Four Reasons SEO Isn’t Dead, Dying or Declining in Value

Rumours of SEO dying a slow and painful death have perpetuated for several years now. As the way we interact with the web continues to shift and evolve, more commentators than ever before are predicting the demise of traditional search engine optimisation.

In reality, there’s little to no evidence to suggest this is the case at all. If anything, SEO (albeit in a revised contemporary form) is more powerful and important than it has ever been.

A few simple statistics from 2020 to illustrate the point a little clearer:

• Approximately 93% of all web traffic comes through search engines
• Google alone directs around 76% of all desktop search traffic
• Google’s market share for mobile search traffic is around 86%
• 40,000 searches are carried out on Google every second of every day
• This equates to around 2 trillion searches per year 

In all instances, this equates to more searches being carried out by more people in more places than ever before. Just as long as search remains the most popular way of accessing content online, SEO will be neither dead nor dying.

Why Now’s the Time to Take SEO Seriously 

Predictions regarding the death of SEO originate from the fact that the way we interact with the web today is changing. More people are conducting voice searches than every before, just as Google is radically shifting its indexation protocols and SERP presentation. 

Paid ads are being given greater prominence at the bottom of page one, but this has no bearing whatsoever on the power and importance of organic search.

Until the day the world learns to get by without search engines, SEO will continue to play a role of massive importance. In the meantime, here are four reasons why writing SEO off as dead or dying could do your online business a major disservice:

1. Your Competitors Are Investing Heavily in SEO
Whatever line of business you’re in, chances are your competitors are already investing heavily in SEO. It’s worth bearing in mind that each competitor within your niche that ranks higher than you represents a major obstacle in reaching your target audience and securing its business.

The less seriously you take SEO, the easier it becomes for more of your rivals to take the lead. Something that could ultimately result in your disappearance from the rankings entirely.

2. Paid Search Attracts Fewer Click Than Organic Search
Google may be showcasing paid ads at the top of the SERP rankings, but this is largely inconsequential. Extensive research has shown that the overwhelming majority of web users prioritise organic links over sponsored links, or completely ignore paid ads altogether.

The organic results in the SERP listings may have moved lower down the page, but this hasn’t affected their prominence or importance in the eyes of web users. 

3. SEO is Affordable and Sustainable
An effective search engine optimisation strategy can be surprisingly affordable, with the option of near-total self-management. The most important components within an SEO campaign are usually well within the capabilities of the average online business owner.

It’s also a uniquely sustainable solution that’s more or less future proof. SEO isn’t about quick fixes – it’s a way of priming your business for a successful future through consistent exposure.

4. Search Isn’t Going Anywhere

Last up, the fact that more people than ever before are using more dynamic types of search isn’t something to overlook. To capitalise on the popularity of things like voice search, you may need to revamp or rethink your SEO strategy as a whole.

Nevertheless, it represents further confirmation that search (and SEO by extension) isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future at least. Just as long as the vast majority of online experiences continue to begin with an online search, SEO will be the most powerful marketing tool at your disposal.