Bright SEO career prospects could dim

Next 5 years are very competitive for all sites, Natural search engine optimization service in demanding.

In my view, for those that can create intelligent, high-value content, the business prospects for SEO services are likely promising for some time, perhaps beyond the window referenced in the article. Many marketers and other professionals it seems have difficulty writing (period), let alone writing for search engines. As search engine algorithms get smarter, the 'best' sites might actually begin to rank highest more consistently. If best is defined as highest value content, there is no foreseeable horizon in terms of need for content. If search engines were really advanced, no one would be thinking in terms of SEO/SEM, they'd be thinking of how to make their sites and associated content more useful and therefore valuable. Hopefully search engine technologies will continue to progress and as a result align interests in support of this goal.

I agree with Ron. If you're good, they will come. SEO practices have the highest ROI for sites that are just starting out and need that boost to get noticed. Once a site matures, it's good content and user experience that will somehow register on the secret algorithms and keep you on the top ranks of search engines.

There is something called as Advanced SEO

I do not fully agree with what is being talked about in SEO world regarding the short career prospects of a consultant. When we talk SEO on the web world normally its only the surface that is being scratched. Those few elements like Title Tags, Alt Tags, Writing a good copy, folder names, url names, etc. These are only the first step of SEO.

If a web developer really wants to succed and survive the competition, there is more than he sees on the surface. SEO is direct communication with the crawler. You need to talk with the Crawler in terms of Information Architecture, Good navigation design, Linking techniques and there is more to it. This is where the consultant comes into picture and rescues the company. And if you get into the details of IA there is much proficiency and time required. This is just one aspect that I am talking about.

SEO Will Eventually Become Ineffective

I agree that SEO will likely see a surge in business over the next 5 years and a decline after that. However, I disagree as to the reason for the decline. I don't think the decline will be due to skilled web designers but rather due to the ineffectiveness of SEO. Given that search is a very competitive (and crowded) place it will only get worse when the number of optimized websites increases over time. This will lead to an increase in competition that will mean fewer and fewer visitors for optimized sites, in return decreasing the value of SEO. If in 5 years an optimized site can't guarantee a surge in traffic then SEO consultants can no longer demand their exorbitant fees. The end user will still be happy since he can find what he's looking for on Google. However, websites will become frustrated with Google/SEO and look for alternative internet marketing techniques. - Tom @ TOKiBiz

the SEO now will be different from the SEO in future

Personally, I believe that the good SEO companies will put more focus on clients' business processes and models and identify the real target customers and to understand site visitors (customers' behaviour) and off course on the rich and authorative content.

There will also come a time when SEO fee is paid by performance with traffic, conversion, sales and cost reductions measurements. SEO may also move from the Web to mobile applications.

The the best SEO professionals can survive the industry. I do agree that basics of SEO will one day become part of the core competency for any development on the Web. On page optimization is kinda of straight forward and most useful tips and techniques are readily available on the Web. So I believe the real SEO is about the business processes, off page optimization and also off line marketing.

Agreed

I certainly agree. The SEO product is easily replicable. It's impossible for all companies to sit in the top 10 throughout the world. I imagine there will be a tendancy for Google to start taking into account physical knowledge (size, industry, success) about companies not just the web knowledge that SE's can currently utilise.

Change the rules

I completely agree with you as i am an aspiring professional in this field and was seeking some professional advice, i just landed on this article, which claims the future of the SEO, it's right that as any other business like <a href="http://www.forexfloor.com" target="_blank">forex currency trading</a> or manufacturing. It's all depend to us where we want to take it and how?

Hrm

Logically speaking, if things of this level were basic competency issues, Jakob would have to say these things one time and it would be done. The fact is, many designers still don't follow basic accessibility, design and validation rules... And I'm expected to believe they'll follow serious SEO ones?

If people were that reliable with this stuff Nielsen wouldn't even have a job in 10 years either.

Get the right job

Great post, thanks for the information, I had great luck finding a New Career at http://www.careermatches.org/index.php?id=New

Bright SEO career prospects could dim

True said that many people have their favorite search engine and if they are having problem they go to that search engine. These websites should focus more on the first page so that people can get more information regarding their problems.

Cynthia kurtz
<a rel="dofollow" href="http://www.widecircles.com" rel="dofollow">seo</a>

Bright SEO career prospects could dim

True said that many people have their favorite search engine and if they are having problem they go to that search engine. These websites should focus more on the first page so that people can get more information regarding their problems.

Cynthia kurtz
<a href="http://www.widecircles.com" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker('/outbound/http://www.widecircles.com');">SEO</a>

Bright SEO career prospects could dim

True said that many people have their favorite search engine and if they are having problem they go to that search engine. These websites should focus more on the first page so that people can get more information regarding their problems.
Cynthia kurtz
http://www.widecircles.com----SEO

Learning Internet Marketing -- The Future?

Hi,

I remember when the Internet was all text. So it's hard to predict the future.

But coming from the viewpoint of someone who helps small business owners use the Internet to get business, I can't see the demand diminishing. The reason is that small business website owners just don't have time.

They're going to turn to experts not just for seo help but also for help learning Internet marketing strategies and performing Internet promotions tasks.

I expect the demand to be greater than the supply because doing seo work isn't exciting, sexy or fun.. It's a big repetitious and boring compared to web 2.0, online video and all the other possibilities.

So I think it's a decent bet to say that the prospects won't dim too much, although I think the article brings up good points.

RE: Bright SEO career prospects could dim

<a href=Http://www.sem-advance.com" rel="dofollow">SEO</a> is definitely not going to dim in the future, however it will morph into a more specialty field with those who can only do SEO for very long tail keywords disappearing. Which in all reality cannot happen soon enought.

Lets not forget that things change

Having been an IT professional for some 27 years now I have seen a few changes happen in the IT world. The thing to remember SEO will change and the need for good <a href="http://www.seo-magic-webs.com">SEO</a> consultants will continue. Yes the market will settle out as it always does and in the shake up the cowboys disappear.

Google is always on the move and it is moving away already from flat results. even now it playing with new search result tools such as the Wonder wheel ... So because of all the changes I recon there will be plenty of work for good pro's who can keep up.

Bright SEO career prospects could dim

I do not see the SEO career graph going down at all, but I do expect some stability in the market. Currently the SEO industry is abused a lot by link builders and individuals who believe that submitting websites to directories and link exchange is SEO. I do see that very soon, people with such ideologies will be out of business for sure and that is good for other SEO' who work really hard for organic results.

According to me other forms or marketing like Print, Television and Radio are too expensive for small enterprises for long term efforts. In that case SEO is the only medium which is cheap, effective and sustainable and at the same time it also helps in the brand building efforts. Check out http://bit.ly/5LKn20.

Keep up the good work SEO's and help your customers get customers.

Bright SEO career prospects could dim

"I am pessimistic about the long-term prospects for SEO jobs, because the basics of search engine optimization are fairly simple and ought to be part of the core competency of anybody who makes a living in Web design, Internet marketing, or writing for the Web."

The basics of usability are also fairly simple (just read through the useit site), and usability should also be part of the core competency. Therefore, career prospects for usability specialists isn't great either.

I’ve been visiting your blog for a while now and I always find a gem in your new posts. Thanks for sharing.