In February 2020 — just weeks before the world changed — I had the opportunity to speak at the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. My talk, The Transformation of Search: Why Organic SEO Is Still Necessary, explored how search was evolving, the impact of monetization, and why organic SEO remained essential in an increasingly competitive digital space. Below is a recap of what I shared at that time.
How Search Has Evolved
Search engine results pages (SERPs) have come a long way from the simple directories and classic “10 blue links” of the early days. Now, they’re packed with images, videos, carousels, featured snippets, and local packs. Search is no longer just about finding information—it’s about delivering answers instantly, in a way that keeps users engaged.
This shift has been great for user experience, but it’s also made SEO more complex. It’s no longer enough to just rank #1; you have to consider all the ways search engines surface content and optimize accordingly.
The Increasing Role of Monetization
At the same time, search has become more commercialized. From native advertising and influencer marketing to paid placements and shopping carousels, brands have more ways than ever to get in front of potential customers—but that also means organic visibility is harder to maintain. Businesses that want to stay competitive need to be smart about balancing paid and organic strategies.
Keeping Up With Algorithm Changes
SEO is always evolving, thanks to constant algorithm updates. At the time of my presentation, some of the biggest updates included Medic, Panda, Penguin, and BERT. While each update had its own focus, they all shared a common goal: improving search quality by surfacing the best, most relevant content.
The key takeaway? If you’re already focusing on writing clear, useful content and following SEO best practices, you’re in good shape. If you’re trying to game the system, well… that’s a different story.
Why SEO Is Still Essential
A question that comes up every few years is, Is SEO dead? My answer in 2020 was absolutely not. While paid search and AI-driven results were growing, organic SEO was more important than ever for building a sustainable, long-term presence online.
For brands and businesses, the real challenge was staying adaptable. That meant:
- Technical SEO: Ensuring sites were fast, crawlable, and properly structured.
- On-Page SEO: Focusing on entities over keywords, answering user questions, and using structured data.
- Off-Site SEO: Building a strong link profile, integrating social efforts, and maintaining consistency across digital channels.
A Look Back, Four Years Later
As I revisit this talk in 2024, it’s striking how much of it still holds true. The specific algorithm updates have changed, and AI has become a much bigger factor, but the fundamentals remain the same. Search continues to evolve, and SEO continues to be an essential part of a strong digital strategy.
One of the biggest shifts since 2020 has been the rise of AI-powered search, with tools like Google’s AI Overviews and conversational search interfaces reshaping how users interact with results. The challenge today isn’t just ranking in search—it’s ensuring your content is seen, trusted, and surfaced in the right contexts across an expanding range of search and discovery platforms.
Looking back, I stand by my core message: SEO isn’t dead, but it is constantly evolving. The key to success is staying adaptable, focusing on users, and making sure your digital presence aligns with how search works today—not how it worked yesterday.
