Google the Great and Powerful
Lately, I’ve been reading more and more articles about how Google is on the decline, that their searches aren’t as relevant as they used to/should be, etc. I’m not going to say that Google is and always will be the internet’s finest search engine, or that it’s the only thing you need to focus on for SEO. Those statements may or may not be true, but I don’t have the time or energy to make those arguments right now.
My main point here is this: SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization*. And, whether Google’s the best at it or not, it’s still the default search engine for most people you’re going to encounter on a given day. Bing/Yahoo may be improving by leaps and bounds, Blekko† may be super rad, but for most folks—from your mom to your next door neighbor to the guy who sold you your car—Google is probably king. Few websites have had their names become a synonym for what they do, but I know I hear the term “I’ll just Google it” quite frequently, when someone needs to look up some fact or figure.**
So, though I am by no means here to promote Google, it’s important to note that, even if the quality of their service is declining and they’re slowly, secretly selling out, they’ll still be the first place most people look to find information on the web. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, Google will be the most relevant/popular search site available for many, many years to come. This doesn’t mean that all other search engines are useless for SEO, just that Google—good, bad or otherwise—will probably always be the most important and influential.
If you’re in the market for new running shoes, you might be able to find better prices and a better selection at Dick’s Sporting Goods††, but most folks will probably still go to Foot Locker, because it’s the most well-known shoe shop around. If you trying to optimize search engine results, it’s best to focus on the most well-known, most-used search engine out there. Which, despite its recent decline (or not), is still Google.
* But you already knew that—why else would you be reading a blog from an SEO site?
† Which sounds like a noise my cat makes after a long grooming session.
** I have even heard the phrase “Google it in the dictionary.”
†† Also not an endorsement, just an example
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Wait, you’ve literally heard someone say “Google it in the dictionary?” And they were using Google and a synonym for looking something up, and not referring to going online at all?
Comment by Brian — January 27, 2011 @ 10:18 am
@Brian– I was thinking the same thing. That is pretty funny to me.
Comment by Greg — January 27, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
Brian: Yes! Rather than “I’ll look it up in the dictionary,” I heard someone say “I’ll Google it in the dictionary” (using an actual, physical dictionary). We live in an odd world.
Comment by Lee — January 27, 2011 @ 1:08 pm