Keywords and/or SEO are dead due to Hummingbird?

Nowadays, I often hear this question. In fact, few SEO Gurus have just created long long blogs and presentations and what not on the topic, “Keyword and keyword targeting is DEAD”. Few are a step ahead and saying “SEO is dead”. In fact, few of my clients asking me to stop focusing on keywords because according to hummingbird, now keyword is of no use. So this article is to answer all those forecasters who are predicting that “keyword targeting & SEO are dead due to hummingbird”.

First of all try to understand what hummingbird algo does mean?

Hummingbird algo is a user-friendly algorithm who will try to understand the conversational language query of normal user and will give the best suitable result. This is the simplest definition of Hummingbird algo and its functionality.

Now, we are coming back to the most heated question.

Is Keyword Targeting Dead? Is SEO Dead?

NO. The answer is straight no, not now and not will be in future.

Why or How Keyword Targeting and SEO aren't dead?
If you came to this article via any search engine, then I just do not need to answer this. You just go back to your search result and check the query which you typed in and check the words which are bold in snippet. You will see the words which are bold are exactly the same as you typed in as search query. Is it so? You got your answer I guess.

If you are one of my followers or subscribers, then let me clear the reason. I have made search with keyword “Digital Marketing with Ash Vyas” and here is the snippet of top result I got from Google.

As you can clearly see all the results have the keywords which are also known as search query in normal language. You can compare the search query I used for my search with the bold keywords available in search result. Do I need to say further to prove keywords are not dead nor SEO, nor keyword targeting?

Now, let's take one more example for searching conversion query. Let's say I search “asterisk services near Ahmedabad”. And, below is the snippet of what I received as search result.

Picture says more than words. So, you might understand the point that whether someone searches with either search query i.e. keywords or conversational query i.e. keywords [again], the keywords were there, are there and will be there.

Now Why or How Keyword Targeting and SEO Will Not be Dead?

Usually those who are really looking out for some professional or personal services, they will use queries which will have keywords like “Hire SEO Engineer” or “Pizza center near Mansi Circle”. There are keywords. And, SEO experts can easily recognize such keywords.

Myth of Hummingbird:

People are having myth that hummingbird has removed keyword targeting, which is not so true. Hummingbird made search smarter that's also from their own point of view and for end users so they can give the best result to non technical people as well. Otherwise, search has not changed at all for technical people. Yesterday, they were searching for “affordable SEO services” and also today they will use the same words. And, Google will show the result. Hummingbird has changed the scope of local searches. As SEO people know there was no big change in search query results after launch of hummingbird which was visibly seen in Penguin and Panda update. Google is advising since ages to not to focus on specific keywords and not do this and not to do that. And, these are the old standards set by Google and it's as it is. No doubt Google has changed a lot, changed policies, but it will affect those of SEO people who might practice massive SEO tactics. For ethical SEO people, it is still the same. You just need to work smart by selecting and targeting right keywords with right optimization and promotional strategies.

Hope you got answer and clear idea about hummingbird :) Give your question, feedback and suggestion in comments.

Ash Vyas is working as an internet Marketing manager at Ecosmob handling digital marketing activities like SEO, SMO, Linkbuilding.
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Posted in: changes due to hummingbird algo,future of keywords,future of seo,hummingbird algo,keyword targeting dead,seo dead