subject: Google Instant Means The End Of Seo [print this page] Initially, Google's new Instant Search system could mean a major change in how web surfers look for information on the net. Instead of typing a search query into Google and then hitting return, and waiting for a directory of results, Googlers now see a dynamic list of results as they type. Google considers this a positive step forward in the developemt of searching. Google claims this new style of response will save between two and five seconds per search query. That potentially means 11 hours are saved every second. but does anyone other than Google really care?
The internet marketing community, however, has not been very enthusiastic about Google instant.. SEO consultants, who try to get sites listed near the top of Google's organic search rankings, and SEMs, who battle for their clients' sites to be placed at the top of Google's Adwords Sponsored Listings, have been blogging and tweeting as if amagedon is here.
The SEO community is paranoid at the best of times, and perhaps with good cause as: a small change in the Goolge algorithm can determine the future of many webistes. In this instance, however, the reaction is not required, essentially the results are the same, the sole change is that you can see potential results of each word as you type it in, so if you are typing in 'Italian restaurant' you will note everything Italian before you get to the restaurant results and then you will have to include your location unless you are very flexible about your travel arrangements, so in fact long tail key phrases are far from dead.
So this time round the latest Google scare is 'much a do about nothing' or will it be? there isn't any denying that Google's original innovation in search transformed the way in which the internet worked and made the business of finding stuff considerably quicker and much easier. In addition, it created a huge market - one Google still dominates - that allowed companies to offer us things depending on whatever we had entered that box. and all was well, for a time.
But then something happened. Social networking, social media, whatever you want to call it... suddenly, content was coming right at us, without us even seeking it. We couldn't escape it. Several hyperactive egotists in each community began curating content and spewing it out to their friends. Individuals were sharing photos, stories and links and we found that people were spending less time foraging around for things and more and more time sitting back and letting it wash over us.
Fast forward to 2010, and we're being assaulted by more stuff than we can possibly consume. Facebook, Twitter and email are shovelling pictures and video down our throats more and more quickly. Feedback loops enabled by sharing and retweeting functions signify everyone of us has now changed into an over-sharer as well as an over-consumer. If you are not confused and over loaded with information, you soon will be.
