Second, it was diluted by Google Maps 10-box which puts 10 results above it in “local” searches.
Then it was diluted by Google’s “Universal Search” which began inserting videos, news and images into the top ten. Although, this seems to be happening less often now.
Concurrently it began being diluted by “personalized” search which gives users the power to change their search and gives customized results to some users.
Meanwhile, Google’s International search engines and Mobile search are also on the rise
Now, it is being diluted by letting users more easily change their results based upon time-frame, alternative recommended keyword phrases, and specialty (reviews, videos, forum) searches.
Who is going to benefit by this? The search consumer.
Another beneficiary is the website marketer who has revised their search strategy to focuses on local search, videos, reviews, press releases and all the other activities that create a broad footprint of content for Google to use to dilute their organic listings. Give Google what it wants!
Back in 1999 we segmented SEO priorities into search engines:
- Yahoo
- AltaVista
- Excite
- MSN
- Lycos
- Ask Jeeves
- Goto
Now, in 2009 we divide up search into content segments:
- Traditional Organic
- PPC
- Local
- Video
- News
- Blog
- International
- Mobile
- The successful modern online marketer has strategic initiatives that touch all of these segments!
Plain old top-10 organic search is still powerful, don’t get me wrong. BUT… the world is changing. The first thing the modern web marketer must do is stop measuring success solely based upon a top ranking for some specific keyword phrases. Instead, search marketers should focus on measuring overall search traffic. By measuring your results more broadly, you will be able to focus your attentions on Google and its many sources of traffic: Organic, PPC, Local, International, Mobile, Video, Images, Blog, News, etc.
How will we divide up search into 2019?
