Search engine optimization, Google Local and broadband access

 

Likely you've heard people talk about search engine optimization (SEO).  SEO strives to enhance your web site so that it will rank higher in search results.  If you rely on search engines to point people to your site, then using some of the SEO techniques will be important.  It is, however, something that you can't do just once.  Since the search engines are regularly tweaking their algorithms, you must also regularly tweak your site to ensure that it maintains the ranking in the search results that you want.

An assumption that you might make is that everyone who searches on a topic will receive the same results, if they use the same search engine and if they use the same exact search terms.  That, however, is not true.  If you have a Google account, for example, Google will tailor your search results based on what it knows about you (more and more).  For some, that may be a good thing, but if you're doing research for someone else, you may not be giving the person the best results possible.

A trend that is coming on the Internet is to customize your search results based on your location as well as provide services to you based on your location.  I don't mean where you think you are, but where you really are.  For example, customizing search results based on the location of the Internet device you are using, so that those resources that are physically close to you are ranked higher.  So searching for on "quilts" when I'm physically in Philadelphia would give me different results when I run the same search while physically located in San Francisco.

Customizing search results based on what the search engine knows about you and where you are located will interfere with any search engine optimization that has been done for a site, but how much?  And can the SEO experts helps web site rank high in search results no matter what?  Those are questions that I look forward to hearing discussed.

Another example of being able to deliver a service based on location comes to us from London (UK), where you can text the word "taxi" from your cell phone and have a taxi pick you up at your location.  There is no need to tell the taxi company where you are; they can already tell that from the wireless network.  Being able to order a specific service based on location is something that is not in the U.S. (not like it is in other parts of the world), but it is coming.

In the U.S., this level of service and customization is being made possible by the re-wiring that is occurring to create a nationwide broadband network.  And many municipalities are installing municipal-wide wifi networks (e.g., Philadelphia).  Will everyone be on the broadband or wireless network?  Likely not since some people may not be able to afford to connect, but at least the capabilities will be waiting their for them. 

The net effect of all of this is that will be that search will be personal and the Internet will truly be ubiquitous.  I think this is what we've been waiting for!

Comments

[edward]

I read alot on blog like this one,of people sweating and working so hard to gain backlinks and traffic.Folks it really not rocket science .Why work so hard on something when a easier and more successful way is possible.