Is SEO Dead in 2023? Answer: No!

Abbey Stephan

Lead Editor
August 31, 2023
5 minute read
Abbey is a digital marketer, copywriter, and lead editor. She has worked on over 200 client campaigns and WebFX, and she specializes in marketing strategy analysis and industry-specific digital marketing plans. Outside of writing and editing, you’ll likely find her taking pictures of her cat, making a new playlist, or tending to her houseplants.

No, SEO is not dead. SEO is a powerful strategy that changes with Google’s algorithm to help websites meet new search demands.

Search engine optimization (SEO) has been a high-profile marketing strategy for years. As the internet changes and grows, can SEO keep up? Is SEO dead?

Luckily for us and your marketing team, SEO is not dead. This post will answer the following topics regarding the future of SEO:

Is SEO dead?
Why do people think SEO is dead?
Why SEO isn’t going anywhere
FAQ on SEO

Keep reading to learn more about the status of SEO!

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Is SEO dead?

No, SEO is not dead. Instead, it is evolving as strategies and technology change and advance.

The Internet, specifically search engines, is constantly growing to suit users better. Google has implemented many changes over the years to serve searchers and help people get the content they want. Yet, through all these changes, SEO has persisted.

Part of SEO’s function comes from its adaptability and scalability with changes. Since SEO is ongoing, most SEO specialists expect updates as they create campaigns. These changes point to SEO sticking around for a while!

Why do people think SEO is dead?

People think SEO is dead for many reasons, including the following three major ones:

The techniques they’re using don’t work
They don’t get immediate results from their SEO campaigns
There are many other digital marketing tactics to choose from

Let’s dive into these reasons below!

1. The techniques they’re using don’t work

Many people think that they’re trying their best at SEO, and it just doesn’t drive results. The truth is that SEO is constantly evolving, and outdated tactics don’t work. Knowing the latest trends in SEO and the Google algorithm is essential to success.

For example, keyword stuffing was an acceptable practice to help your pages rank. Now, Google is more intelligent and can tell when keywords are used unnaturally.

These changes are subtle, but they make all the difference in your campaign.

2. They don’t get immediate results from their SEO campaigns

SEO is an ongoing process, meaning you won’t see results overnight. Your changes take time, and you are rewarded for consistency and work over time. Usually, it takes about six months to see results from an SEO campaign, sometimes even longer.

That’s one way to tell if an SEO agency is stretching the truth — no agency should promise you immediate results for SEO.

Read: How Long Does SEO Take?

3. There are many other digital marketing tactics to choose from

More digital marketing strategies are popping up, so how can SEO be relevant?

While new ways exist to earn leads and target your audience, that doesn’t mean SEO is no longer effective. In fact, SEO can help with other digital marketing efforts like PPC, email marketing, and content marketing. All these combined can help you reach your goals.

Why SEO isn’t going anywhere

SEO is here to stay for a few reasons, including the following:

You get a high return on investment (ROI)
SEO keeps you competitive
People still use search engines

1. You get a high ROI

Search engines have about a 15% close rate compared to the nearly 2% rate of traditional marketing. That means that SEO ensures that you get money back on your investment.

Also, many of the changes you can make to boost SEO cost nothing or next to it. So, you can budget for SEO and keep your spending low while earning more traffic, leads, and conversions.

2. SEO keeps you competitive

Other companies are using SEO, regardless of what industry you’re in. For example, WebFX helps clients in the following industries:

Medical equipment suppliers
Construction
Roofing
Education
Accounting

Even if you think SEO doesn’t apply to your industry, it’s almost certain that your competitors have some SEO campaign. SEO can help you stand out from other businesses and find more qualified leads.

3. People still use search engines

Google processes 70,000 searches per second. That’s 5.8 billion per day and 2 trillion per year. Search engines are just as relevant as they were five years ago and will continue to be a part of our everyday lives.

If you don’t know how to work with search engines or get people to find you, that’s where SEO can help. People are looking for your services and products, but you want to be the first option they see.

FAQ on SEO

Still, have questions about the future of SEO? This FAQ covers common questions people have about SEO, its longevity, and related topics.

Will SEO still exist in five years?

As of 2023, SEO will exist five years from now. So many businesses use SEO to help their site and content rank, and that won’t disappear any time soon.

Will SEO keep changing?

SEO will change as the Internet and search engines grow, expand, and update. We have already seen many changes in SEO over the past decade. It’s best to think of SEO as a flexible, ongoing process to help you adapt your plan.

Does SEO have a future?

SEO will still help businesses and users find the best results for their inquiries. Since SEO helps users, Google is likely to keep the factors that help it give the best results possible to users. SEO aligns with their goals, users’ interests, and business needs.

How can you continue to make SEO work and be effective?

The best way to make SEO work for your business is to keep up with algorithm updates and look at other sites’ work within your industry. You want to anticipate the changes and make updates when required.

Or, if you don’t want to add any work to your team, working with WebFX can help you launch SEO campaigns that drive results.

Independent research from Clutch has named WebFX the

top SEO company in the United States.

Clutch has personally interviewed more than 250 WebFX clients to discuss their experience partnering with us.

Stay on top of SEO with a professional SEO agency

Now that we know that SEO isn’t going anywhere, it’s likely time to get started on or revamp your SEO strategy. If you want help, look to WebFX, a leading SEO agency.

In our time, we have generated $3,021,182,299 in revenue and 7,839,684 for our clients. We can do the same for you. Check out our SEO services, and contact us online to talk with a strategist about your custom plan!

Abbey is a digital marketer, copywriter, and lead editor. She has worked on over 200 client campaigns and WebFX, and she specializes in marketing strategy analysis and industry-specific digital marketing plans. Outside of writing and editing, you’ll likely find her taking pictures of her cat, making a new playlist, or tending to her houseplants.
WebFX is a full-service marketing agency with 1000+ client reviews and a 4.9-star rating on Clutch! Find out how our expert team and revenue-accelerating tech can drive results for you! Learn more

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