When it comes to preferred search engines, Google has dominated the market for years on end. From reliable search results and Google AdWords to finding information on literally anything under the sun, the first thing that people do is Google it. Google has become an intrinsic part of daily life.
However, Google isn’t the only way to search online. There are other tools that enable users to locate information, such as Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Ask.com, and Yandex. So why do marketers choose to focus exclusively on Google? Who knows, but they’re missing out on important opportunities for generating traffic.
Marketers need to consider other search engines
One of the most successful SEO experts of the past decade, Roy Hinkis, who has extensive experience in building and executing digital marketing growth campaigns, insists on the fact that it’s necessary to consider other search engines. In an interview with Lead Generation Leaders, he affirmed that “we need to investigate other strategies for generating traffic which don’t rely purely on Google.”
Change is inevitable
In the opinion of the SEO professional, the world of the Internet is slowly but surely changing, making way for search engines that respect its users’ privacy. DuckDuckGo is such an example. Over the years, search queries on DuckDuckGo have increased by 50%. Due to the privacy policy, there is no way of knowing the exact number of people who deploy the search engine. The search engine doesn’t collect information from users and doesn’t disclose web browsing history when looking for information elsewhere.
The untapped potential of other platforms
Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are gold mines for Internet marketers. They drive impressive amounts of traffic that are out of Google’s reach. Roy Hinkis strongly believes that social media is the new Google. He has worked with industry leaders such as Walmart and Waze & Lift, so his advice is of great help for us. The SEO expert is referenced and cited by numerous online publications, such as Business Insider, MOZ, Yahoo, Search Engine Journal, and the list continues.
Explore new opportunities beyond Google
Digital marketers ought to go beyond Google and optimize for other search engines. Google has experienced a decrease in the international search engine market share, this is the sad reality. In 2012, the tech company owned 91, 7% of the market, while in 2020 that number dropped to 87,35%, according to Statista. The point is that Google may not be the place where the target audience is the most engaged. Those who will concentrate exclusively on Google’s algorithms will most surely fail to seize opportunities in other search engines.
Conclusion
The search landscape has changed in recent times. Roy Hinkis, a pioneer in the field of SEO from a young age, highlights the importance of embracing change. Neglecting diversification is a terrible mistake. Should the target demographic make the transition to search engines that don’t engage in user behaviour tracking or simply resort to using social media, opportunities are lost in the blink of an eye. SEO isn’t just for Google.
