Will SEO Still Exist in the Future? Here’s What the Data Tells Us

Search engine optimization or SEO has been a crucial factor in a website’s ranking and growth for over two decades now. From eCommerce digital marketing to video marketing to blogging, SEO is everywhere.

However, as newer trends and technologies become mainstream, people have started questioning the relevance and importance of SEO. Some have even started believing that SEO is almost dead and will cease to exist in the future. But is that true? While it is true that today’s SEO is not what it used to be ten or even five years ago, saying it will not exist in the future might not be right.

To help you gain some insights and ease your worries, we have curated a list of relevant SEO statistics. Read this blog post till the end to find out what the data says about the future of SEO in 2023 and beyond!

Why is SEO important today?

Before we dive deep into the data about the future of SEO, let’s understand what SEO actually is and why should you care about it.

As its name suggests, search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website so that it can rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs). It includes strategies like keyword research and implementation, link building, writing metadata, etc. In short, SEO is all about making your website attractive and relevant to search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a great way to get more people to visit your website. Various studies have shown that most people only click on the first few results they see on SERPs. So, by using relevant SEO tactics, you have a better chance of appearing higher up in the search results and increasing your site’s traffic.

It’s quite simple: more visitors = more potential customers = more money for your business!

Whether you want to create promotional videos for business or write a catchy landing page copy, SEO is something you cannot ignore.

What is the future of SEO? Key statistics you should know about

While we have established why SEO is important for your website, we cannot ignore the fact that things are changing rapidly in the digital landscape. Search engines and their algorithms are revolving, and older SEO techniques simply don’t work much today.

So, the most pressing question about the future scope of SEO is: is SEO going to be dead in the next five to ten years? 

Well, let’s see what the data has to say:

SEO content statistics:

• Today, 29% of online marketers use blogs to attract high-quality leads. As per the HubSpot Blog’s 2023 Marketing Strategy & Trends Report, including a robust and well-researched SEO strategy is an excellent way to attract more viewers.
• Another research shows that search engine optimization generates 1000% higher traffic than organic social media marketing.
• Semrush’s State of Content Marketing Report of 2023 reveals that around 30% of online business owners and marketers believe that implementing technical SEO on their websites can boost their rankings.

Local SEO data:

• Over 46% of searches on Google are made for information about local businesses.
• 92% of online searchers still choose to pick the businesses that appear on the first page of local search results.
• Mobile searches for local topics like a business “near me” or “where to buy” have grown over 200% in the last few years.

Industry data related to SEO

• Almost 50% of businesses spend over $20,000 on B2B SEO monthly.
• It is expected that the SEO market will grow at a CAGR of 10% from 2021 to 2023.
• The mean salary for SEO professionals in the U.S. is $60,548 per annum.

Future Scope of SEO

Based on all this data and trends, it is clear that SEO is still very much alive and quite important even today. However, as we look to the future, it won’t be wrong to say that SEO tactics will acquire new forms.

Gone are the days when just sprinkling a few keywords in a blog post was enough. To succeed and stay relevant, marketers will have to change their approach to SEO and broaden their horizons now. Here are some ways in which SEO will grow in the future:

1. The importance of mobile optimization will increase

Optimizing websites for mobile devices has been an important part of SEO for a while now. It will only become more crucial as more people search the web on their phones in the future.

Google reports that mobile searches have gone beyond desktop searches and all new websites now use mobile-first indexing as the standard. Thus, businesses will have to focus on optimizing their website for mobile devices.

2. More focus on social media

Social media platforms can improve website traffic indirectly. Businesses can post SEO-optimised content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to drive traffic to their websites. Thus, social SEO will continue to gain more importance. So, make sure to include social media in your digital and eCommerce SEO audit.

3. Video marketing and SEO will grow steadily

In recent years, video content has skyrocketed in popularity thanks to platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Videos help in boosting engagement and increase the time spent on a website. Businesses will have to include videos in their SEO strategy to stay relevant in the future.

If you are new to video SEO, partnering with video marketing services can be the right way to get started.

Wrapping up

So there you have it! That was all about what the data says regarding the future of SEO. While SEO will continue to be an essential part of a business’s online growth in the future, it will not stay the same as it is now. So, business owners and marketers must be willing to adapt and improve their SEO strategies to experience success and stay ahead of the curve. Contact a reputed digital agency like Paton Marketing to optimize your SEO.