Should SEO Become SO?
December 18, 2008 by Bernie Borges
Filed under SEO, Social Media, Web 2.0
I recently blogged about SEO becoming SMO. Call me fickle but in this podcast I suggest that SEO should become SO (search optimization). Whichever acronym you prefer, this is a healthy debate.
The demand for SEO services is at an all time high. A recent survey from B2B Online survey says that nearly one third of B2B marketers will spend more on marketing in 2009. 42% will remain unchanged in their marketing budgets. 62% said customer acquisition was their highest priority. The highest increase in marketing budget allocation in 2009 is going to online activities including search (50%) and social media (46%).
Given this trend of “search” and “social media” why do we still call search “SEO?” The answer is simple. It’s an entrenched term. Have you ever noticed that when a musician has a new release it’s still called a new album? But, it’s not an album, it’s a CD. The point is obvious. Some old terms just don’t die.
The point in this podcast is we should consider pulling “engine” out of search optimization. Searching on the web is no longer the sole domain of search engines. Buyers have the easy ability to visit all kinds of sources on the web to find information.
People who search on the web are still finding information from search engines as well as from other sources such as Technorati, Blogsearch.Google, DIGG, Stumbleupon, Slideshare even Twitter as well as vertical industry web destinations with blogs and other links to credible sources of information.
A related factor to this trend is the “social” culture of the social web. Users create content and express opinions about products and services. These contents and opinions shape buyer’s opinions and their decisions as they get shared prolifically on the social web. The interaction that occurs on the social web is dynamic compared to a search engine result.
I don’t expect SEO as we know it to dramatically change tomorrow. But, there are changes coming from Google in 2009. They recognize the shift in content on the social web and will display results of all kinds, not just websites. The websites with rich media will get the best results in Google and other search engines.
You could say that Google doesn’t just view their competitors as Yahoo! and Microsoft. They understand that people can get answers to their searches from many other sources on the web. So, like the old cliche goes rather than fight it they are joining the movement.
The point of this podcast theme: SEO becomes SO is that buyers are looking for information on the web, not only in search engines. Buyers get their information from various sources on the web. The culture or mindset of searching on the web has shifted and will continue to shift.
Have a listen to this podcast. Do you think I’ll get on Larry King or Anderson Cooper talk shows due to my radical suggestion? 
I’m sure you have an opinion on this topic. Many people do…Let’s hear your opinion below.
@berniebay
If not Larry King, then I sure would hope Bruce Clay or Lee Oden for sure!
SEO is evolving to Search Optimization simply because of all the available channels to locate information. Aside from that, the SERPs are still a huge resource for the layperson consumer searcher. Having interactive indexable rich formatted media to be engaging enough that the user will want to read it as well as the SERPs able to relevancy rank it is the balance to strive to obtain.
I believe the SEO is definitely evoling to SO! Rock On!
Perhaps the best way to answer your question is to simply look at how I came to read this articel….
1. I received an RSS digest from LinkedIn where you had posted the question.
2. I visited LinkedIn – looked at the q & a and then came to this site to read your thoughts.
No Google, No Yahoo…. No “Engine” at all…
Great thoughts. Look forward to hearing more about it.
my blog at http://www.designedbyeh.com
Eric,
Your example is a good one. Some would argue that you are not looking to buy anything so it’s not the same as doing a search in Google. My point is that even those who use a search engine may still wind up in a blog or somewhere on the social web and ask for and get input from total strangers. These “strangers” can give credible advice and influence buying decisions.
Bernie
@berniebay
What a great article Bernie. I totally agree with you and I love the term Web 3.0. Traditional methods of finding information are definitely changing. Wanna know how I found your article? Well I actually was linked to it FROM Google’s “FriendConnect” blog article, and I found a link to that article from Google’s FriendConnect site, which I found out about on a blog about Drupal CMS. No search engine there either…
This is amazing stuff I can’t wait to see where it all goes. Google’s Friend Connect looks like a phenomenal idea.
Thanks for the great article!