How do are two things that seem so entirely related to one another connected in ways that you might have never considered? That’s a question you could ask about blockchain technology usage and SEO. After all, how does earning top rankings on search engine results pages tie in with creating a decentralized and secure transaction ledger?
The most straightforward answer is that there is no direct tie. Despite this, SEO professionals should pay close attention to blockchain. There are many indirect ways that this technology will begin impacting SEO shortly.
Blockchain: A Brief Introduction
Blockchain is most known as the technology behind bitcoin. It is a decentralized ledger system where transactions and other records can be conducted, verified, and stored. It can and has been used in various scenarios where the ability to trace and maintain records without risk of fraud is imperative.
Using Blockchain Can Reduce PPC Advertising Fraud
PPC remains the standard for most businesses when it comes to online advertising. PPC is managed by a relatively small number of central authorities. As expected, these include Google and Facebook.
Google manages on-site PPCs via its Google Display Network, a part of Google Adwords. For reference, the ads you see on your search results screens are governed by the Google Search Network. Essentially the Google Display Network matches advertisers and websites for blockchain SEO.
One of the essential parts of this process is verifying the websites to help stave off fraud. That’s key because the number of money advertisers loses due to copy billions.
Now, consider the possibility of using blockchain in this process. Google and other major players would no longer need to act as central authorities. Instead, advertisers and websites could communicate with one another directly.
This would include using intelligent contracts, verification and secure storage of those contracts, user verification, fraud reduction and elimination, and insurance that the business is only paying for true click-throughs completed by humans, not bots.
When this happens, consumers can also feel more confident in clicking through ads to landing pages. This will lead to more traffic, time on page, and conversions, along with an increase in other metrics that are present to boost SEO.
Search Engines Can Use Blockchain Ledgers to Verify Product Integrity
Shoes, pharmaceutical products, designer tags, DVDs and Blu Rays, handbags, and other items have one thing in common. They are among the most items on sale in the United States. Unfortunately, the internet provides those who sell this fake merchandise a means to operate globally. Even when caught, it’s a relatively quick and easy process to set up another eCommerce store.
All of this also impacts legitimate sellers. Sometimes, the problem isn’t in their calculation but by suppliers providing counterfeit goods. There’s also the manner of perception. Even these trustworthy merchants must contend with suspicions from buyers if they sell items that are to be at high risk for counterfeiting.
Services Usage Blockchain SEO Technology
Of course, it isn’t just products that are subject to fraud. This is also an issue with services as well. It can be significantly easier to become a seller of shoddy or illegitimate services as there is no need to provide a physical product, maintain inventory, or deal with logistics.
For example, a translation firm working hard to earn trust in translation reviews may have frustrations to lag behind fraudulent service providers in search engine results.
Blockchain can disrupt all of this. Because it uses an immutable ledger system, customers can verify the legitimacy of a product back through the retailer or auction house to the manufacturer and supplier.
In addition to this, as part of their efforts to maintain ‘clean’ and reliable search records, search engines would also be able to access this blockchain data to identify which sellers are legitimate and which are not. This can be present in their algorithms.
The result will be that legitimate sellers find it easy to earn prime SERP positions while fraudsters are (ideally) out of the list. This means improved SEO for legitimate companies and increased trust among users. Both of which can positively impact SEO.
Ledgers Force Honesty and Build Trust Blockchain in SEO
Today, when a consumer wishes to purchase a product or service, they have a few options if they want to conduct any research before they spend their money.
Moreover, you can visit product review sites and user forums. They can visit company websites to read about products or watch video demonstrations. They can search social media for opinions. So, we can even use consumer agency websites to conduct research.
The problem is that so much of this information can easily be falsified, outdated, or inaccurate. There’s no natural way to know if a reviewer is an actual customer, someone hired by a company to post reviews or even a bot. Posts on user forums and complaints to agencies can be fake as well.
Recent revelations about the sheer volume of fake accounts and content on the internet have seriously impacted consumer trust. This lack of confidence can impact website traffic, time on page, and other metrics.
To be clear, there are ways to detect fraudulent reviews. Unfortunately, not all consumers are aware of these methods. These are also time-consuming. Neither businesses nor consumers can be sure that these efforts are effective in helping reduce the impact of fraudulent reviews in any meaningful way.
Usage Cases Usage Blockchain SEO Technology
Applied correctly, blockchain can help. For example, imagine researching a product online and finding a glowing review. Now, imagine that you could also access blockchain ledger records indicating that the review came from someone at a valid IP address, other studies they had published, and an indication that the reviewer’s identity had been verified.
You would be much more likely to trust the validity of that review. As a result, you would be more likely to visit the website or landing pages featuring that product.
While customers and businesses may not be thoroughly familiar with blockchain and its potential, that will likely change.
Blockchain offers a means of adding trust and transparency to the online interactions between consumers, search engines, advertisers, and websites. Just as it has served as a disruptive force in other industries, blockchain stands to have a profound and changing impact on SEO.
Choosing a Blockchain Technology SEO Company
The best SEO experts know all white hat SEO tactics and thus can help clients achieve their desired results. When looking for an SEO company to optimize your website, the critical factor is experience. You want to hire a company with extensive experience optimizing sites for blockchain companies.
The number of blockchain sites they have previously optimized and how many years they have been in business are key factors to consider.
Reputation is another crucial factor. The ideal company should have an impeccable track record of providing quality service. They should have high ratings, lots of positive reviews, and lots of testimonials from genuine customers.
Before you decide on a service provider, you need to ask about their prices. Get quotes from different companies and compare them. However, cost should be the last consideration. Since SEO is an ongoing process, you must also inquire about the cost of continuing SEO services before committing.
Usage Blockchain SEO Technology Author
Elisa Abbott is a freelancer whose passion lies in creative writing. She completed a degree in Computer Science and writes about ways to apply machine learning to deal with complex issues. Insights on education, helpful tools, and valuable university experiences – she has got you covered;