Recently I read AJ Kohn‘s excellent article on “Google’s Evil Plan”. In it, he debunks the myth that the web giant has some kind of comic-book-villain-esque plan to take over the world in every way possible.

By analysing the products and concepts they currently have as well as those in development, Kohn comes to the conclusion that in fact, all Google really wants to do is…prepare yourself now… “Get people to use the internet more”.

I think most rational people realise that, as a business that makes money from people using the internet, this is of course Google’s aim, but there will always be a crowd who spend their time somewhere between blackhat SEO forums and 9/11 conspiracy sites who argue that Google is out to get them, and everyone else, for some reason or other.

Putting those people to one side (we might come back to them later), I thought it would be interesting to build on AJ Kohn’s article and take a look at how Google’s products (and evil overall plan) will affect SEOs specifically.

If you’d like to learn more about SEO, try our SEO Training Courses.

From the already existing, ‘smooth as a Ken Doll’ Google Chrome, to the ‘wetting-my-pants-with-excitement-can’t-wait-til-it-comes-out’ Google Glass; I’ll analyse the implications of each product with regards to what it means for our industry and what we can do to make the most of it in terms of strategy, not just tactics. First up -

Chrome

As Kohn says “Chrome is about reducing the friction of browsing the Internet”. 

As SEOs we should, and do, use this smoother browsing experience to our advantage. With Chrome, people are searching more because it’s easier for them to do so.

Make sure you’ve got the quality things that people want, as much of them as possible and that you are recognisable and reputable – because if among all the extra searches that are being performed in Chrome you appear 2 or 3 times, and each time they see authors, rich snippets and just generally bigger real-estate high up on the SERPs, they’re going to eventually click.

It’s all obvious stuff but the kind of thing that people who spend more time moaning about being hit by Google than doing anything about it (I did say I might come back to them), often don’t do.

But then you’re not one of those people, are you now?

Android

In a previous post ‘What You Need To Know About SEO in 2013′, I talked about how huge mobile is and will prove to be in the future, and with Android, Google got on the bandwagon at the right time. They have a market share and literally (okay not literally) a captive audience.

Mobile and Local search are two of the biggest developments in SEO ever and so knowing how to tailor content accordingly and how to hit the right buttons is essential.

We’re talking localised campaigns, responsive (or mobile) sites and a heavy emphasis on socially shareable and viewable content – and that’s only a fraction of what’s needed. Read Adam Riff’s “10 Simple Tips For Effective Mobile SEO” on Search Engine Land for a more detailed insight into the area.

Fiber

Fiber, in case you don’t know, is Google’s venture into ISP territory with not just super-fast but what I’ll term ‘obsecenely-super-duper-mega-wtf?! fast’ internet. It’s 100 times faster than the current average internet speeds: 1 gigabit upload and download! Mashable have a great examination of Fiber which also talks about when it can be expected to roll-out fully.

So what would ‘obscenely-super-duper-mega-wtf?! fast’ internet mean for SEOs? Well, like Chrome, Fiber is all about making internet access quick and easy (I think there may be a theme here). For SEOs that can only be a good thing.

Nanosecond loading times mean that in terms of content, we’ll be able to be as big and bold as we want. High-res images, HD videos and complex, interactive web-layouts will not just be seen as good practice but as essential practice. More innovative and interesting content will be created to meet the expectations set by such fast internet.

Above all, if the quality of the web improves, it gives SEOs more ways to engage, entice and excite their audience. And what SEO wouldn’t want that?

WiFi

Mountain View in California, (Google’s home-base), has entirely free WiFi across the city provided by Google.

Google have tried to implement this in San Francisco (but failed) and no doubt see it as part of the evil grand plan to roll it out worldwide: if everyone has free internet access, everyone will be on the internet!

So what would universal and unfettered internet mean for SEOs? Well, for a start it ties in well with the current boom in local and mobile search. The only downside currently is the reliance on the fallible and costly 3G network (or 4G if you’re wealthy/silly).

Imagine if that was replaced with free WiFi – we as users would be constantly connected (even more so than now) and so mobile and local search wouldn’t just be an important consideration for an SEO but it would be the main consideration.

Same rules apply as now, times a hundred. Be the best at what you do, at that moment in time, in that location, for that person.

It might sound ridiculous – like guesswork even – but it doesn’t have to be.

Smart Insights have a great infographic about “The growing importance of mobile SEO” that outlines some simple strategies you can implement to optimise for mobile and local now, and in the future.

G+

Let’s face it – if you’re reading this, you’ve probably got a G+ profile. If you haven’t, get one now! No wait, not right now, finish this article first and then do it.

I’ll let Rand Fishkin go into detail about why it’s so useful for SEO.

 

From Google’s point of view, the simple fact is, if they can steal some social time from Facebook, then it means more money for them. However, it’s still unclear whether it will really take off in the same way as the social network.

What is clear is that if you’re not making the most of the opportunity to use it to get your face in SERPs and to provide Google with social signals, then you really need to catch-up.

Self-Driving Cars and Google Glass

I’ve lumped these together because they have the same end-goal in mind. Get people using the internet all the time. Commercially viable self-driving cars may be a while off yet but Google Glass is mooted for release next year.

Imagine, instead of concentrating on driving (or skydiving) you’re free to hangout on G+ or browse Charlie Brooker’s latest opinion piece in the Guardian.

So what does that mean for us? Well, it means we’ll need to continue to make amazing content that people want to imbibe all the time. If you struggle on the content side of things you can develop your skills on our Blogging and Content Marketing Course and by reading our Ultimate Content Marketing Guide.

We’ll need to think about what we’d want to read, watch or look at on the way to work and then get promoting it at those times on the social side.

As it goes on, creating content that ties up the local, mobile and personal markets is what it will all be about.

So What Now?

Really there’s two ways of approaching SEO for the future – you’re either with Google or you’re against them. That doesn’t mean that to be with them you have to be some Google Glass wearing, Fiber-loving fanboy (ahem) but it does mean that you need to recognise that the only way you’ll get on in the industry is by making the best of the situation as it plays out.

Google aren’t out to get you or anyone else, they really do want to make the world a better place … and they want to make a ton of money, but then what’s wrong with that?

If you still aren’t convinced read this post on why ‘Google Doesn’t Owe You Anything’.

Identify the opportunities that Google’s plans will open up to you and make the most of them.

Either that, or you can wait for Bing to take a market share instead.

Yeah … good luck with that one.

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Tags

android, fiber, google, google glass, SEO

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