Undoubtedly, search engine optimization (SEO) and internet marketing will change in 2012. The biggest force of change this year is internet-giant Google. Recently released news from Google indicates that the overhaul they have in store for 2012 is far greater than any of the changes made in 2011.
The Google Related toolbar and new sitelinks available in Google’s search results, both unveiled in the last half of 2011, were major factors of change for the world of SEO and online marketing. They provided searches fast access to internal website pages and relevant search related content. Now in one swift blow, Google will make Internet marketers do a 360 when it comes to how they attack website SEO. The focus? Data incorporation and direct information.
Webmasters everywhere are working diligently to update their websites for Google’s early 2012 launch of a new user view for direct question search queries. When the changes go live, website who have restructured their data for crawlers will have basic company information, like business hours and products, pulled into organic search result lists. The information will come from hidden metadata coded into each website. For the best SEO results, websites should use the documentation process found at Schema.org.
Calling the changes a blend between Google search results and the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button, reasons behind Google’s anticipated reworking of search results are primarily focusing on providing the searcher with a better experience and fast access to information. Direct questions will be answered in a simple fashion, without a hunt into subpages of a site.
For those in the business of SEO and internet marketing, speculations of Google’s dominance in search marketing and future as an advertiser – both online and through mobile SMS – have been made. This reasoning likely comes from the search engines infatuation with data ownership, as seen in the SSL changes made in 2011 which have impacted the information sent to webmasters in more than one of ten searches since October.
Whatever the motive behind the changes in the type of information Google’s crawlers wish to see and report on, it will certainly change the way SEO and internet marketing is conducted.
