The Death of SEO
With the march forward of AI and Google's many punishing content algorithm updates, the death of SEO may be nigh as blog rankings die in elitist search index mayhem.
By SEO, I mean Search Engine Optimisation, the means by which website pages are promoted to occupy higher positions in the search index.
I have to admit, every time I search for something that interests me in Google, the first page of the results are looking more and more similar.
I mean, the top ten organic results seem to be mostly occupied by big brand site pages and what is known as parasite pages (articles written by marketers published on high authority sites).
With the onset of AI (Artificial Intelligence) answering questions asked by the public, is there even any need for people to read websites and blogs written by ordinary people like you and me, regardless we may have diligently researched our information?
It seems that way, especially when Google is (to me at least) obviously pushing hard to effectively remove regular blog posts and website pages from their index altogether.
Where Have All the Blogs Gone?
Seriously, a search for most common things used to bring up a nice list of blogs written by people who really do know their stuff on the topic.
Yet now, the same search query brings up a list of ten bland, cookie cutter posts published on so-called authority sites. These are in the main written by people with less specialised knowledge on the topic than the bloggers who used to be there.
It's what Google likes to call "helpful content" but despite the on-paper authority of the sites publishing it, the content is no more helpful, or for that matter any more expert or topically authoritative than that produced by the better informed bloggers at one time occupying the first page of the organic search results.
That's where we are at present, but to top it all off, even these posts will be redundant before too long. Google's intent is to provide an expert AI-written answer to the searcher's query at the top of the page, with ads below and what's left of the organic listings below.
Assuming the AI answers are indeed as accurate and factual as they are supposed to be, there really won't be any need for the vast majority of people to look elsewhere for their information. So...
Bye bye blogs: We don't need you any more!
Content Updates and the Damn Lies
Oh for sure, Google is really bringing in these so-called helpful content updates to improve the quality of the content it shows in its index.
Sarcasm alert!
Maybe the idea is for people to become so addicted to the amazing, accurate and factually presented results they won't need to look anywhere else. That's why content must be the absolute best it can be so people only get topical accuracy, authoritative, expert information from websites.
Bullshit!
Google is lying to you. It needs that topical, accurate and authoritative content to teach its AI engine correctly so it can consequently replace the content providers with its own answers.
Anyone with a handful of operating brain cells should be able to see through the ruse.
What Happens Next?
Now there is a very good chance that this will all backfire spectacularly on Google.
Why do I think that?
Well, it's also pretty obvious when you think about it. Google needs your sterling content to teach its AI to answer any question accurately.
It will keep needing fresh content to keep its AI up to date.
However, and here's the spanner in the works: As AI is rolled out as the chief answer on all search index pages and the traffic to those content sites dries up, the creators of that content will stop creating it.
Why should they continue when nobody is seeing their work any more? People don't work for free and content creators do what they do to make money from advertising or affiliate commission that is generated by search traffic finding their content.
Bye Bye Content
So content creators will stop creating all that lovely fresh, accurate, topical content.
What would be the point if it wasn't earning them anything any more. They'd probably be better off stacking shelves in their local supermarket than creating content that Google won't show to anyone any more.
Here is the kicker:
Without fresh, accurate, topical content to feed its AI answering machine, the AI engine will scrape up whatever it can find from the lower ranks of what's left publishing content.
That will likely come from spammers and all the junk content creators who couldn't give a damn but hope if they chuck enough garbage at the wall, some of it will stick and make them a few bucks.
Then AI will start answering people with all that garbage. Google's reputation will go down the drain along with all the good website creators it destroyed.
Summing Up
Could this really be what's happening? WIll informative, content-rich websites go the way of the dinosaurs?
Maybe. Maybe not.
You can choose whether you accept my views on what is coming and how it will play out or reject them.
That's the beauty of free speech and freedom to choose what you want to believe and what you want to disbelieve. I have my views and they're based on my own observation, critical eye and analytical mind. I'm sure you have yours too.
There are some Internet marketing gurus around that are still trying to placate everyone in the industry that SEO is alive and well and good money can still be made from organic search traffic. Good luck with that and if you're right and I'm wrong, that's fine too.
Google probably won't much like what I'm saying, especially if it's a bit closer to the truth (they don't want you to know) than they're comfortable with. Time will tell whether I've nailed it or not.
This article was posted on: 18th February, 2024
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