Shoe great post. Its about time someone had the balls to say it. I doubt the snake oil SEO industry will die anytime soon though

Nope, I’m afraid you’re absolutely dead wrong on this. There IS a future for SEO, because:
- loads and loads of webdevelopers don’t know what they’re doing, creating all sorts of technical problems SE’s can’t handle, and they can’t find
- SEO is also about optimizing for the RIGHT keywords, and most clients don’t even know what the right keywords for them are
- etc. etc. etc.

Basically, SEO is way more then what you just described, and companies have, and will always have, a need for the kind of advice good SEO’s give. The fact that a lot of people who CALL themselves SEO’s use all sorts of shortcuts and think that’s what SEO is, doesn’t make it true

I slightly disagree with you, Jeremy — because:
* Google is now looking at new ways of organizing the web. As SEO-ers learn exactly what Google uses to rank and determine relevancy, SEO-ers wil be able to combine all of these aspects into helping one individual site. (It’s not just as simple as anchor text and title tags.)
* Also, since users are going to able to help decide what site deserve to be at the top, SEO-ers are going to need to learn good copywriting skills — that means effective, persuasive advertising.

I wouldn’t say “SEO has no future” — instead, “Great SEO-ers will certainly be needed in the future.”

SEO has a future. But the way SEO is right now may not have a future. SEO is going to evolve as the internet changes. The practices of keyword optimization and descriptions may not be around in 5 years because the whole entire way we search for things online will probably change. Change is always a constant that must be considered.

an interesting point of view on a very controversial subject. we’ll see what happens

As far as I see it the traditional onsite-seo only has a future when it comes to getting rid of problem areas of a site.

The rest is about link building - until the day Google drops using inbound links for the rankings. I don’t see that day coming any time soon though.

Was the page that was completely noindex nofollow also blocked in robots.txt so that Google couldn’t see the noindex nofollow?

I’ve had an idea rolling around in my head for awhile and wonder what you (or anyone else out there) thinks about it.

I’ve been thinking one strategy besides trying to make the next insanely popular blog is to write ebooks that are in blog format (no pdf stuff) and earn revenue from advertising/affiliates. The blog-ebooks would have very good content and would likely withstand the test of time. Write one and you’re done and perhaps update it once a year. When you’re done with one book, continue onto the next one.

I dunno…. all I know is it’s a pain in the neck to maintain 20 or so blogs and the idea of focusing on ONE writing project at a time seems very appealing - and… in the long run would probably bring the most traffic and moola.

I absolutely disagree with you on this one, Jeremy. As an SEO who has been working since 1999, SEO is crucial. As more people become involved through social media and more websites pop up, the ethical and real SEOs will be needed to cut thru the clutter and help the search engines (and Google is NOT the only one out there) classify sites into the proper categories.

“Please keep in mind I am not a professional SEO and have never claimed to be. My opinions above are purely based on my experiences.”

Shouldn’t that have been the first thing in the post? It would help your visitors, especially new ones to your site realize that this post isn’t based on actual SEO experience.

Not to say you’re completely off. The techniques will definitely change over time but people will be gaming Google (or any other system that can be gamed for profit) until we all go extinct.

And it makes more sense to rely more heavily on user data with regards to sitelinks.

They may be going towards using user behavior more but it’s easily gamed just like everything else. If SEO dies we’ll just be called something else. Besides, isn’t that guy trademarking SEO…we have to come up with a new name anyway.

There are core talents that will always keep some SEOs employed:

- Keyword research - This is just an online form of market research and will always be valuable. What marketer doesn’t want to know their users information needs?

- New Technology and The Bleeding Edge - For the foreseeable future there will be a delta between what the web can do and what SE’s can crawl. SEO’s know where the line is right now for images, videos, flash and JS.

- Buying Cycles - Good SEOs know how search fits into an overall marketing plan and buying process. They know what stages users utilize search engines and why. They can then create pages to accommodate these parts of the search cycle.

I like both positions on this subject. I don’t think SEO will be completely erased. If you leave it up to the people you get chaos, simply because we are malicious. Besides SEO includes building quality content too. But you know more industry people than I do, so maybe you have some inside info?

Thanks for good information. User experience is overwritten by SEO work. If 1000 users comes to a page for a specific keyword and exists within a fraction of a sec, Google knows that info and conclude as bad landing page giving very low ranking. On the other hand if they spend more time, then probably good landing page.

I agree Jeremy. In fact I wrote a blog post with a very similar theme. Ignore Search Engine to Get to the Top of the SERPs.

It talks about how when I built my first site I didn’t even know what SEO was and I still built a site that ranks well.

SEO certainly has a strong future developing their client’s websites so that in search results the rankings are what they deserve. It’s difficult for the new webmaster and they need someplace to turn.

What a suprise. All the SEO’s disagree… *SHOCKER*

I am not an SEO

Now that’s a clever linkbait, Shoe. I’m sure you’ll get some attention in the hundreds of SEO bloggers for this one.

I think the best SEO practice that will always rank you well and bring you loads of traffic is to write good content, that gives value to the user. All the SEO tricks that give you a overnight top position are just spikes in your traffic and will never provide a steady income.

SEO will evolve just like PPC & Affiliate Marketing has evolved. I think you define “SEO” a bit more narrowly than many in the SEO Industry and that is why we seem to have these periodic discussions on your blog :.)

Awesome link bait in what is apparently a sensitive industry. I disagree with you, but do see you getting a bunch of links out of this post.

You master baiter you!

keyboards have no future either. soon we’ll be using temporal lobe implants. but in the meantime, im going to have to use my keyboard. especially because i have no idea how else i could take pictures of myself with adsense checks, as i have no original ideas.

http://www.shoemoney.com/2007/02/09/calacanis-plays-seo-people-like-a-fiddle/

I have subscribed to your RSS feeds not too long ago and this was the article where I can’t sit back and hold my thoughts to kick in.

When was/is/will be SEO always the same?! Technology evolves, big Gs algorithms are improved and tweaked very often. And this is all a game as someone before me has mentioned it. Every SEO guru/guy is going after the SEs trends.

And that one the toolbar thinggy that was really funny I was laughing with that one. lol. Sorry but I couldn’t hold it. So if big G bases it’s SERPs on toolbars do you think the whatever can be called guys will not beat the system? It will be the best thing and the easiest one to beat if they will actually base their SERPs on the toolbars. Which I am 100% they will definitely NOT do it. Alexa is the best example of the biggest failure on this case. Anyone knows that Alexa’s rank can be improved while sleeping

It was a good article where we could give our opinion btw. But your disclosure states it all. So let’s see if you are good at prophecies…

sad to see SEO go away so fast but there will be better things in our future to come

Nice flame bait Shoe. ;D

You’d have a better time arguing the needless existence of PPC agencies, but they’re still thriving as well. As long as they’re around I think SEO will endure too.

I’m trying to exorcist Calacanis out of this blog right now

The sooner everyone realizes this the better for me!

Yep, linkbait !

I think the problme you have jeremy is that you definine SEO as title tags and meta-keywords and nothing else. SEO is site structure, link development, content syndication, social media, and feeder networks. So the guy that calls you and wants to “SEO” your site, now maybe that guys in trouble.

But you need to realize that ‘your world’ is not the world that other small businesses operate. You might be able to go out and get dug, appear on radio shows, etc but the guy selling nail guns still relies heavily on SEO and that won’t change. Sure, some things won’t be as effective but SEO wasn’t dead when you couldn’t keyword stuff pages anymore. It just changes. But 99% of the people out there don’t know SEO anyways so it’s not like it’s widespread abuse.

The future of SEO is:

- as a mechanic (fixing redirects, cleaning up code, site structure etc)
- developing popular and engaging content, which as Shoe said, will drive more toolbar and analytics love.

PS. Why do you keep talking about this? What do you care if SEO is alive or dead.

You’re dead wrong Shoe. Change is inevitable; however, SEO will always be a part of the search landscape. Albeit, it will evolve and look different 5 years henceforward than what it is today. As an SEO, Google will be giving me love for a long long time my friend.

I think I agree with Dave on this one. How can you think of SEO a constant when its a ever evolving entity. Search Engine Optimization is exactly that and will always have its place. (As long as there are search engines)

the most important is still the content of the blogs. If you get people coming back over and over again because of the content then the main goal is achieved. SEO is only one step on this path.

I still feel that SEO has good future and SERP rankings can be well manipulated by White hat SEO companies. Its different minds thinking different. That’s it.

I think everything about the internet is constantly changing and evolving. I’m not an SEO expert and I’m not sure what it’s future is. Of course Google is going to be trying to stay a step ahead of everyone and contantly tweaking things.
~Terry

Toolbars and social networking sites where users can vote and tag posts(in some cases) could be used easily to bias the search engines. SEO may change its form but still would be valuable.

This post sure has stirred up a bit of a hornets nest. The bottom line is that SEO is anything but an exact science…..you can on-page optimize to the teeth, have loads of links, social media votes, etc, etc but to get consistent results is nigh impossible. Maybe using the phrase Search Marketing instead of SEO would be more apt?

Hey Jeremy,

You are right for 95% I think. Eventually all SEO wannabe’s en poor performing companies will fade away. Because good SEO is becoming harder and harder. Only the people who really get it and are looking for the edges and who aren’t afraid to step over some guidelines will prevail.

Thanks for your contribution. Though I hate to say it - I believe you are dead right. SEO will always be that one step behind SEs, it’s a race SEO simply cannot win. However, as some of the postings indicate (e.g. nonsense sitelinks - an observation I have made myself, too - etc.), it remains to be seen, whether this does any good to the users.
Rgds Coach

I am sorry to say it - but I think SEO really has no chance. It will always be that step behind, it’s a race it will never win.

[...] No future in SEO? What do you think will happen in the next 5 years? This is what Jeremy of Shoemoney.com said about his opinion for SEO: http://www.shoemoney.com/2008/05/07/seo-has-no-future/ [...]

future of seo is not that good…thats why seo needs to learn conversion optimization and web usability

SEO is not going to be dead, it’s just going to change a lot.

nice link bait jeremy hehe

I linked to it with my own point of view with it good post though

According to me SEO just means that getting your site well included in Google .

My prediction , just the rules will change .

I agree with your basis for the future; however, I disagree with SEO going away anytime in the foreseeable future. Webmasters are a stuborn group and they will cling to SEO like a security blanket. It may become less effective but it will remain for a long time.

How can you say that SEO has no future??? I see that my job has evolved immensely over the last 7 or so years and so has the techniques and rules to SEO. 7 years ago I could easily build a site with loads of spam content and get it ranking in the top 5 in a few weeks.

Now things have changed, I am looking for long term solutions, concentrating more on users than Search Engines, does that mean I no longer do SEO!??! Maybe its a Job title change then!

I may be concentrating on User experience and usability but I still apply basic or best practice SEO to all the sites I work on.

In my opinion SEO has changed, but like everything you have to evolve to stay on top of the game.

If webdesigner knew what they we’re doing there would be no need for SEO, but a lot of them just don’t care (my experience with a lot of web designers in Belgium). Same with usability.

There is a future for SEO, but Google (or the next google) will always change the rules of the game. SEO is more and more Social Media Optimization (SMO or whatever). So i don’t totally disagree with you.

Anyway, nice linkbait. Like your blog.

[...] guru shoemoney wrote a blog post saying that SEO is on its way out. Your lips to God’s ears, Jeremy.  I have always thought that the vast majority of SEO was [...]

Seo is accesibility, usability, informatión arthitecture, meta keywords, meta description, link building and much more..

Have to agree with your points……

Shoe you are wrong ….
Only if SE will disapear then SEO has no future (this it might happe n but not very soon)

As long there is Matt Cutts there is SEO.

I do not see Matt Cutts quiting anytime soon, unless his MiniMe Adam Lasnik stages a coup d’état.

This is a really interesting post…head hurts

Agreed. As someone who leads interactive strategy for one of america’s largest consumer goods companies, I focus zero effort on SEO. Great content will win in the end. Whatever you do to engineer bette search results will ulitmately be less successful than creating compelling experiences consumers want.

I just wonder if it is possible to create a web policy regulating manipulation of seo?

That’s true, partially, and that’s good because Google can at the end of the day, say which stuff is good and which is spam. I think that CEO is partially part of the spam days we have in the net. And we should all try to battle against that spam because the masses are coming into the net so we have to offer them a cleaner world.

because every business should do their own marketing across all mediums…

good link bait but stupid post. idiotic, even.

I think you must write a good contents to build links,an instants pouring links will not life long.You wrote a great posts Shoe,thanks.

lol shoe … nice try … but this is an “old shoe” ;P

in a lot of ways, SEO has always been social media optimization.

search is not a simple table lookup, in that the searches being performed actually influence the pages that are being searched. in this respect search is a conversation and not a reference like a dictionary or encyclopedia.

links are votes of approval on the web. votes/recommendation have always been an important part of search. if you look at video sites and social bookmarking/news, this is just a new approach to determining authority and recommendation.

while my current job title might be an in-house SEO, i don’t necessarily see my role as limited to the scope you obviously do. i see my career path as a web analyst and web optimizer, someone who has a complete grasp of the web experience from the technology side, user side and business side- which is i’m sure what you consider yourself.

[...] to Shoemoney, SEO has no future. I do not always agree with him, but in this case, he is dead right. Let me pull on my flame [...]

Gentlemen, start your clickbots!

[...] for context, moreover, that’s resulting in the death knell conventional, formulaic SEO. As Shoemoney illustrates, conventional SEO is doomed because the Google definition is does overlap with is the one for spam: [...]

If there is no future for SEO which mean no point for us to work so hard to climb in the top rank,right?

Nice linkbait post, way to get buzz.

Think more and more companies need to put more emphasis on UX, good content, etc to get natural links than throwing shit at the wall and see what stick…
this post is one great proof of how great content/viral content can attract links and traffic..

[...] for visiting!SEO isn’t a dying industry, it’s an evolving industry. I think that Greg and Shoemoney make good points, but I disagree with their overall impression of SEO’s future. Yes, the Search [...]

Very interesting post. Great comments too. First time to this blog. Trying to learn more about marketing. Thanks.

Yikes ShoeMoney. Let me remind some people out there that ‘true’ SEO is a philosophy. It’s not the act of just changing title tags and meta information and building links through traditional means. SEO extends way beyond that and now includes: UI design, UX, site architecture and crawlability, information presentation & management, mobile synergy, blog synergy, print/online synergy and much more.

I feel as though a lot of people are way behind when it comes to current SEO. It’s posts like this that remind me that a lot of people are behind and that’s ok. I don’t expect someone who’s core competency is not in SEO to understand what we do. Just like I don’t understand completely what you do ShoeMoney.

I have to disagree with you 100% on this.
Yes, web spam is cheating to get higher results.. but thats not SEO.
SEO is the process of eliminating common mistakes that are keeping a site from reaching its potential.
I am happy that so many people dismiss persuing solid SEO practices as a worthwhile endeavour… that lets me take out most competition rather easily with NON blog sites.

Hey - if someone wants to build a site wrong, more power to you. I’m sure your competition won’t mind that your “head” area is bigger than their entire site :p

SEO has a future, but definitely it will not be the same as it is today. It is going to evolve of course. Same thing if you look into the past… SEO of 1999 to 2003 had no future which was only stuff keywords here and there. But evolved into something else. Probably 2004 started the link game which is already way different how it is done today. And probably 2006 was the start of the social media stuff and linking is nearly out the window already.

I agree that the SEO techniques of today have no future. And many people might give up which is a good thing for those that will continue to evolve since it lessens the competition. So I am happy when people think SEO has no future or if it is dying. So I have 1 person less to compete against.

I couldn’t agree more!!! I mentioned many of these points in one of my recent posts about increasing your Google PageRank. I suggested that the best way of increasing your PageRank and SERPs results was to not try and cheat the system. If you give it time and focus on legitimate content, the Google algorithms would work as they were actually designed to.