Bite's SEO Predictions for SEO in 2012
Date: 17.01.2012By Mark Rushworth. Head of SEO
SEO Predictions for 2012 It's the New Year and as a result speculation abounds as to what Google has in store for us this year. Depending on your view-point we're already off to a good/bad start with December's 'minor' update to Google's Panda algorithm already effecting monster brands like JC Penny. In addition Google's new Google Search Plus seeks to further ring fence us (it's users) in to an ever decreasing circle of content through what Google deems 'relevance' but I call 'limitation of choice'. So what does the SEO of 2012 have in store for us?
Here's a low-down of my 2011 predictions and the result of what came true:
Skip to 2012 predictions
Google Local/Places will be massive this year
Win! Google Places with its more integrated listing within Google's organic search results became the focus of many of our campaigns this year however the process for achieving high positions has been muddied by legacy SEO and lack of availability to historic links.
Local style- non linking citations into the organic rankings algorithm
Lose! - There's lots of speculation that non linking factors impact upon ranking however these always accompany a link so no change there really.
Google will begin to use online review indicators as part of the algorithm
Win (Sort Of)! - Reviews are now appearing in organic listings with stars accompanying many organic results however the news that Google stopped using external reviews for its Places ranking means that the scope of this is reducing fast and there's no sign that these reviews improve ranking.
Rise in spam across all of the citation networks
Lose! - Thankfully Google's move to use internal reviews meant that this didn't happen.
Google will implement Google Local/Places listings irrespective of whether you search for a location or not
Win! - If you're logged in you probably see Google Places popping up for searches where you haven't specified a location as part of your search.
Businesses will still struggle to grasp social media
Win! - Business still doesn't know how to work within social media.
There will be a movement away from Organic SEO due to the recession
Lose (Thank God)! - In fact throughout 2011, more businesses dropped their PPC in favour of long term success in organic search.
Spam will become unbearable around August as the existing Google algorithm gets ever more manipulated by automated and semi-automated Black and Grey Hat SEO techniques
Lose! - Google Panda fought off the growing tide of spam.
Metrics will be big in 2011 as SEO's seek to squeeze every last drop of ranking our medium and long tail keyword traffic
Lose! - Metrics have become muddied due to Google not passing data from searchers who are logged in.
Here are my top eight predictions for 2012:
More Pandalization
I don't think we've seen the last of Google's Panda update and I think it's safe to say that more and more websites will be devalued in search due to an increasingly complex list of criteria as Google tightens its Quality algorithm. To beat this, take a long hard look at your website. Remove all commercial content and focus on the content its self being helpful.
More Personalisation (read limitation of choice)
Google Search Plus is only the beginning (or continuation) of Google's limitation of the web. So expect your choice of retailers and communities to be significantly reduced resulting in you using the same 4 or 5 stores all year. This will increase people's use of magazines and reviews to find new impartial recommendations outside of their network. SEO's and affiliates will be all over this!
Link Building Going Wide
The SEO community continue to diversify backlink profiles due to penalisation of profiles where we've gone too hard and fast at one particular phrase. All site content will be linked to and SEO's will build in old school links with anchors like 'read more' and 'click here' etc.
M-Commerce becoming Massive
The next round of website re-designs will factor in adaptive layouts meaning shoppers don't need apps to buy online.
Pricing Strategies
As the economy continues it's down turn, many businesses will seek to undercut their competitors and will turn to solutions like Skuuudle to automate and benchmark their prices against a competitors.
Growth in SEO content networks
If you haven't already got one, this year will see a return to SEO's creating content networks. Panda slapped down many networks however as the criteria has become more apparent, new super networks will emerge.
Content De-optimisation
I'm seeing this already but many SEO's will de-optimise title tags and content across a site in response to Google Panda.
Supplier Price Fixing
Not really an SEO issue but our clients are telling us that their suppliers, brands and manufacturers are fixing prices across product lines meaning that prices in general will go up… if you don't comply they won't supply you. Do you have any predictions to add? Leave a comment.
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