Google Taking Over SEO?

A member brought an article published by SiteProNews regarding Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick to my attention today. Of course, this didn’t happen recently, it was months ago and the fear behind the discussion of this article in many forums is that Google now owns an SEO company and will run SEOs out of business. They have pointed out the following:

* Google bought Urchin and then gave away Website Analytics for free, severely crippling the analytics market.
* Google offered a personal AdWords manager, which shut down many companies who were offering this exact service to the public.
* Google came out with Website Optimizer, which offers a way to test your landing page for effectiveness. Many companies who offered this type of software to the public cried that Google was taking away most of their revenue because what they had been charging for, Google was now offering for free.

So, if you do SEO full-time for clients, should you be worried? Is the sky falling? Is your way of life about to be severely altered?

No.

The problem with the examples above is the service offered has very little informational value. Most web analytics packages don’t come with a guide on how to read the statistics and then what to do with the information, so people generally will gravitate to the lowest cost solution. The same could be said with the other two examples. Without a solid understanding to back up the tool or service, the customer has no reason to stay with you.

Your job is to always supply that reason. I am polishing off the final edits of Kitchen Table Copy, which is a method I have been using for years. It will allow you to uncover your hidden “Points of Difference” so regardless of what happens in the market, you will always have your share because your solutions “speak” to your customers.

As you know I am big on competitive intelligence, but if you sit down and talk with me I will tell you straight out that I don’t have any competition. How can I be so bold? Because no other company offers what I offer, or delivers what I deliver. If I properly educate my prospect and then show them a solution which matches their need, closing the sale is simple and keeping the customer becomes my focal point.

Google could come out with a service tomorrow that details their entire algorithm down to the finest detail. Would that result in cancellations for my service? No. The reason is you don’t subscribe to get information about Google algorithm, you subscribe so you know what to do with the information … how to apply it.

And therein lies the key in business. Deliver solutions and the knowledge on how to apply the solution. And then Lather. Rinse. Repeat.