course, he was basing a lot of his ideas on other sources, especially an article in Wired Magazine, The Web is Dead.

[MaverickUK]

Oh noes IM is going to die, what ever shall we do?! I'm actually quite surprised that there isn't a link to some sort of article marketing WSO in your signature

[vince04]

This is a good topic..Yeah it has a big difference seoing your handled sites before. IMO, you need to go with the flow of what Google wants. So stick to the techniques that are effective just like you mentioned, creating links on your private authority sites.

[boxoun]

If seo irrelevant than Google irrelevant. They are already losing market share. Their emphasis on brand won't work. I don't want to see best buy or Sony in search results. I can simply go to their site on my own. I feel other people feel same way. With that said, it won't be as easy as it is now. Social media is not the answer either. Who wants to click "like" on getridofherpes.com?

[adammck]

The web will change, but we will change with it, finding different ways to monetise the latest craze.

[ColinChia]

Well, looks like the thread is being defeated by people who know better than to surrender to change... we move with it or we get left behind - simply as that!

One of the fastest growing industries if not 'The Fastest Growing Industry Online' I.M is still in early day's - still many people to get online yet, so no wonder more and more people are looking to making a living online.

SEO is definitely a good place to start, but it's not the END ALL and be ALL of everyone's online strategy - diversify (aka - don't keep all your egg's in one basket)

#Op - would love to hear your ideas tho?

Colin.

[jeffrey73]

This is absolutely SO true. And I'd have to agree that MARKETING SKILLS will always trump traffic techniques.

Originally Posted by ColinChia

SEO is definitely a good place to start, but it's not the END ALL and be ALL of everyone's online strategy - diversify (aka - don't keep all your egg's in one basket)

[boxoun]

I don't think anybody said end all be all. Seo always changes. That's a given. So if I support seo as being relevant, it should be understood as keeping up with changes

I think the question was will seo be dead. Not, is seo the best and only method.

Ps. I take "handful of big business taking over top spot" as op suggesting seo will die.

[yukon]

Why do people post seo threads in the main forum, then it gets moved to the seo forum after a bunch of non-seo people comment?

Might as well have left it in the main forum, with all the build a list threads.

Everyone, has to know what direction an seo thread will go in the main forum.

[paulgl]

Originally Posted by sbucciarel

Search engines are a very small part of my traffic. Google can take their algo and stuff it where the sun don't shine.

You know how many times I check where my sites are in SERPs?
About 5-6 times a year. I don't know where people have the time
to constantly check and freakout like zombies if a site drops a
few spots. Like the world friggin ended. Sites rise and drop.

If people concentrated on attracting and funneling targeted traffic,
not only could they give a rat's hat about google, but google would
probably like them more.

The demise of SEO has been greatly exaggerated for years.

What was happening 10 years ago? People were trying to game
google.

What was happening 3 years ago? People were trying to game
google.

What is happening now? Idiots freaking out on google panda, trying
once again to game google.

What do you think people will be doing 3 years from now? Freaking
out on the Kung Fu Panda III and trying to game google.

Paul

[LiamP]

Originally Posted by benzwm02

Authority sites will soon take over all the top positions and control the majority of the money spent over the internet.

If you dont think this will happen just look back at history..every free market type situation starts with proliferation and ends with consolidation A handful of sites will control all the top spots and Google will only cater to these large corporate business (im sure alot of you have already experienced this in adwords)

As 'mom and pop' internet marketers about to lose the majority of your business..what are you going to do about this?

a) Regarding a handful of sites will take all the top positions. That's like saying because Wal-mart exists, it's impossible to get a great location and make money in retail as a small operator. Completely false.
b) Newspapers and Cars being dying industries. Still plenty of startups in both industries making lots of money today. Just ask Felix Dennis who became a billionaire from publishing, and publishing has been "dying" since the 1920's.
c) All industries change. Plenty of big operators go out of business too. The key is adaptability. Big and small alike.
d) Web use is growing

It's easy to find reasons why the sky is falling, that's what all unsuccessful people do. Successful people concentrate on leveraging the opportunities that always exist.

[John Williamson]

Originally Posted by benzwm02

Anyone in interent marketing and SEO knows the internet is not the same as it was 2-3 years ago. Authority sites will soon take over all the top positions and control the majority of the money spent over the internet.

If you dont think this will happen just look back at history..every free market type situation starts with proliferation and ends with consolidation (ie the newpaper industry, auto industry, ect..) A handful of sites will control all the top spots and Google will only cater to these large corporate business (im sure alot of you have already experienced this in adwords)

As 'mom and pop' internet marketers about to lose the majority of your business..what are you going to do about this? I have some ideas but just interested what the warrior community has to say.

(ps if this thread should be in a different area like jv please move it.)

Is this serious?

Authorities and big businesses do usually take over in our wonderful capitalist marketplace, but this is not necessarily the case in the SERPs. If anything, I'd say G is moving more toward local, personalized results anyway.

[summerfranken]

SEO will continue even after so many worlds changes. So never give up hope that SEO end however there are regular changes day by day in techniques.

[blogworker]

The world is supposed to end in 2012 so your right ,SEO will not matter.

that's fun. but i think, no matter in what time the world will end, we need insist on SEO before the time is real coming. otherwise we cannot live to that end time.

[tjkirgin]

Originally Posted by Bill_Z

There will always be keywords and niches that you can target in my opinion. That won't change.

Always will be niches. Although I think your right somewhat about consolidation by bigger entities.

[JimmyR]

+1 to everyone saying there will always be niches. No doubt it's going to be a lot harder to break into them, with how steeply competition is increasing, but for those who work both harder AND smarter, there will always be a way

[Kael41]

Originally Posted by vikramd

Short sightedness will lose out always. Someone who registers 100 domains and SEO's 100 mini sites instead of 1 or 2 sites is obviously going to lose.

Really, you're kidding right? With over 400 sites, and many of them mini sites that actually provide a good user experience to the end user, I can assure you, since 2004, I'm not in a losing posture.

Here's a protip btw- you can make a minisite an authority site if the niche isn't that filled out. Again the key is providing source material that provides a benefit. I banked big time several years ago just on download sites (win 7 for phones) and those sites were not big at all.

[rowanman28]

I already think SEO doesn't matter. In three years, I should have almost a million friends, followers, and email subscribers, if I do the right things and work hard. I target specific searches, Google will always have a place for those.

[simonbuzz]

I am not scared of authority sites cause with seo everything is possible..and I am currently building 10 authority sites so that I can stay on this business for a long time.

[Becker13]

Originally Posted by buckz55

The world is supposed to end in 2012 so your right ,SEO will not matter.

Will my adsense account still be active though?!?!?!

[katied772]

I think small sites or large authority sites will do equally well. We can draw a comparison from the off-line world. For years brick and mortar stores existed well together. Large and small, there seemed to be plenty for everyone. Then, it seemed they moved in the direction of stores serving particular niches. Where once you might have gone shopping at one giant store and purchased most of your items, gradually we moved to specialty (niche) shops (petite clothing, big and tall shops, kids clothing, toy stores, card shops, sporting goods stores.) And usually these stores didn't vary in their niche offerings. We became convinced that they knew their product and we could get what we wanted there instead of rummaging through the big boxes and maybe coming up with something.
My family owned a specialty candle store throughout the 90's and until 2005. It was located in a large, touristy (Amish) area. For many years the area enjoyed a huge amount of shoppers that spent lots of dollars. When the economy tanked the tourist population declined but we continued to do well. Most of the other shops carried a multitude of items, many imports to keep the costs down. But, this was an area that was known for local-made items. People were not interested in buying the same things they could get at Wal-Mart. We made everything on-premises and the customers could see the process. Our customers came to the area specifically to shop at our store. A specialty, niche store. We started in our garage (small niche) and eventually operated out of 14,000 square feet (large niche.) But, we remained consistent in knowing and producing the same product, just more of it and more variety. So, we became an authority that the customers returned to.
I feel that most of the internet junk will not be out there within 2-3 years and thankfully so. Google is already cleaning it up. People don't want to go to a site and see a bunch of poorly written crap by someone who obviously knows nothing about the niche and has thrown it up to try and make a buck.
I think sites, both large authority or small niche authority will thrive and do even better as the junk is eliminated. The Web will not be as crowded but will contain small and large authority sites with quality content put there by someone who knows their subject and cares that the reader learns from that knowledge. And, they will make money, not by manipulating the search engines but with valuable content. Success may come slower but will be lasting.

[HenryW]

I seriously doubt that SEO will not matter in 3 years. Yes things will probably change significantly, but there will always be plenty of opportunities for the smaller guys.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by Bill_Z

There will always be keywords and niches that you can target in my opinion. That won't change.

Precisely. What makes the premise of the OP absurd is that it isn't even possible for a page or a site to target every single keyword in a niche so it will not be only the big sites dominating all search results.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by rowanman28

I already think SEO doesn't matter. In three years, I should have almost a million friends, followers, and email subscribers, if I do the right things and work hard. I target specific searches, Google will always have a place for those.

You best get to converting all those friends into email optins.

A day will come when Facebook = Myspace.

[CreekChub]

Originally Posted by paulgl

You know how many times I check where my sites are in SERPs?
About 5-6 times a year. I don't know where people have the time
to constantly check and freakout like zombies if a site drops a
few spots. Like the world friggin ended. Sites rise and drop.

If people concentrated on attracting and funneling targeted traffic,
not only could they give a rat's hat about google, but google would
probably like them more.

The demise of SEO has been greatly exaggerated for years.

What was happening 10 years ago? People were trying to game
google.

What was happening 3 years ago? People were trying to game
google.

What is happening now? Idiots freaking out on google panda, trying
once again to game google.

What do you think people will be doing 3 years from now? Freaking
out on the Kung Fu Panda III and trying to game google.

Paul

Couldn't have said it better myself. Bravo!