Loading ...We previously brought you a video report in which Bruce Clay made a claim that “ranking is dead.” In the above WPN video, Matt Cutts of Google responds to that assertion. Matt does not completely agree with Bruce that “ranking is dead” but does announce that it is not as important as it once was.
There’s a lot more to SEO than just ranking number one in Google for a key phrase. Since searches based on personalization and localization are becoming more and more prevalent, Matt echoes Bruce’s words that the central focus for SEO’s should be traffic and conversions.
With all these innovations, the game is changing for SEO’s. Matt says they are now marketers and need to embrace universal search by integrating video, images, books, etc. As far as Google trends go for 2009, they will affect SEO’s as well. Matt reports how black hat SEO is “getting more malicious” and shamelessly illegal.
In summary, SEO’s need to be aware of these actions and act accordingly. They need to decide where they stand on legal and ethical issues and how they will adjust their strategies to compatibly adapt to these new trends.
I thought Bruce Clay’s ideas were fresh and maybe one day possible, however it doesn’t look like it will be the rolled out in 2009 as he predicts, but it’s a stimulating idea that may influence search one day.
Cookies are still voluntary for one thing, so ‘personal search’ would have to be a voluntary approach to search. There is a large group still concerned with privacy and wouldn’t bite.
I disagree.
I think Bruce Clay was largely correct it’s just the way he said it wasn’t quite right. I read this as the algorithms aim to reward content that converts visitors into sticky clients.
Great interview with some valid points made by both Mike and Matt.
Very informative interview that I’ll be using the points from immediately. No more posts without pictures for me!
I watched both Bruce Clay’s and Matt Cutts’s videos, thanks Guys. Personalization and localization are here to stay, it will provide a better user experience. It’s relatively easy for the SEs to do. They already do IP mapping. Listing the cities, counties, states and countries in the service area will be more important. I’d like to see a “Turn It Off” checkbox though.
Placing higher weight on sites that contain Flash or Video is also easy for SEs. However, pulling apart an SWF file for all the different content that can be clicked just isn’t that easy. Harder yet is performing voice recognition on Video. I’m sure they both can be done but I’m thinking about the processor power required to do it. Even Google will be hard pressed considering the quantity. If the SEs rely on Meta Data, Alt’s or Comments, they open themselves up to keyword stuffing and the like. I just don’t see it happening, in the near term, on a large scale. I swap out content through scripts and AJAX so a good sitemap with all the content is very important.
Key point (paraphrasing)–SEOs are not just ranker heads, they should think of themselves as online marketers paying attention to conversion rates, ROI, etc. Great interview.
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… Mike, and how did that VMI game go for the Cats!
These are really good points. I have noticed more photos being picked up by the search engines. I guess we should continue to follow the trends of creating and uploading videos and publishing content with keyword phrases. Perhaps once this change is in effect some SEO experts will reveal a few tips that will help us all to rank with consistencey.
I am not able to see whole video its stopped in 3 to 4 minute. Any one know the reason. How I can see whole video. ?
Very informative interview in a short amount of time. I especially like the fact that Matt says SEO must start thinking as marketers. This is where SEO’s with a background in direct marketing may have a slight advantage.
Hii !!!
I had seen many changes in google from past 2 month and last PR updation was really shocked..
Actually i was lose my PR.. It was “4″ nd currently it is “0″
I was done every changes as per the webmaster guideline for my website.
Can ant one tell me how can i recover my PR ??
Thanks,
Oh PR fall is really hurts. There are lots of reason for PR fall. You need to workout for some points which google dont like and you have apply to promote your site.
Some are:
1. duplicate content
2. links from bad neighborhood.
3. Unrelated links.
4. Selling and buying text links
5. etc
Last PR updation wes really distructive.
Clear that google are changing some.
PR update endroses again on pleasent user experience. There are no shortcuts for gaining a high PR. The site has to be relevant.
content is not king’s & Ranking is Terminators
White SEO Poland
It is wonderful to see how innovative Google can be by adding Video, Images etc into all searches but it is not customer focussed. Most people simply want information from a search NOT a load of unnecessary NOISE especially when slow broadband speeds are still the norm for most of the UK. Life is too short to wait for video and flash to stream.
Please Matt, make sure you have an option to receive/refuse video and flash content.
Bruce and Matt both target on universal approach.
A great video with some cool tips. Thanks
Love the rick-roll that was happening in the background at the very start!
I like to think Accuracy, Good Design and Relevancy, because Ranking means nothing with out conversions and click through rate.
So were they sharing that one beer?
ha ha – i was just going to write something about that beer. They are literally “having a beer.”
This video is comforting to Bruce Clay’s. After all drastic changes are not expected that soon. But tell me, is localization actually standing against globalization when it comes to search engines and SEOs?…lol
@Brian and Monty:
The beer was mine. Cutts doesn’t drink but even if he did, I wouldn’t have shared.
All these different angles at online exposure are great for people with the time and/or resources to write blogs, make videos, paste glue on inner-pages, catch viral infections and jump through hoops for the good of local or global universalisation. How do small businesses cope?
For example, many of my clients have services that may require a one off purchase, or take a new contract out every 2 – 3 years. The subject matter isn’t “sticky”, and there’s not much you can put in a video anyway other than blatantly making an advert (does anyone sit watching YouTube looking for new commercials?). The only people who may keep coming back month after month are competitors snooping on deals.
There are plenty of other websites dedicated to reviewing the subjects, but not selling the products, and these are the places people go (quite rightly) to find out what they need and glean information. The user would then make another search to find the best prices for these products. There is no way a small, even medium size business can compete with full time review sites when they may be struggling to cope just dealing with usual everyday workload.
I agree with good content and have preached it for 9 years now, but the pressure to keep adding content for the sake of adding content is just adding to the cesspool that is part of the internet.
“eEngineers Says: ″Actually i was lose my PR.. It was “4″ nd currently it is “0″ ”
same here
????
Good discussion, particularly about sub domains vs. sub folders for GEO targeting. However, in regard to both Bruce and Matt’s quandary, the only clear advantage is quality and quality content. Rankings and conversion are a by product of content.
I prefer to look at the source, vs. the effects when considering something so vast. More pages equal more opportunities to funnel traffic, more relevance is great for both, but one does not have to double traffic to double conversion.
User appeal, behavior and content are now on equal ground in relation to what marketers / SEO’s do and why. Appeal is the bottom line and whether it is served up through universal search or just the good old plain wrapper version, it really is about engagement.
Thanks for the Video (nice to see other perspectives), Jeffrey Smith….
Impossible to see the Video.
Why don’t you put it on Youtube, so we can see it.
Thanks
@ Dietmar Stefitz
What exactly are the problems? I’m curious to know why it is ‘impossible’. What browser are you using? Do you have the latest version of flash installed? Another option is to click the ‘download this video’ link located on the right side of the screen, under the video. That will give you a higher definition MP4 that you’ll be able to play locally.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EP5_idUFKQ
There’s a YouTube link either way
I watched both videos. Bruce clay is more cut and dry which is great. I am so excited that this is going to happen and ” level out the playing field. Its about time. I read a post up that mentioned Seo guys now have a super advantage, I am one of them.
Thanks Mike Mcdonald and Matt Cutts For equality in the algorithm!
I have been interviewd by Webpronews.com Check out my video blog
Thanks Mike
http://www.seochampion.com/seoblog
Most interesting, both videos and the information about sub domains resolved a problem I am constantly asked for.
HI,
Good and we have to be ready to make most of it and rock with free and fair trade on SE
Thank you good video.
Good Video and good comments on the subdomain/sub folder thing Matt.
Thanks for an informative video. Yes, most of the clients ask to see results by getting top rankings and are not concerned about traffic much. So, we (as SEO) have to work towards that. But, rightly said by Matt, we are Marketers and people should understand this thing that conversions and traffic matter more. I too am trying to make people aware of this fact through my blog. Anyways, this was great to know some of the future changes of Google. I will definitely be working towards it…
The most insightful thing here is that Search Marketing needs to continue to place the emphasis on the “marketing” discipline. Search Engines main focus is to provide the best answer for searchers queries and that will continue to evolve past any/all SEO tactics. Marketers that get SEO will be far more valuable than SEO’s trying to practice marketing.
Matt Cutts rocks. I am the mostest jealous guy in town.
Google had changed a lot, i like the theme for the Gmail. i like the outlook of the Gmail now.
Ranking will never die at all. After all searcher needs relevant search result. If search result is not relevant then seo will have to find different way.
Some interesting points brought out in both Matts and Bruces videos. GEO targeting, hyper local and hyper mobile targeting seems to be gaining movement is the search world.
I personally dont see ‘personalised search’ as something that will limit the ability of the SEOs to help clients optimise their online presence. Unless you were only focussing on traffic levels and visibility without any consideration for conversions or business develoment. No matter how much and how far geo targetting and localised search changes, I feel that if content is good on our sites, we will always stand a good chance to be visible on SERPs for our targeted terms.
The momentum has moved toward rich media content , mobile and microblogging and geo-targeting as we’ve experienced in Asian market.
Very informative..seo will die?
Once again great and informative interview with Mat
Lukey- Very informative..seo will die??
No, he explained this in the video? SEO has been branching into more general marketing for some time now and he even says this will be come more of the case in the future.
A lot of useful info in this 10 minutes video.
Wow great stuff. Ranking is dead hmm.. not quite it will always be needed but it not the be all and end all any more.
Tip on Sub-Domains was great too.
Thanks Matt for the information.
OK guys, I think You don`t have to stress Yourself and panic like “No more posts without pictures for me!”
How many of you can make s specific photo for every blog post, or a video, or even write a book?
I think that the most bad thing that may happen is flooding our web sites and blogs with unnecessary image files, galleries and videos from YouTube and etc.
Somebody have to make all these pictures, videos, books.. I tell I cannot.
“Localization” ideas for search results are pretty nice indeed on the background of all the “universation”.
Greetings from Bulgaria
Great interview, Mike.
I think Matt gave us a great insight in to how important mobile devices are going to be this year.
I’m not sure the SERPs are quite dead but think the SERPs are going to be a complex place in 2009; Goog local results, Goog Base results, more paid results, tailored results for mobile devices (?) etc. will all conspire to make it an interesting year.
Well, it certainly calms thing down from the Bruce Clay “SEO is ending! Repent the end of the world is here!” hysteria…
I can’t wait for 12 months time so as to see the egg on that clown’s face
It was really nice to hear about features such as GeoTargeting for the folders.
I’ve noticed my rankings already go from page 1 to page 6 with all the google dancing going on, so im now having to rethink my marketing strategy
Nobody from the UK seems to have pointed out that Thomas Cook are a travel agency, not a bank… kind’ve explains a lot though!
This is right here, in the present, not the future.
interesting about the subdomains, they used to fill all the yahoo serps with spam subdomains, ive seen some of the points he made about personalisation in the google serps, where you can move a site up or down in the search results, theres an arrow to the right of each domain in the results.
thanks branching into more general marketing for some time now and he even says this will be come more of the case in the future
VRy interesting to read it
PR is dead that is what Bruce said, but when SEO is looking for a qualified
link partner they want the PR of the site higher than 3.. so I was thinking
that if PR is dead or less of importance.. what other qualities should an
SEO look for in Link Exchange?
Seo is very confussing me and it’s very complicated. Google already has the best algo and why should they change anyway ?
Ha, I just said that personal search wouldn’t happen in 2009 unless one was signed in to their Google account. Even though I’m writing this on January 1st, 2010, Google did enact personalized search in the later part of December of 2009.
Bruce Clay, My Hat Is Off to You, Happy New Year, Glen Woodfin
Everyone’s in for the money, so I guess yeah conversions is what matters in the end. Ranking a website is possible, but a tedious learning curve/process that can happen along the way.
I have never relied on SEO alone.
Hi,
Good Work , Thanks For Sharing .
[QUOTE=majed7;13129376]صديقي لي عنده منتدى للأسف من رمضان لليوم لو كتب اسم منتداه لا يظهر بقوقل لو كتب فقط أسم الموقع يظهر الموقع الصفحة الرئيسية
يعني بالعربي لو كتب منتديات بنوته مايظهر بقوقل
لو كتب كلمة بنوته بعد مايظهر مع أنه مؤشف موقعه
هل تستطيع أن تجعل لو كتب كلمة منتديات بنوته يظهر
هذا ربط منتداه
http://www.iraqseo.com/QUOTE
Great interview
Hi,
Good work. Thanks for sharing.
IraQseo
Good back and forth between Mike and Matt
doesn’t traffic mean ranking for certain keywords, without ranking for & getting clicks for keywords then there is no traffic. i mean no ranking means no trafic right?
Hi,
Good work, Thanks for sharing.
Wow great stuff. Ranking is dead hmm.. not quite it will always be needed but it not the be all and end all any more.
Great stuff! I just want to add an opinion about removing all the beauty of the site design cuz of the SEO. For some the most important thing is to be seen but what when we enter a site on top search position and there is only a blank page with lots of links (doubled or trippled and more) and text…. I personally dislike them… But as i said depends on purposes and targets.
Its great to see how the world of search has changed since this video came out. While search may not have been completely dead as Clay suggested, it has evolved over the past 12 months – locals, places, PPC and other mediums have taken more control over the organic listings. I suspect however, there will still be a majority of users who will continue to skip over the sponsored listings and locals and go directly to the organic results.
Wonderful read, and excellent points. Cheers
Wow things have moved on a bit in the 18 months since this was posted!
Excellent to watch, nice Video. Matt always shares some interesting points, about Google. It always feels good to read and hear from Matt.
thanks for the video
interesting
Almost everyone that makesan income on the internet (even the millionaires) do so through affiliate marketing. Being successful in affiliate marketing involves knowing the formula that makes other affiliate marketers successful. For example, autoblogging. Autoblogging has been one of the least well-known forms of making money on the internet for quite some time… basically because it’s quite difficult to make a good auto-blog. Yet, when done right, it can provide you with a lifetime of passive income with the only real work required being the setting up process. Video Marketing, and several other marketing strategies are all designed to drive traffic to your site, can be incorporated steadily in order to raise the position your site appears in the SERPs when someone searches for a term related to your site. And yet, even this can be totally automated.
I disagree I think he was correct
Last PR updation wes really distructive.
Clear that google are changing some.
I believe that the real future of search is non spider…someone is going to bring out a search engine that has humans assessing the value and authority of websites and ranking them accordingly. In bound links will become meaningless.
Localisation is key. Google already knows where the searcher is searching from. If you put the generic term business process improvement consultant into Google it will return results based on the nearest big conerbation
Something has got to change with directories dominating page one of search results. In the main searchers do not want directories they want individual high relevant sites. Google should block all directories unless specified by the user
The future of search is visual…i.e. video
great points mike and matt
I disagree with some posts that say most people just want information…actually i think most people want knowledge and video is the best way to convey knowledge effectively
Something has got to change with directories dominating page one of search results. In the main searchers do not want directories they want individual high relevant sites. Google should block all directories unless specified by the user
Very popular topic – Matt Cutts and Google, but now year is 2010, now Google want to rule the world
this website is very good. i found it at yahoo
In summary, SEO’s need to be aware of these actions and act accordingly relly ?
I wonder how much Matt is earning… He always talk like bla bla bla, he is idealising Google role, never says things we really want to hear.
Very nice website, thank you for your job !
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Google is still changes!
Matts i very good SEO master
Its really intresting matte.. Thanks for sharing your blog
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Well done mate
nice video . Thank you very much. It is interesting to see the problems through the eyes of Matt