Ability to predict the future of SEO?

[dignan99]

I just finished watching a documentary on Ray Kurzweil, Transcedent, and began to familiarize myself with his book, The Singularity is Near.  During Ray's explanation of prediction through data gathering and extrapolation, he predicts that by 2029 AI and humans will have merged.  We can debate this at another time, but I was wondering if any of the statistics/data is used by SEO professionals to predict where SEO may be going in the next 12-48 months.

It has been my experience that SEO is very reactionary, and very few put their neck out on a limb to predict where it is going.

I was just hoping that some of you may share your thoughts on what you are focusing on and where you are steering your clients in order to be ahead of the curve without hurting current placement.

Anyone care to share?

[RyanKent]

Matt Cutts talked about this subject.

The summary was, don't try to chase where Google is going. Try to focus on providing web users with the best possible online experience. That is what Google is chasing.

I think that idea is perfectly valid. People will always need a way to obtain information quickly. Google will seek to offer that information. How can we help?

[dignan99]

Hi Ryan, So what do you think the best future content and interaction with search engines will take us? Ray Kurzweil spoke about the fact that he uses his models to predict the future of technology before we have the ability to create it.

While some might see this as a pointless exercise, it has kept him on the cutting edge of tech, and allowed him to hit the ground running as our technology advances. Social Media and Web 2.0 are ones that seem to be currently at the forefront but may not be 100% utilized by everyone. This seems apparent to me, and I wouldn't consider it "chasing" Google by implementing the use in an SEO or marketing strategy.

This is also not predicting, but simply following a logical game plan of what should be done based on Matt Cutts comments and testing. I personally see the use of optimized video as playing a major role in the future, and many people who have been utilizing it for years already are just ahead of their time.

I am wondering what impact the "Semantic Web" or Web 3.0 will be playing, and how to prepare appropriately, and possibly in advance.

[RyanKent]

Speculating about the next couple years of SEO is one thing. The further out you go, the more variables you introduce and the less relevant the ideas become.

A few years ago most people could not predict the impact twitter and facebook would have on SEO. Many still don't understand and need to be awoken with clear visual charts.

I am not willing to speculate further then what I have, but I will watch your question and hope it spurs other ideas.