Personalization - How Does It Affect YOU?

Personalization of search has been a popular topic of discussion for quite a while. Every time Search Engines add variables to their ranking algorithm they create new challenges for SEO professionals, but they also create just as many opportunities.

In the past, search engines determined best results solely on site relevance and a unique algorithm; effective to an extent, but unable to account for the individual user. In other words, the results were always the same. Now search engines provide results that are based on the user’s online history, past actions, social, geographic and demographic criteria, significantly increasing relevance to the search query. While the new generation of search certainly engenders user satisfaction, it also presents uneasy terrain for the ever-changing practice of SEO.

So how will this evolution in search influence your SEO tactics? Widespread personalization affects the rank checking process, because site rankings will differ from user to user, even when searching the exact same query. To what extent will your rank checking be affected? From a blog entry on Official Google Webmaster Central Blog, posted by Susan Moskwa, Webmaster Trends Analyst:
Personalization of search results is usually accomplished through subtle ranking changes, rather than a drastic rearrangement of results. You shouldn't worry about personalization radically altering your site's ranking for a particular query.

Traditional SEO will still be very important. SEO professionals must continue to improve pages, making them superior to those of their competition’s and emphasizing intelligently-targeted keyword phrases. Meanwhile, a detailed analysis of that competition comes into play, offering far more valuable information than routine rank checking. After all, any SEO specialist will tell you that you’re not trying to beat the search engines, you’re trying to beat your competition, and good SEO is not based on ranking for absolute terms. Good SEO is based on measuring traffic and conversions. Therefore, as fearful as change may be, SEO professionals will necessarily and undoubtedly adapt to personalization, and satisfied browsers means repeat customers.