16 replies to this topic

[Jill]

In conjunction with our 4 year anniversary, I thought it would be fun and interesting to get our High Rankings Forum members opinions on what's changed the most in the 4 years since we've been around.

Please tick off the things you felt have changed the most and comment on why you chose what you did.

I'm looking forward to the responses and will provide mine as well later on in the thread.

[Randy]

hmm... Just from personal experience and how what I do every day has changed I have the top few for me are:

1. How Success is Measured
2. More thought being given to Usability

Those two mainly because I'm a lot more focused on conversion these days than I was several years ago.

With #3 being Creating Search Engine Friendly sites, which was a biggie back when dynamic sites first came on the scene in a big way, but isn't quite as tricky these days.

For the 4th I do see a lot more communication coming from the search engines to SEOs, SEMs and Webmasters these days. I'm not necessarily sure this is a good thing though. The verdict is still out on that one IMO.

[Priest]

I think social media has been extreamly big. Some of the others we knew would grow and expland but how many actually seen that one coming?

[qwerty]

I went with social media, which I don't think I had heard of four years ago, and SE communications. I guess back then there was GoogleGuy (who could that have been?) and that was about it. Some of the old timers in the business always had a few connections at the search engines, but I sure didn't. I still don't.

[AlDugan]

Ooohh... an HR Survey, how fun!

I went with Social Media for the obvious reasons, how we measure success because a lot of the top pros in the industry have switched over to measuring conversion rather than rankings as the top success measure, and usability being a part of SEO because people are finally getting that rankings don't mean squat if your visitors don't convert. Maybe I am being to optimistic on the last one though because there are still plenty of folks that don't get this.

[Scottie]

I think the biggest change was watching a lot of the formula/game-the-algo guys start preaching "good content."

[maleman]

What's changed the most?

Jill's do!

I picked Creating, Linkbuilding, On-Page and Useability because those are the Big 4 IMHO.

Edited by maleman, 01 August 2007 - 05:22 PM.

[Eschtruth Harrison]

1. Paid Search
2. How Success is Measured.

Both standard PPC search and content ads and now PPA. Cost per click has risen exponentially, but also the ability to control and report on paid ads has changed in major ways. For example it's much easier now to test different ad copy and landing pages for the same keyword phrases and get meaningful reports. Also Yahoo changing from Pay for Position (the old Overture way) to the new Panama way was very big, although not necessarily a positive thing for all advertisers. Also MSN getting into the game is new during that time frame but less significant.

Because of the increased costs the importance of accurately measuring success has become more important. When some keyword phrases were going for 5 or 10 cents tracking those clicks in a thorough and thoughtful manner did not register on the radar screen to the same degree that it does when the same click may now cost $5.00 or more.

[Randy]

Good one Scottie ! Too true too.

Ya'll who didn't know about Social Media were just hanging out in the wrong places. Social Media, building communities and communities swapping stuff back and forth have been there since before ... well ... erm... In one certain market it's been there for a very, very long time. Over a decade in fact, if you knew where to look.

[ScottSalwolke]

I think all of these are relevant. But creating search engine friendly designs has impacted not just rankings. It's made designers focus on creating meaningful copy for a site and making them user friendly instead of just having flashy graphics.

[Jill]

That's it? Anyone else gonna vote?

[lisety]

I put social media because it really didn't even exist 4 years ago (that I know of) and because it seems to be the wave of the future.

[lyn]

I went with "How success is measured" and "Paid search" because that's where I've seen the most difference for my clients.
The level of the discussion has elevated a lot with respect to what they want from their sites; there's far more focus on tangible results lke downloads and lead generation now. Four years ago, there were still customers out here who were tickled pink if they showed up on the first page of search for their own business name!
Paid search wasn't on the table for the industrial types I normally work with. There's much more interest and sophistication these days, as organic results have become more competitive.

Social media isn't even on the radar - it produces lots of buzz in the mass markets, of course, but nothing I can put to use.

L.

[Keith Cash]

The not know what will change next in the Google monster. Having to change and regroup you SEO everytime Google decides to do an update. Drives me crazy. As I know it does You all also. If they would just tell us what the are going to do and when they are going to do it. and be more free on info to get questions answered. End of my rant.

Content is king.

Cheers