SEO vs SEO 2.0: Top 15 Differences

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What is SEO 2.0? These are the 15 most important differences between SEO and SEO 2.0 or in other words old school and modern SEO or Search Engine Optimization::

SEOSEO 2.0
Link building as in manually adding them by submitting static websites to directories, link exchange, paying for linksEarning links by blogging, outstanding content, establishing relationships
Optimization for search engines. Example: Repetitive page titles focusing solely on keywordsOptimization for people. Example: Enticing post headlines
Competition: You compete with others to be #1 in GoogleCooperation: You cooperate with each other sharing fellow bloggers’ posts on social media, you link out to them
Barter: You give me a link and only then I will give you oneGiving: I link you regardless whether you link back, but in many cases you will, more than once
Hiding: We’re not practicing SEO, we can’t show our client list publicly, generic SEO company, NDABeing open: Welcome our new client, we are proud to work together with them, Rand Fishkin, Brian Dean, see the case study
keywordscontext
optimization for links, rankings and trafficoptimization for visitors and engagement of real people
clicks, page views, visitsconversions, ROI, branding, customer retention
promotionpopularization
Main traffic sources: Google, Yahoo, MSNMain traffic sources: Google, Facebook, Pinterest, communities, blogs, direct traffic
one way communicationdialog, conversation
top down, corporations and old media decide what succeedsbottom up, wisdom of crowds determines true popularity via participation
undemocratic, who pays most is on topdemocratic, who responds to popular demand succeeds
50% automated, half of the SEO tasks can be done by SEO software10% automated, most SEO 2.0 tasks are about content and interaction
technocratic (as in measuring traffic)emotional (as in nourishing brand evangelists)

Also check out these 11 SEO 2.0 examples and the 7 pillars of SEO 2.0!

You don’t recognize the “SEO 2.0” moniker? No problem. Most people nowadays refer to it as “social SEO”.

At the end of the day modern social SEO is about Sharing, Engagement, Outreach in case you still wonder.