The Historical Development of Search Engine Optimization

Abstract

The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the leading and most important internet marketing concept employed by the majority of the online business. Since its appearance till present days SEO as marketing skill, has significantly changed and evolved. Historically, the SEO at the beginning was very simple task and brought instant success to many businesses. In their early development, the search engines were vulnerable to unethical activities (spam) done by some webmasters who did everything to appear high in the search results. The manipulations forced search engines to improve their algorithms constantly. The major changes of the search algorithms usually brought big turbulences in the online business environment causing losses for some and gains for others. Some business learned the hard way to practice ethical, “white hat” SEO, others used the momentum and boosted their business thanks to high inflow of visitors through Search Engines and still, some try to manipulate the search results by using unethical techniques. As the internet developed, the competition grew and the Search Engines advanced the SEO became more demanding and more complex activity, but still it is very important aspect of the strategy of every online business.

Keywords: E-Business, Internet Marketing, Search Engines, SEO,