When it comes to the blockchain search marketing future, how will Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Digital Strategy play a role in the new digital marketing landscape as we see it coming. Lot’s of folk are saying we should prepare for the biggest changes we’ve seen to date. No one can say for sure, but the framework for Blockchain lays out some fundamental paradigm shifts. How can we be ready for these radical changes?
What blockchain is to search marketers
Starting its life as a mind-blowing invention by a personality named Satoshi Nakamoto, the blockchain brainchild has evolved into a new kind of distributed technology. Kicking off with the Bitcoin craze and now set to form the framework for a new kind of internet so revolutionary the tech community is scrambling to get onboard. On the other hand, many of us who are operating in traditional digital industries such as Search Marketing, are still struggling to understand what blockchain technology.
What the blockchain looks like
(Infographic source: What is blockchain)
A simple way to imagine blockchain is to think of a spreadsheet shared across a network which is continuously updating itself so that everyone has the same information. In this context, it can be thought of as a distributed database of sorts. This also means it has durability and robustness built-in, by storing those identical blocks of information across its own network.
Blockchain cannot be controlled by any single entity and it has no single point of failure. Each “Block” can be thought of as a transparent and incorruptible self-audit taking place within the ecosystem, reconciling all transactions occurring within the blockchain network at regular intervals. Blockchain all happens within a network of nodes, where each computer automatically downloads the blockchain when joining the network. This means it’s decentralized because of its peer-to-peer network nature.
(Image By Mesoderm – Inkscape, CC0)
How this will impact current Tech giants
We currently live in a digital world where Google and Facebook, and other centralized tech giants rule the industry. These players are so successful because they have established themselves as the trusted platform which we all need if we want to be found or to advertise. The Blockchain changes all this because it’s already trusted, and therefore we don’t need to give a share of our profits to Google or Facebook for the privilege.
With blockchain we already know every user is 100% authentic, so only the genuine clicks are included. So we don’t need a middleman to ensure we are getting genuine paid or organic traffic. Google and Facebook would lose their primary business model and become irrelevant.
Developers will have a lot of work on their hands integrating blockchain into websites in a way that’s SEO best practice. Lots of the standard web code that’s already out there in the wild will need to be rewritten. For example, work is underway on integrating blockchain certificates and blockchain user ID profiles within Schema Markup.
How blockchain will change search marketing
When a new technology of this magnitude emerges into our daily lives, we need new ways or operating to take advantage of it, or we get left behind. There will be many emerging systems and ways to get onboard, and below are a few which are already taking shape in search markets minds.
Building better trust levels for customer conversions
As an emerging technology, it’s very difficult to predict how blockchain will sidestep or replace the current tech giants like Google or Facebook. But the distinct lack of need for a middleman, the tech giant as such, is replaced by transparency. It will be that open transparency which will lead to trust developing between the provider and prospective customer. Trust is a wonderful mechanism for conversions, so search marketers will be pleased to hear the blockchain exudes trust.
Driving decentralization replaces the tech giant middlemen
Blockchain marketing and advertising companies are already taking advantage of the decentralized nature of this new technology. Tokenizing user behaviour between the advertiser and the customer. This removes the need for those massive tech giants to be in the middle of the transaction.
Transformed marketing reporting systems
Most of us rely on third-party providers such as Google Analytics, a middleman, to provide us with the traffic and conversion data for us to report on. When blockchain removes the middleman, we will need new ways of collecting meaningful data and creating meaningful reports.
Increasing transparency of advertising
As blockchain gradually becomes implemented into our daily digital lives, we will expect more transparency from those trying to sell to us. Marketers will need ways of backing up their marketing claims. It will no longer be enough to make baseless and unsubstantiated claims. The transparency of blockchain will allow the ability for customers to analyse and validate advertising claims.
Tech giants are blocking blockchain
Many of the Tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn oh and Bing are now blocking ads for cryptocurrency and blockchain. It’s expected many tech giants will follow this trend as they stamp their Internet authority all over this growing trend that could undermine their whole business model.
Here’s an interview with Steve Vallas and Steve Sammartino talking about Blockchain ban by Facebook
The tech giants are forcing us in the search marketing industry to find ways of marketing blockchain while ads are blocked. This includes building our networks, striving for organic growth and adding real value in the services we’re marketing.
Embracing our future with blockchain and search marketing
Few people understand the Blockchain and the digital marketing space as well as Steve Vallas. Steve is the co-founder of BLOCKCHAIN APAC, Australia’s Biggest Enterprise Blockchain Event, being held Wednesday, August 29th, 2018, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Steve is a huge advocate for Blockchain and often talks about the opportunity to embrace the technology and get involved in the conversations that are driving solutions.
Attending conferences gives us the opportunity to find out what people are working on and what the future holds. When in a face to face discussion with a leader in the field, it has a way of opening your mind to what’s coming. I have had these discussions with Steve personally, and I have to say the insights gained have been invaluable. Now put several dozen blockchain leaders in a world-class conference and the outcome is revolutionary. Let’s stay ahead of the blockchain game and keep the conversation going. Click here for Blockchain APAC Tickets
From a search marking point of view, there’s little doubt blockchain will continue to grow and evolve in many ways we cannot yet foresee. In much the same way as when the invention of the motor vehicle threatened the related industries whose livelihood relied upon the horse and cart. The farriers lost their jobs as fewer horses needed to be shod, so they needed to reskill and find work in local Foundry. It has been predicted we will see a similar scale of change with blockchain. Search marketers should be paying attention to these developments so as to be able to change and adapt as needed.
Peter Mead shares over 20 years experience in Digital and as an expert SEO Consultant. Peter draws further knowledge and experience from his involvement as a SEMrush Webinar host and a co-organizer of Melbourne SEO Meetup. Writing articles based on his hands-on analytical and strategic experience. Peter is passionate about contributing to client success and the improvement of the broader SEO community.
Peter can be found on some of these sites:
Hosting the SEMrush Australian Search Marketing Academy Webinar: https://www.semrush.com/user/145846945/
WordPress SEO Consultant: Peter Mead iT https://petermead.com/
Co-Organiser: Melbourne SEO Meetup https://www.meetup.com/Melbourne-SEO/
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