“Google, please don’t kill organic ranking!”

We have all seen the many SERP (Search Engine Results Page) changes made to Google over the last year. Initially, I was impressed when Google changed the way companies could rank in search engine results. We all remember the days when certain SEO companies could be paid to create a fake ranking with all the mastery of Houdini creating the illusion of SERP.

Then, websites had to prove themselves worthy of a higher ranking with content-rich sites that were meant to "improve the experience for consumers."

My hat was off to Google for changing its algorithm and enforcing quality vs. quantity and giving even smaller businesses an opportunity to compete with the larger companies who have a bigger budget to support their marketing efforts.

But I guess what goes around comes around and Google has come full circle, removing ads on the right-hand side and placing them in that coveted top four spots on the search results page. Then, following the top organize search results are another three paid ads.

What is going to happen to the Mom and Pop shops who can’t afford to pay to play? Will this eventually squeeze out organic searches altogether? What’s next? Eight paid ads in search results and one organic?

My point is this: How will this affect smaller businesses that do not have the budget to compete competitively with the bigger companies. That local hardware store is already hit hard competing with the Big Box stores. But that great leveler called the internet will be – or continue to be – just another advantage for Lowes and Home Depot who will flood the search pages with paid ads.

My hope is that Google keeps fair enterprise and not create a market share only suitable for the big chains.

But “hope” is not a business strategy. Now more than ever working with a marketing company that specializes in SEO is so critically important. If you haven’t done so, find a firm that also can help you create a user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing and content-rich website that delivers what “searchers” are looking for and earns for you customer rankings that will lift you to the top of any list.