Below is a list of ways that Google personalization is changing search engine optimization today:
• Everybody now sees different Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) based on their searching patterns making measuring a consistent ranking no longer possible.
• Content development simply for increased page count and link building no longer has as much influence on your site’s rank.
• People who visit their own sites are getting the wrong impression that their sites are ranking well in the SERPs and are stopping SEO services.
Other ways that Google personalization are changing optimization are listed below:
• People who visit their competitor’s sites are getting the wrong impression that their sites AREN’T ranking well in the SERPs and are blaming their SEO company.
• Search spam is starting to get filtered out as people, by and large, do not revisit spammy pages.
• Fresh content is becoming essential for rankings, as new pages stand out in someone’s personalized SERPs and are getting searchers to come back to your site. Social media content is now critical and is being done at increased levels.
Pay Per Click is also changing as a result of Google Personalization:
• PPC is becoming more popular as people find natural rankings too difficult to achieve and are abandoning it.
To be clear, Google personalization is a “game-changer” but it does not impact the most important aspect of Search Engine Optimization i.e. having a good website. Keep in mind that SEO never has nor ever will be just about your SERP ranking. Optimization is about improving your site so that it can perform better. Think about good usability, professional web design, and targeted on-point messaging, and you’ll see where Google is heading. With personalization everybody wins. Searchers get better, more relevant results and website owners that engage in search engine optimization will get better performing websites and thus better returns on their marketing investments.
To read more about Google personalization, please visit Google @ http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=54068
Tags: google, Google's Personalized Search, Search engine optimization, SEO
