The Past, Present, and Future of SEO Content

            So, before I get into my topic this week, I will mention that last week’s blog did well.  Of course, that leads me to assume that my followers like videos, so I will make sure to attach more videos to my blogs in the future. 

Today, I am going to compare the past and present of SEO content; then, I am going to give my predictions of the future of SEO content.  First let’s set down some ground rules: My SEO content predictions are predictions.  Sure, I predicted that the missing piece to the Lakers’ dominating the NBA was a tall, lanky Center.  I also thought of the adaptation of cordless power systems that would work with televisions and other devices way before Intel did.  Okay, not way before, but at least before I read that they were working on the invention that my friends and family laughed at me for thinking would be a good idea.  So, again, while my predictions of the future of SEO content are not verifiable data, I notice patterns.  Second ground rule: Please, feel free to disagree.  Your input and thoughts are always welcome.  Be warned that while I am willing to listen, I am confident in my opinion.  Okay, that’s it.  Now onto the history, present, and future of SEO content.

SEO content became a viable web marketing tool in the mid-90’s, when web masters began to notice that their SEO content helped them achieve higher Google rankings called SERP.  From SEO content arose white and black hat SEO.  Since I cannot assume that everyone reading my blog understands the difference, black hat SEO content is what happens when you go to Youtube, plug in the keywords ‘Barack Obama,’ and somehow end up watching a video on a 9/11 conspiracy theory.  White hat SEO content is just the opposite.  In order to counteract black SEO content, search engines started to rely less on keywords attached to metatags on Web sites’ HTML pages and more on ranking pages according to the number of web sites that linked into that Web site.  Of course, web masters caught on and developed link farms—groups of web sites that link into each other—in response to Inktomi. 

Larry Page and Sergey Brin responded to this crisis by developing Google, which categorized Web sites rankings’ according to the value of Web sites that linked into it, using an algorithmic system called PageRank patented by Google.  PageRank defined the difference between the way search engines like Inktomi and Google ranked pages. 

Over the years, black hat SEO content writers  and search engines, such as Google, have dueled with one another.  Black hat SEO content writers continue to try to manipulate search algorithms, while search engines continue to weed out Web sites that participate in link farms and other devious ranking practices, like the U.S. military tries to weed out the Taliban from countless caves in Afghanistan. 

In response to link farms, Webrings—white hat versions of link farms—became more and more popular.  Webrings consist of a central Web site that hosted a collection of partnering Web sites.  Each partnering Web site shows a navigation bar at the top of its Web site, so that when users click on it they go to the next Web site in the ring.

Between black and white hat SEO content writers, who battle over SERP position, and search engines that act as the battlefields, one can only assume that just as search engines’ algorithms have become more specialized, the pattern will continue. 

In a recent blog, by Dean Giustini, that compared Web 2.0 to Web 3.0, Giustini implied that PageRank would have no place in the future internet.  Of course, within the blog, Giustini only gave a list of variables, so I don’t want to read too much into his predictions.  I am sure he knows much more about this stuff than I do, but I am going to disagree with him on this one.

According to Cubestat, Google’s estimated value is more than 2 bil, so it would make good business sense for Berner’s-Lee, and other creators of Web 3.0, to want to keep Google around.  Among other reasons for Web 3.0, which will ultimately take steps toward federalizing various agencies, its intent is to create a more user friendly experience.  For practical examples, please take a look at my blog from last week.  Giustini’s blog compares defining factors of Web 2.0  to defining factor of Web 3.0 such as the evolution of “Ontologies, semantic systems.”  As I said, I don’t want to read too much into his blog, and I am not say that search engines won’t use Ontological algoryhtms; though, according to a holistic view of the list Giustini seemed to compare the dying of Web 2.0 to the evolution of Web 3.0. 

Within Giustini’s list, he seems to predict that Semantic web companies will replace Google as a “catalyst” in creating a more user-friendly web experience.  While I invite Giustini to further clarify (or take back) his point, I would like to remind him that Coca-Cola started at as a simple Tonic; though, over time, through cultural adaptation, it became one of the most popular soft drinks and cultural symbols in the world.  My point?  Google is a 2$ bil company, semantic-web.at holds a value of just over $7,000 (see Cubestat), I think Google will find its place in Web 3.0.

So, here’s the bottom line—Web 3.0 is like the web version of the United Nations.  It is more than just a bunch of Web sites joining web rings like cowboys join posses; it is everything from Twitter to Pattie Maes’ “Sixth Sense” to Gov 2.0 to more. 

In the world of Web 3.0, I predict that just as Google will find its place, SEO content will continue to be a viable form of increasing page rankings.  In response to the mess of Web 2.0, Berners’-Lee developed such organizations as the Semantic Web Health Care and Life Sciences (HCLS) Interests Group.  This group and other groups like it will continue to need SEO content writers; though, the content they write will consist of a web syntax called RDF.  I predict that in this federalized version of the Web, writing SEO content will become more of a specialized field.  I predict that these organizations that join groups like the HCLS won’t want to give out their RDF codes to just anyone, so they’ll require some sort of security clearance before they hire SEO content writers.

In the world of Web 3.0, some web masters will continue to rely on Craigslist to find SEO content writers, and the battle between white and black hat SEO content will continue; though, those who rely on sites like Craigslist will be left in the world of Web 2.0 like Will Smith was left in Manhattan in a cheesy movie about humans that turn into vampires. 

I do not foresee the ultimate collapse of Google or the eradication of SEO content.  I foresee that as Web 3.0 becomes more federalized, Google will take on a more ontological feel, SEO content writing will become a more specialized field, and black hat SEO content writers will find new ways to weasel into the world of Web 3.0.

Come back next week for my blog on the uprising of World Wide Web War I.  Okay, that was a joke.  I’ll leave that prediction to anyone who believe robots will take over the world.  Until next week, please visit my Web site and feel free to comment on this blog.