Is SEO in Marketing’ Dead’? 

Trends come and go. Whether we’re talking about fashion or technology, almost every new product fades from the spotlight eventually. In the technological and marketing sectors, this is a natural progression. As new discoveries are made and methods developed, old ones are replaced and become obsolete.  

This theory hits a bit of a snag when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). Though the industry has become more adept at creating quality SEO, it seems like its concept is here to stay.  

Those who think that SEO is dead often say that it’s because of ROI. They claim that it’s hard to determine the return on investment from SEO. In reality, you just have to know what you’re looking for. The ROI of your SEO campaigns is entirely trackable, and the results give a clear picture of how permanent optimization seems to be. Though it is certainly changing as a concept, when paired with other marketing tactics, SEO is as effective as ever.

There are three primary ways that digital marketers can use SEO to create new and exciting pathways for their businesses. You should familiarize yourself with all of them to get the most out of your SEO campaigns.

1. Dominate Search Engine Result Pages 

SEO used to be solely about appearing at the top of a search results page, but now there is more competition. You won’t beat out paid advertisements even when you make it to the top of organic search results. However, if you only do paid advertisements and don’t use SEO, many people will skip you in favor of organic matches. The solution? Utilize both. If you can optimize your SEO to get you at the top of the results list and pay to advertise as well, users will see you twice on the SERP. The effect? You are viewed as the absolute expert in your field.  

The best way to start is to research which keywords have high CPC (cost per click). You can create your new content centered around those words, increasing the likelihood that your page appears in both the ad and organic results sections. The bonus is that the user may click on your organic result, saving you money.  

2. Build Trust with Your Customers 

Google understands that SEO has turned into a valuable competition for the top spot on the SERP. When competition is fierce, people will do anything to win, including using schemes and shortcuts to get to the top. Fortunately for us honest marketers, Google doesn’t view this favorably. When it sees that a page has cut corners to achieve a high SERP ranking, they knock it into search engine oblivion. In this way, they reward the businesses who work hard to earn natural, quality rankings. 

Google begins to trust websites when they have high social currency and reliable traffic. Factors such as good reviews, social media interactions, high conversion rates, and reliable click-through show Google that you have earned your SERP spot as a reliable website.  

To boost this customer confidence, keep an eye on Google Analytics and adjust accordingly.  

3. Adjust the Budget (Slowly)  

When you start with the previous tactics, it will take a lot of time and budget (if you use PPC, which you should). SEO is more like a marathon than a sprint, so be patient when the results don’t come immediately. There will be quick results with PPC, however. Use more PPC when you are first getting started. PPC will compensate for the fact that the SEO hasn’t taken its full effect yet.  

As your SEO begins to work its magic, the effects will snowball. The more people visit your site, the more Google trusts you. The more Google trusts you, the higher you go on the SERP. The higher you are on the SERP, the more people will visit your site. Then, you will begin to see the ROI from your SEO practices. Once this occurs, it’s okay to pull back on the PPC expenses. Feel free to reduce your paid advertising budget and focus more on SEO.  

If you want to go above and beyond, you can maximize your budget by using the same keywords for PPC and SEO.

So, Is SEO Dead?  

The short answer is no. SEO is not dead. However, like most technology, it is advancing and morphing into a new version of itself. If you are a marketer trying to keep up, know that this is the same for everyone. We all have to adjust as Google continually evolves its algorithms. Use tactics such as PPC integration to help you make the transition from old SEO to new SEO a success.