[Hot] Is Google Cannibalizing SEO?
A recent analysis by Rand Fishkin on SparkToro revealed that from 2016 to 2018 organic click-through rates (CTR) on Google's search engine results page (SERP) have declined on both desktop and mobile searches.
The organic clicks, Fishkin notes, have been "siphoned away" to Google's own properties (including paid ads) and to the increasingly popular "rich answers."
While the decline "isn't massive" on desktop, mobile decline has been quite significant in the US and the UK: down by nearly a third, Fishkin notes. During the same time, clicks on paid ads have almost doubled.
"This data paints a stark narrative," Fishkin writes. "Google...uses its monopoly power to gain advantages...And while SEO...remains a powerful channel, organic search is being slowly cannibalized around the world, yielding more monetization and data-gathering value [to] Google."
Fishkin's frankly terrible writing can be hard to decipher, though his message here (which we heavily edited) is clear: Organic SEO might not attract the attention your business deserves.
Is Fishkin correct? If so, how can you adapt to meet the evolving challenges of today's online marketplace?
What is a Click-through Rate?
Click-through rate (CTR) is a term first used in Google's AdWords to define the difference between the number of people who see your ad on the SERP and the number who actually click through.
Yet "organic" CTR is also a useful metric for analyzing a page's performance on the SERP. Essentially, organic CTR
is the difference between how many people see a result in the organic rankings and how many people actually click-through to the result.
(Confused about the term "organic"? Read: "What is Organic SEO?")
As Fishkin's analysis proves, this type of organic CTR has declined in favor of clicks to paid ads and "no-clicks"--when a browser clicks on nothing.
A higher CTR naturally means that a specific page intrigues browsers by name and/or description alone. A lower CTR may mean you're not successfully marketing a given page with what Neil Patel calls "a sizzling title or an appealing meta description."
Read: "How to Optimize Meta Descriptions and Title Tags"
CTR viewed by itself does not tell the whole story of a web page's success. Once a browser clicks through, your content should convince him/her to stick around--and/or "convert."
How Important is Organic CTR--and Organic SEO?
Last year on Search Engine Land, Andy Taylor made a convincing case that CTRs for paid ads kinda don't matter. However, organic CTRs certainly do matter, and Fishkin is correct to sound his note of warning.
It's important to remember, though: Fishkin does note that organic SEO is still a "powerful channel." And really, the debate about the viability of organic SEO is as old as SEO itself.
Last year, the popular SEO writer Barry Adams claimed in a tweet that when compared to paid ads organic SEO delivers more traffic, more engagement, and more conversions for "every website [he's] ever looked at."
In response to Adam's tweet, Andy Taylor noted on Search Engine Land that "Google has been steadily making changes that directly harm organic search and help to keep paid search click growth strong."
Fishkin's analysis certainly confirms Taylor's point. But is Adams entirely wrong? Not necessarily. The true picture is much more nuanced.
Online Marketing: A Diversified Approach
For many brands a combination of different online marketing techniques, including both organic SEO and paid search, is the best approach. Yes, cost is a huge factor--especially for smaller brands. So organic SEO will still play a major role in defining the success or failure of many online businesses.
For these businesses, our blog's sponsor, Alex Stepman, believes the key to success is a diversified approach that utilizes as many low-cost options as possible, including social media marketing, free Google options like Google My Business, and of course, organic SEO.
In a recent post extolling the value of Google Posts for Google My Business accounts (despite Google's seeming diminishment of the tool), Adam Dorfman offered a prescient thought:
"I suggest businesses calculate the lifetime value of each customer they attract against the cost in productivity required to keep the content fresh. Is the trade-off worth it? I suspect it will be."
Yes, many of the less expensive online marketing options require costs in labor and productivity but they're still the best option for smaller, enterprising businesses.
Online Marketing: Your Engine to Online Profits
To navigate the complex challenges of online marketing, you might need to hire an online marketing firm like Stepman's SEO.
Do not let the changing search engine algorithms compromise your sales. You need the astute wisdom of a professional who can help you answer the question honestly: What online marketing strategies are best for your business?
Contact Stepman's SEO today to learn how you can improve your website's performance: 215-900-9398.
The organic clicks, Fishkin notes, have been "siphoned away" to Google's own properties (including paid ads) and to the increasingly popular "rich answers."
While the decline "isn't massive" on desktop, mobile decline has been quite significant in the US and the UK: down by nearly a third, Fishkin notes. During the same time, clicks on paid ads have almost doubled.
"This data paints a stark narrative," Fishkin writes. "Google...uses its monopoly power to gain advantages...And while SEO...remains a powerful channel, organic search is being slowly cannibalized around the world, yielding more monetization and data-gathering value [to] Google."
Fishkin's frankly terrible writing can be hard to decipher, though his message here (which we heavily edited) is clear: Organic SEO might not attract the attention your business deserves.
Is Fishkin correct? If so, how can you adapt to meet the evolving challenges of today's online marketplace?
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| Organic click-through rates are declining. Should you be concerned? [Photo Source] |
Click-through rate (CTR) is a term first used in Google's AdWords to define the difference between the number of people who see your ad on the SERP and the number who actually click through.
Yet "organic" CTR is also a useful metric for analyzing a page's performance on the SERP. Essentially, organic CTR
is the difference between how many people see a result in the organic rankings and how many people actually click-through to the result.
(Confused about the term "organic"? Read: "What is Organic SEO?")
As Fishkin's analysis proves, this type of organic CTR has declined in favor of clicks to paid ads and "no-clicks"--when a browser clicks on nothing.
A higher CTR naturally means that a specific page intrigues browsers by name and/or description alone. A lower CTR may mean you're not successfully marketing a given page with what Neil Patel calls "a sizzling title or an appealing meta description."
Read: "How to Optimize Meta Descriptions and Title Tags"
CTR viewed by itself does not tell the whole story of a web page's success. Once a browser clicks through, your content should convince him/her to stick around--and/or "convert."
How Important is Organic CTR--and Organic SEO?
Last year on Search Engine Land, Andy Taylor made a convincing case that CTRs for paid ads kinda don't matter. However, organic CTRs certainly do matter, and Fishkin is correct to sound his note of warning.
It's important to remember, though: Fishkin does note that organic SEO is still a "powerful channel." And really, the debate about the viability of organic SEO is as old as SEO itself.
Last year, the popular SEO writer Barry Adams claimed in a tweet that when compared to paid ads organic SEO delivers more traffic, more engagement, and more conversions for "every website [he's] ever looked at."
In response to Adam's tweet, Andy Taylor noted on Search Engine Land that "Google has been steadily making changes that directly harm organic search and help to keep paid search click growth strong."
Fishkin's analysis certainly confirms Taylor's point. But is Adams entirely wrong? Not necessarily. The true picture is much more nuanced.
Online Marketing: A Diversified Approach
For many brands a combination of different online marketing techniques, including both organic SEO and paid search, is the best approach. Yes, cost is a huge factor--especially for smaller brands. So organic SEO will still play a major role in defining the success or failure of many online businesses.
For these businesses, our blog's sponsor, Alex Stepman, believes the key to success is a diversified approach that utilizes as many low-cost options as possible, including social media marketing, free Google options like Google My Business, and of course, organic SEO.
In a recent post extolling the value of Google Posts for Google My Business accounts (despite Google's seeming diminishment of the tool), Adam Dorfman offered a prescient thought:
"I suggest businesses calculate the lifetime value of each customer they attract against the cost in productivity required to keep the content fresh. Is the trade-off worth it? I suspect it will be."
Yes, many of the less expensive online marketing options require costs in labor and productivity but they're still the best option for smaller, enterprising businesses.
Online Marketing: Your Engine to Online Profits
To navigate the complex challenges of online marketing, you might need to hire an online marketing firm like Stepman's SEO.
Do not let the changing search engine algorithms compromise your sales. You need the astute wisdom of a professional who can help you answer the question honestly: What online marketing strategies are best for your business?
Contact Stepman's SEO today to learn how you can improve your website's performance: 215-900-9398.