Does organic search matter any more?

[sitetruth]

Do organic search results matter any more?

Here's a classic test of search spam: Google search for "london hotels" (http://www.google.com/search?q=london+hotels). The organic search results are as spammy as ever. But who cares? Before the first organic search results, there are three sponsored links at the top, seven sponsored links at the right, and seven entries from Google Places. No organic search result appears within 814 pixels from the top of the screen.

Bing has almost an identical layout, but a different set of advertisers. There's a big block of Bing material at the top. Then Bing shows two (2) organic search results, after which they throw in a big block from "Bing Travel".

Let's try another classic: Google search for "Viagra" (http://www.google.com/search?q=Viagra). One ad at the top (from "Viagra - Official Site"), then a block from Google's drug search engine, then "viagra.com" again, then Wikipedia, then three Google Shopping results, and only then do organic results appear.

A few more, from Google:
-- "Ergonomic chairs" - first organic result in position 12.
-- "Vitamins" - first organic result in position 9.
-- "Tires" - first organic result in position 9.

It looks like "search engine optimization" is now meaningful only for topics where the search engines themselves aren't running special purpose "pay for placement" systems.

[AussieWebmaster]

geo targeting Google Places is a great tactic

[nuttakorn]

SEO will be more matter because each keyword intent will use different SEO strategy, for example of "London Hotels", above the fold result is local listing (Organic) then you need to optimize for those. For some long tail keywords, you may need to focus another strategy.

[jag]

Search Engine Optimization hold on local listing too. Just click on the sites local listing detail page :)

BTW, I go to your point that organic listing have been pushed down by different blocka but still many of the business keywords holds and depends on organic listing and as well hope to see a design change from Google soon, because Google's success was organic listing (Old SEO) ;)

[sitetruth]

The trend seems to be in the other direction. Instead of paying for "search engine optimization", Google and Bing just want you to pay them for ad space. If you want to appear "above the fold" for topics where the search engine has a special-purpose subengine, like travel, or a shopping category, it's pay to play now.

[AussieWebmaster]

there is a push to get local and specific - be in maps, videos and news helps with new page results

[AussieWebmaster]

Aaron's article on increased spends on Adwords with Instant rollout (http://www.searchnewz.com/topstory/news/sn-2-20101027GoogleProfitsSoarFromInstantSearch.html) is definitely worth reading and making note

[jag]

Do you go fully for any paid directory or a page to get information and if you have been online you should be knowing how those work? :)

Now Search Engines & sub engine looks for combination and as Aussie said you need to look for combination of promotion and all those requires SEO.

[sitetruth]

Since I wrote the original posting above, Google has changed their format. Searching, as usual, for "london hotels", yesterday, the "maps" section of special case results moved from the results column to the ads column on the right. There are now two ads above the "Places" results, 7 "places" results", a map and 8 ads at the right, and then, finally, some organic search results. (This is all with personalization off.)

For the categories where one of the specialized subengines cuts in and takes over the results, organic search is now irrelevant.

[jag]

You don't pay to list that's organic search.

[dannyb]

Nice article from Aaron. I have a feeling that Google instant, when fully rolled out, may drive down CTR on highly competitive keywords thus driving down quality score and increasing CPC on the highly searched terms. What do you think?

[cryptblade]

Nice article from Aaron. I have a feeling that Google instant, when fully rolled out, may drive down CTR on highly competitive keywords thus driving down quality score and increasing CPC on the highly searched terms. What do you think?

I think - SEO aside - that $GOOG is probably good to get into especially on pullback days like today.

...Don't forget BIDU!

[AussieWebmaster]

yeah the invest in tech game is tricky but have 100 shares of Google that had from first week... they have been higher but are at least back up

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

As for the original question: I've been wondering thiso ne, too.

Will this be a new important part of doing keyword research for a website? Targeting keyword phrases where google CAN'T compete with you?

I remember Aaron Wall mentioned them pushing the organic listings below the fold just screamed working the long-tail. So that might be a possibility.

On the other hand A.W. also mentioned that they were trying to kill off the long-tail :D (probably with the goal to make the web a better place, not to maximize profits;)).

Im really wondering what this stuff means for the future of SEO. Can google not do this for certain keywords (e.g. long-tail)? Can google not go overboard with this or a competitor will take away market share (then again they have significant good-will...).

Why are the people who focus 100% on SEO (rather than internet marketers with a focus on seo) not running around screaming that they're about to lose their jobs with this happening?

It seems there's something at play I dont understand, yet (also A.Wall doesnt seem to believe that this threat means that "SEO is dead").

what do I not understand about this? why arent SEOs running around screaming that theyre about to lose their jobs?

[AussieWebmaster]

it is SEO so will adapt to what the search engine is showing - be that optimizing video so they appear or getting in to maps etc etc

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

but if the organic ads are pushed below the fold (increasingly), how can SEO adapt?

my reply would be by doing PPC, not SEO.

can it be ruled out that google can do this across the board? and if they do would the quality of their search engine suffer way too much (and make it easy for a competitor to take over)...?

[AussieWebmaster]

organic ads??? and is Google trying to promote ppc?

[butterflyseo]

i think organic and PPC is base form your niche target, or your business.

[phoenix06007]

of course it really matters, rather than the result in PPC. because PPC is good only for a shor term wjile organic search is for long term

[AussieWebmaster]

of course it really matters, rather than the result in PPC. because PPC is good only for a shor term wjile organic search is for long term
can you give me an extended explanation of this one?