My 8 SEO predictions for 2011
First of all, I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and enjoying a well-deserved break!
I thought I would put together some of my predictions for the SEO industry during the next year:
1. Although Matt Cutts has mentioned that Google are using tweets in their search algorithm, I assume the weight of this will increase highly and Bing will also start to incorporate this.
2. Microsoft will make numerous updates to Bing and strongly integrate a social aspect into this (such as the recent Facebook integration)
3. Google will use CTR in their algorithm. Bing already uses this.
4. The Local Search business will increase and more sites will optimise for local sites.
5. Google will begin to use certain nofollow links for ranking sites.
6. More SEO blog posts will include data analysis.
7. SEO will go beyond mobile and web. It will move to Google TV/Apple TV, videos and audio etc.
8. Microsoft will be more accepted in the SEO world.
@paul
Good predictions!
I have an SEO company in Holand and publish also some SEO predictions for 2011.
I thing google serp optimalisation will be important also in 2011.
http://goo.gl/vT6jm
Nice thoughts do you have any more information on how you have come up with this list for 2011?
I would like some explannation on points 6. and 8?
What the?
G.
Hi Greg,
Thanks for the comment, the reason I believe more SEO’s will use data in their posts is because using data is great for link bait. If you can gather data to support your theory then your post could be seen as a resource, this means more links hence more strength to your site.
In regards to Microsoft becoming more accepted in the SEO world, Microsoft have been heavily pushing Bing and have integrated their search facility into many 3rd party sites. Bing are really starting to push the market place, meaning more SEO companies will need to review their processes to include reporting from Bing and their Webmaster Tools facility.
well, all the SEs will have to start incorporating the social aspect for sure.
I definitely agree with most of what you’re predicting. Number 4, regarding local search, is already happening big time. I spent 2010 build a list of SEO clients in my local area. It’s still very surprising to me how most small local businesses think that just “having a website” is enough. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some variation of “Why isn’t my site showing up when I search for “blue widgets in New York. Does Google know I sell blue widgets here in New York?”
Hi Travis,
You are quite correct Google has been focusing more and more on local search, they changed the algorithm for Google Local late last year as their research indicates that more than 20% of searches using Google are deemed local. This has resulted in more businesses claiming their Google places listing and optimising the listing to be relevant to the local area, such as a local phone number and directory submissions to local sites in their area.
My thoughts are that Google will need to clamp down more on Google Places as the system is still littered with spam, with many business producing fake listings. This is something the Google local team will be tackling throughout the year
Google is learning to be patient. Twitter is a big deal, but if you accept it as part of an emerging landscape, there’s no reason you need to own it. Given Twitter’s natural competitive positioning against Facebook, Google can partner with the emerging service in ways that provide both companies advantage against a shared enemy.
Hi Paul,
Interesting predictions and I strongly agree with points 1 & 2.
On Point 3, I’ve believed for some time that CTR is already being used, just in a very limited fashion (substitutional with links, as opposed to additional). I’ve noticed many times websites in the middle of page 2 jump to the middle of page 1 (nearly always pos 4 to 6) only to usually bounce back days later – Google testing CTR?
Hi Matthew,
Interesting comment I have heard many times that Google is using CTR in a limited fashion, I have also noticed many sites bouncing, this could be due to Google testing CTR in their algorithm. Google however make many tweaks to the search results, so it is very difficult to assume this is testing the CTR.
paul – nice predictions.
I have made several similar ones and they can be found on –
http://www.searchmuse.com/blog/2011/2/13/seo-predictions-for-2011.html
In a nut shell they include:
1/ Semantic web and/or social media triggers growth
2/Algorithym amendments further develop e.g. conversion rate, Contextual & personalised search, Social search personalisation, Clicks = higher rankings
3/ local business listings become even more important
4/Data leveraging + increased reciprocity = ‘better’ targeting
5/ Status Quo i.e. focus on what’s already important
6/ SEO spend will increase
7/ Penalties for grey hat seo e.g. automated content syndication on content farms