How long have people been saying SEO is dead?

[shattered world]

We all know how there’s always someone who says SEO is dead.

The first time I heard this was back in 2012, but what’s the earliest you heard or saw someone say this?

 

[TheVigilante]

I believe 2018 or so not early 2012 when they were spamming the shit Outta Google

I bet people still doing it

 

[roydan]

The funny thing about SEO guys is they work in one of the fastest changing industries out there, yet every time Google rolls out an update, 90% of them act like SEO is dead instead of adapting

 

[t2van]

The funny thing about SEO guys is they work in one of the fastest changing industries out there, yet every time Google rolls out an update, 90% of them act like SEO is dead instead of adapting

Exactly this.



SEO probably won't die unless..

1. Something removes search totally which would probably be the interest*

2. Its a massive generational shift. I mean tv adverts and print media is always supposed to be dead yet here we are 2026 and it's still going.


* I always thought the internet would change to be app based rather than what we have now, an evolution of it to just be X apps for Y services and that's it.

 

[ggmopa]

What's happening right now is Unique, even on Google Search itself - we have Ads, AI results and Serps all Google systems competing with each other. Sometimes even AI overviews and AI search results give different results. I'm not sure if SEO in the traditional sense is 'dead' but it definitely appears to be wallowing in obscurity,

 

[Mr_Underhill]

Since I started learning the industry I’ve heard people say “SEO is dead”.

 

[RogerM]

I´ve been in the game for 12+ years so, 12+ years

 

[jimbobo2779]

I've been around since about 2005. I have been reading articles of doom since around that time

 

[t0mmy]

They been saying this shit since the day I first heard of SEO.. like 15 years or so ago now, but here we are smh...

 

[Dopious]

Seems like this been discussed since 1997.

Richard Hoy posted this to a list in November 1997.

Source: https://searchengineland.com/is-seo-dead-1997-prediction-meet-2009-reality-32113