Is the "SEO Specialist" about to go the way of Ol' Bessie?

Pretty much, yeah.

It's impossible to create an "ungameable" search engine because as long as search engines rely on algorithms, then there will be ways to artificially make a page conform to the elements that the algorithms place positive weight on.

But this will increasingly be very very difficult, as sophisticated search algorithms can reduce the effect of fake backlinks to just about zero.

I think that the definition of an "SEO specialist" will change. Rather than the title being a redundant relic of the past it will simply represent something different.

The game is getting harder, things that were specialist in the past can now be automated that is true.

I think what would have been known as an SEO expert or Guru will now drop down to the "SEO specialist" level.

True search engine optimisation takes much more than just using a set of tools or even just building some links. It is an overall plan, a craft and a system of operating.

That's the case with many things - people don't pay you because what needs doing is complicated - they pay you because it's only easy when you know what you're doing and how to effectively do it.

I've had many clients insist on paying me for things which I told them repeatedly they can do for themselves.

Take Google business listings - they're free, quick and easy to set up and I've helped many small businesses make thousands of dollars in new business before their website was even finished just by creating a business listing for them.
When I told them exactly how to do it they say "no, I don't have time to think about it - I'd rather just leave it to you so I can think about my business instead".

SEO has never been difficult - Once you understand the subject it's just a case of building yourself a strategy of actions that you can take on a regular basis with some understanding of what to expect from doing them.

Many "SEO experts" are just newbies who have a shallow understanding of the subject and leveraged mass action tools to use a shotgun where only a hammer should be needed.

The real problem that's now occuring is that the people relying on spamming tools and automated SEO have got to the end of that road because even though they knew they were playing the system, they were hoping they'd never get caught. Now their lack of real understanding shines through and they can't get results.

People who properly understand the business of seo are more in demand than ever now as thousands of businesses that got slapped by Googles changed are finding out that their "expert" really didn't know what they were doing, or was just lazy and using tools to do a less valuable job of something they were being paid to do properly.

SEO experts are more valuable than ever now - there are just less of them because "I used to be able to get results" is not enough to make you an expert.

Actually no matter how you put it you are hopelessly confusing SEO specialists with SEO service provider which can and has meant just about anyone that says they are an SEO.

Lets face it - the reason that so many people on this board are jumping up and down claiming SEO is dead or SEO specialists are going away is because what THEY know of SEO got hit to siberia by Penguin , deindexing and unnatural link penalties.

But lets call a spade a spade. What did most people on this board call SEO before these so called changes? Lets see - Blasting and spinning articles , buying links on link farms (otherwise known as rental blog networks) and either running software that churned out nonsense links and content or hiring someone from a WSO offering said service.

Thats about it. Now if you claim the world is full of and only about chocolate and the last piece of chocolate is swallowed and concluded with a burp by a fat kid with freckles and chubby cheeks, of course its time to put on the black suits, follow the hearse, stand over the grave site looking down at a big empty bag of M&Ms and sing Amazing Grace but no sorry

There are TON loads of SEOs that never relied on those techniques and that didn't have to change a thing over this year. So all this huge "changes" mantra was for those frankly who were doing things WE ALL knew Google was going after eventually. They told us that FOR YEARS.

I'm quite surprised you have been allowed to get away with this statement without dissent. Where is this mysterious "five minutes of your time" traffic technique? Frankly you are making it up - Conjured it out of thin air and yet you claim that theres not only one but LOTs. There are in fact NONE unless you are counting WSOs Claims in which case infinite is a closer representation.

Doing social right takes a lot of time. Getting organic links that people are willing to give you for great content is massively more time consuming. If you are talking syndication that too requires more than a five minute article if you want the right people to pick it up and run with it. Buying traffic still requires a "specialist" or two to operate. So what in the world you are talking about I have no idea whatsoever.

I guess I missed the breaking news story where Google, Yahoo and Bing went out of business. Every last one of them ranks sites by an algorithm and as long as there is a sophisticated algo listing sites there will be specialists in abundance to attempt to decipher it. You are once again making things up out of thin air. There is no switching of formats. People are still using search engines by the billions and will for the foreseeable future. Google is not conceding its services as a waste of time. They are merely building new factors by which to rank sites in their index.

Social is usually what people have in mind when they write such things but its too shallow and short sighted. Google will never rank sites ONLY on how many fans, likes or followers you have. They will always have layered approach with multiple signals. Again as long as there are different factors and layers specialists will thrive. If Search engine companies ever try to simplify it the days of automation software would be back in force creating those signals.

Any which way you look at it what you are suggesting on the facts are kinda weak.

Quite a few SEO companies around my neighbourhood, and also prominent link networks got hit hard .. and many went down the pan, closed their doors as customers fled. Those putting all their services into one basket and couldn't adapt packed in. So I agree with you that SEO is switching to a more holistic approach.

Exactly. I've been saying this for a while now - (most) link builders are not SEOs.

Or they are just giving up instead choosing to chase some new rainbow until they find that doesn't have a pot of gold waiting for them there either . Warm up the WSOs.

Lets face it - people are proclaiming SEO is dead merely on the basis that what is alive and kicking takes hard work or cash and they don't want to spend either. It s like a man telling his wife he can't cut the lawn anymore because the riding lawn mower keeps breaking down. Well um go buy a new one that doesn't or pull out the one you push. Cutting lawns isn't dead because you can't turn a key and ride your old and familiar riding lawn mower anymore.

Great point Yukon. I had missed the sig. So apparently people won't need SEO specialists but they will need "Web strategists" for the thing that takes 5 minutes to do :rolleyes:

Forgive me by posting late and on a short schedule, the link was merely so I didn't have to re-type all of the stuff I had JUST written.


I should have put this thread in the SEO section from the beginning, and that's my fault. I can admit that. It was late, I was tired, I had work in the morning, things happen.

I'm trying to position that SEO isn't just for the sake of SERPs like so many people believe, and I don't know why you're trying to disagree with that. My position, which wasn't part of the OP is that true SEOs do more in terms of Web Strategy then limiting themselves to the layman's definition of "SEO".

No, in fact you'll find that I am very much so open to debate and opposition when given the chance. Thus the creation of this thread. What I am not open to is being criticized repeatedly by person(s) who don't understand the point of view that I'm looking from, and make no effort to see the other side.

That, is clearly what has me upset.

This is actually a REALLY good, succinct way of explaining SEO, and I never thought of it that simplistically before. I like it.

Again, very good example. What do you think of Google saying that they have to factor in social more though? I don't have a link to an exact article, but I remember reading that they said something along the lines of "Google cannot ignore the social phenomenon and is looking for more ways to implement that in it's search capabilities"

You're very right, if Google had based their algorithm heavily on MySpace there would have been a pretty gigantic hole in the ground. But do you think there are some social sites that will be around long enough for Google to trust more effectively?

It makes sense, that you say Google factors in something much more permanent and will always do so. But do you see a possibility that the web as a whole becomes even more social and the power of individual (nonsocial) websites loses the battle?

I completely disagree. In some niches, sure. People socially link to and talk about products and services.

However, I've never seen someone provide a link on Facebook to their favorite laptop, the used car dealership they just got their car from, their orthodontist, or the notary down the street.

I have seen them link to their local bar, a beer they really like, a dog park in their neighborhood, and their favorite place to get sushi from. Those kind of niches I can see social playing a role in, but even then, social media is better at attracting direct traffic than anything to do with SEO.

Of course not, but there's also no reason to act like search is going to completely evolve into something based on social factors either and ignore 'pure SEO'.

You are always on some anti SEO or alleged SEO guru "salesman" rant. Whose selling anything in this thread? Comparing search engines to a buggy is silly . The whole argument is silly. One hundred years from now will people want to be social? Of course. One hundred years from now will people want to search and find information of interest to them? Well of course. One will never replace the other

If you ammend that to say people don't link to garbage like they used to then fine but people link plenty enough to run a search engine. If they didn't then how is Google still working to day?

This whole "social is taking over all of the interne" is like a product launch. some of you get so caught up in the hype you can't see the obvious. Lets test this out

Need to find information about Shakespeare's early life to write a paper. going to turn to social signals on Facebook? I mean seriously the guy that is the top specialist in early life of shakespeare gets how many likes for that knowledge? lol. If Ladyy Gaga writes a song about being in love with a young handsome shakespeare she will blow him out of the water.

Want to make sure you have the right licenses and meet legal requirements starting a new business in your city. going to turn to Twitter signals?

Want to consult with your friends about what cancer treatments would be safe for you?

the reality is that there are a pile of things maybe even most things where the masses just get it wrong or don't know what in the world they are talking about

The day that Google switches to mainly social signals like you claim is the day Bing celebrates.

Its actually funny though to see people who argue that thanks and post counts don't mean that the person who has them knows what they are talking about turn right around and figure that those same kinds of signals would be a better way to search and find accurate information.

Just saying. Oh the irony. LOL.

P.S. If social signals are so great for ranking content why doesn't every body turn to Digg's most popular content every morning to get the world's best written articles. Or does anyone believe this was the best article of August 8th on the internet ?

http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/8/317...s-body-hackers


Really? Number one?

So tell me how Google has built planned obsolescence into their business plan.

No offense, but I think you're trying to apply that quote to a scenario that doesn't exactly satisfy the conditions. Economics and search engines don't really coincide. That's like saying "Oh, the dictionary is going to become obsolete eventually" the dictionary will pretty much always be the same basic format. Word: Definition.

Apples to Oranges.