With the recent release of Google Instant pundits again pulled out the SEO is dead card. Pretty much anytime Google changes something some journalist who doesn’t understand search marketing or worse, feels threatened by it, gleefully writes about how this will the the straw that breaks the back of search engine optimization (SEO). The reality is that SEO is about understanding the search engines and helping clients succeed within the search world. That requires a degree of adaptability and flexibility.
Over the years, successful SEOs have changed their strategies based on changes not only in Google, but also in Yahoo and, more recently, Bing. A few years ago websites were words on a page, offering lots of written content and maybe a few pictures. With the introduction of blended results things had to change at search optimization companies like Elixir Interactive. Videos , podcasts, even slideshows and images become important elements for both improving rankings and for garnering additional spots in the top 10 results for these newer media sites.
That’s just one example of the evolutionary abilities of companies like Elixir interactive. Data visualization graphics (or even infographs) that map the history of search and elements of the web make it easier to picture this evolution.
Just because Google has once again changed the game, doesn’t mean that the game is over; merely that SEO’s will need to study this new development and create new playbooks in response.