It’s been nearly three weeks since Google officially launched its new platform Google Instant (http://www.google.com/instant/), and you would think the sky was falling for many search engine marketers. How will this affect SEO? Are we going to lose all our rankings? I even had someone ask me if this would be the “death of longtail.” From all the buzz in the SEO world, you’d think this was the first time Google made a major change. Will it mix things up a bit in terms of rankings for many sites? Probably some. But then again, so has Google’s other fairly regular algorithm changes. So why is Google Instant giving so many SEO professionals such a headache? And why am I am not all that concerned?
First of all for those of you not familiar with Google Instant, the new platform shows you results as you type a search phrase, while also showing you suggested search phrases earlier in the search query process. Google claims this will make life easier by saving the searcher precious seconds between when they search and when they are presented with relevant results (don’t miss their super-melodramatic intro video, “I don’t even have to scroll! It’s RIGHT THERE!”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElubRNRIUg4).
So why all the stink in SEO land? Google Instant basically “changes the game” in two ways:
1. There is less “fixed real estate” on the SERP, as the “instant” results that show as you type take up about half the results page.
2. There is some argument/speculation/panic that the quicker suggestions of search phrases will narrow the number of keywords that are searched, “doing away” with the need for long tail optimization and forcing entire industries to compete for the same small handful of Google-suggested search terms. (Is anyone else having flashbacks to those annoying “What has search done to us” Bing commercials here??)
Here is my take: Regarding the panic on reduced “real estate” on Google’s first page, it has ALWAYS been important to be in that magical “top 5” of Google’s SERP. This just reinforces the need for truly effective SEO, and also for a keen awareness and understanding of your top online competitors. It also reinforces the need to be honest with yourself in terms of your ability to compete for certain terms. If you know you realistically can’t commit the resources to compete with the sites in the top 5 for a given term, you should probably switch your focus.
Regarding the speculations that all of search will be reduced to a narrow list of terms and that traffic from long tails will fall by the wayside, I say, no way. Long tail optimization is more important than ever, as it’s truly going to be those sites that are optimized for the full breadth of their keyword theme (i.e. naturally optimized) that will survive this Google change, and future algorithm and platform changes. Side note: not to toot my own horn here, but none of our clients have seen dramatic dips in search traffic since Instant took affect – and in most cases, our clients’ traffic has actually increased.
Just think, if Google never changed, we’d still be able to stuff lists of keywords in “hidden text” and forgo time-intensive quality link building strategies in lieu of spammy link farms managed in India. SEO could be an afterthought as opposed to a full time job. But I happen to like my full time job, and so I say to Google Instant: bring it on! We’re ready for you.