It is nearly impossible to predict what the next phase is on the internet of what the future of the World Wide Web has in store for internet marketers. This can be exciting of frightening, depending on your outlook. Computers can either positively benefit us in the future, or ruin human existence by becoming too smart for their own good. Only the future can tell and it is not far away.

Google seems to be the largest dominator of the internet and what they do or say seems to become web standards. What this means for internet marketers, is that you have to stay up-to-date with Google’s changes to the search rankings and how they impact your website. You must change your approach and adapt to succeed in the future of the web and SEO.

Looking back over the past few years, a significant change is the inclusion of maps, local business listings, videos, real time Twitter feeds, and more. As we keep looking at the search results they are constantly changing, adding new features, and look different. This can become frustrating and cause a big headache for search engine optimization specialists and internet marketers, who make their living by providing top organic search results for clients.

Now even more has the shift changes as the major engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing are starting to provide customized searches depending on your IP address, browsing history, and any other information the search engines have gathered about you and your computer usage. This can be a frightening thing, but will be beneficial as it is still in beta testing modes.

Another big change that has taken over SEO is social media and the impact it has over the web. Social media allows companies to interact with their customers, giving a face behind the company. This establishes trust and shows that you truly care about your customers. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn have claimed their spot as the top social media outlets in 2010. In the upcoming months this can easily change and shift.

So what does all this have to do with search engine optimization for all you internet marketers reading this article? Well, search engines play a big role for internet users. Searches are the starting place for anyone who needs to find an answer to something they are unsure of. Having a properly optimized website for the search engines can make an company a successful company. Staying up to date and ahead of the competition when it comes to SEO can give you that competitive advantage you seek.