THe death of SEO: The losers of SEO death

Since the last Google updates, it was tough to be the owner of a new website. It was a constant worry to guess what may come next. Add that to the report by Glen Allsopp at detailed.com which is about how only 16 big media company are taking full advantage of Google search results.

That report is about how the diverse list of websites in Google search results are often owned by just a few brands.  These brands have at least 2 of the top 10 results in every search query. Sometimes they have 9 out of 10. These factors are making the life of an SEO very tough.

At one hand, you have to battle it out against these big brands for some keywords, on the other hand, Google is constantly throwing out new updates and these updates mostly affect lesser known websites.  

You feel like that SEO is dead. But who are biggest losers of the death of SEO?

In this article, we will take a look at the potential losers if SEO is dead.

The Death Of SEO Losers

SEO companies

If SEO were to be "dead," it would indeed have a significant impact on SEO companies like Ahrefs and Semrush, which provide tools and services for search engine optimization.

Here's why they might be among the losers

#Decreased Demand for SEO Tool

if SEO were truly dead, the demand for SEO tools would decrease significantly. Ahrefs, Semrush, and similar companies rely on businesses and individuals seeking to improve their search engine rankings through SEO. If SEO lost its effectiveness, fewer people would invest in SEO tools, leading to a decline in revenue for these companies.

#Shifting Business Models

Companies like Ahrefs and Semrush might struggle to adapt their business models if SEO became obsolete. While they offer various tools beyond traditional SEO, such as competitor analysis, keyword research, and content marketing tools, the core of their business revolves around search engine optimization.

If SEO lost its relevance, these companies would need to pivot their offerings or develop new services to remain competitive.

#Loss of Credibility and Trust

A significant part of these companies' value lies in their reputation as SEO experts and their ability to provide valuable insights and data to improve search engine rankings. If SEO were declared dead and their tools were seen as irrelevant, it could damage their credibility and erode the trust of their user base. This loss of trust could lead to a decline in customer retention and acquisition.

#Competition from Alternative Marketing Channels

If SEO were no longer effective, businesses would likely shift their focus and investments to alternative marketing channels, such as social media marketing, video search engines like YouTube and Vimeo, influencer marketing, or paid advertising.

 Companies like Ahrefs and Semrush might face increased competition from providers of tools and services tailored to these alternative channels.

Loser : Google

Let’s see how SEO’s death will affect Google.

#Loss of Google’s Ad Revenue

Google’s primary revenue stream comes from advertising, particularly through its Ads platform, which heavily relies on search engine traffic.

If SEO were to become obsolete, businesses would likely decrease their investments in organic search and shift more towards paid advertising channels. As a result, Google would see a significant decline in ad revenue from businesses that previously relied on SEO to drive organic traffic to their websites.

It's not that complicated. There are millions of blogs and websites, and each has its unique traffic. The majority of that traffic came from the use of SEO strategies. Typically, they produce reviews and articles that their target readers could find useful. The websites create ad spots adjacent to their content using Google AdSense. Advertisers eager to offer their goods or services online are the ones running these adverts. Google makes a lot of money from these adverts.

#Decreased Search Engine Usage

if SEO become useless, content creators will stop writing and publishing new articles, then people would have less reason to use search engines like Google to find information.

Users may turn to alternative methods like social media platforms, video search engines , direct website visits, or specialized apps to fulfill their information needs.

This decline in search engine usage would not only impact Google's ad revenue but also its data collection capabilities, which are crucial for its targeted advertising and user profiling efforts. Google has the biggest data collection in the world. That data is one of the money reasons that Google will be even stronger moving forward.

Anyway, if no one is willing to publish a new content, no one will have the urge to google it anymore.

#Erosion of Google's Dominance

According to statistics from Statista, Google dominates the market on any device in all around the world. But Google's dominance as the primary search engine is closely tied to the effectiveness of SEO.

If SEO were to die out, Google's relevance as the go-to source for information might diminish, leading to a loss of market share to competitors.

Other search engines such as Microsoft Bing and other alternative platforms could emerge as viable options, challenging Google's position and potentially impacting its overall market value and influence. Who knows?

#Adaptation Challenges

Adapting to new challenges is one of the toughest problems that any business may encounter.

Surviving the emerging challenges is a challenge itself.

Although Google has diversified its business beyond search, with ventures like Google Cloud, YouTube, and hardware products, its core revenue still heavily depends on search-related advertising.

We can say If SEO became obsolete; Google would need to adapt its advertising offers to successfully address various marketing channels. This process of adapting may be difficult and delayed, leading to a temporary drop in Google’s sales and shares.

Though Google is a giant, these adaptation challenges will cost billions.

 so…. We are  not alone, are we?

Losers: Big brands

As we have mentioned earlier, these big brands dominate the SERPS.

This is how they are likely to suffer if SEO become dead.  

#Big Brands Reliant on Organic Traffic

Many major brands, particularly those in highly competitive industries like e-commerce, rely heavily on organic search traffic for a significant portion of their online sales and brand visibility. If SEO were to lose its effectiveness, these brands would face challenges in maintaining their current levels of online visibility and traffic.

#Decreased Online Visibility

 Big brands invest heavily in SEO strategies to maintain top positions in search engine results pages (SERPs). Losing the benefits of SEO would result in decreased online visibility, making it harder for these brands to reach their target audience organically.

#Reduced Online Sales

A substantial portion of online sales for big brands comes from organic search traffic. Without effective SEO, these brands would experience a decline in online sales as their products and services become less discoverable to potential customers searching online.

#Impact on Brand Reputation

 Organic search rankings often contribute to a brand's reputation and authority in its industry. Losing these top positions could damage the perception of these brands as industry leaders, potentially leading to a loss of consumer trust and loyalty.

#Increased Reliance on Paid Advertising

In the absence of effective SEO, big brands would need to rely more on paid advertising to maintain their online visibility and reach their target audience. This increased reliance on paid channels would lead to higher advertising costs and potentially lower returns on investment compared to organic search traffic.

#Disruption in Marketing Strategies

Big brands with well-established SEO strategies would need to overhaul their marketing strategies, reallocating resources and investments to alternative channels like paid advertising, social media marketing, or influencer marketing. This disruption could lead to a period of adjustment and uncertainty for these brands.

bear in mind , the demise of SEO would severely impact everyone, from SEO professionals, to big brands that heavily rely on organic search traffic as a cornerstone of their online presence and sales strategy, to Google that its biggest revenue comes from websites that in turn rely on SEO.

Whenever you feel down about the future os SEO, just remember that it's not only you who will suffer, but the big compaines will also lose millions because of this shifting.