The 25th Anniversary of the Web: Key Highlights
It’s hard to imagine what a web-less world would look like. Just like most of us probably find it quite difficult to picture life without electricity, cars, and of course (smart) phones. Looking back, you could say that history has a way of allowing us to take a leap by coming up with something big every century. It’s the light bulb in the 19th, and everything else that we’ve accomplished through electricity. The automobile, and then air travel in the 20th. As for the 21st century- its first two decades , at least- it’s the web and the digital world it made possible.
Yes, the web has come of age. On March 12th, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the web. Okay, we have this great and powerful tool. Do we make the most of it? Can more people benefit from it? How can the web become truly global? How can it be more useful and more secure? In this USNews.com piece, its inventor, Tim Berners-Lee talked about the significance of this anniversary.
The 25th Anniversary of the Web: Looking Back
No one can argue that the 25th anniversary of the web is a milestone. It’s a time when you look back to see what happened during this quarter of a century, and ahead, toward what might come next. Here are some key highlights.
The Birth of the World Wide Web
1989 is not only the year when the Berlin wall fell, putting an end to the Cold War, and opening the gateway to democracy throughout Eastern Europe, but also the year when the idea that would make the democracy of information possible was born. That’s right, we’re speaking about the web.
In the first spring month of that year, Tim Berners-Lee submitted his proposal with what was to become the blueprint of the web to his boss at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Although this physics lab in Geneva, Switzerland, could not support software projects, Tim Berners-Lee was allowed to work on his idea, which he did, creating what today we know as the world wide web.
The Advent of Commercial Internet
Web Landmarks in the 1990s. A Basic Timeline
- 1990: The Web Goes Public.
- 1991: WorldWideWeb
After his proposal in 1989, Tim Berners-Lee got down to work and came up with the world’s first browser. Originally dubbed WorldWideWeb, it was later renamed Nexus.
- 1992: Internet Surfing
The terms “surfing the Internet” and “net surfing” are first used.
- 1993: Mosaic
This was the first cross platform browser, and the first browser with a graphic interface. Easy to install and use, it fueled the exponential development of the Internet in the early 1990s.
- 1994: Netscape Navigator
Mosaic turned into Netscape Navigator which was the first commercial browser. It dominated the browser scene in the early 1990s, until it was displaced by Internet Explorer.
- 1995: E-Commerce
The mid nineties witnessed beginnings of e-shopping which was to change the way we buy and sell things. From amazon.com selling its first book online in 1995 to sales totaling over 1 trillion dollars in 2012, e-commerce has become instrumental for business success.
- 1997: Google
Google.com becomes a registered domain. From then on, search engines and browsing change for good.
- 1995-2000: The Dot-Com Boom and the Dot-Com Bubble.
SEO
According to Wikipedia, the term “search engine optimization” was first used in 1997. Search engine optimization, that aimed to increase website ranking in search engines, came a long way since its inception days. Along the way, in the battle for visibility, webmasters and website owners used black hat strategies, such as link farming and spammy content to increase ranking. Now, recent Google updates such as Penguin and Panda, made it clear that this is not the game to play if you want to thrive online. Instead, organic search engine optimization and white hat SEO practices are not only encouraged, but a must.
According to moz.com, Google refreshes its search algorithm about five to six hundred times every year. In SEO terms, 2011- 2013 are perhaps the most important years in web history so far. Google released several updates that marked a radical shift in search engine optimization practices during the past two years. Penguin, Panda, Hummingbird and several other updates are reshaping the way we relate to the web and the meaning of online presence, for both businesses and users. To get a more accurate idea about the impact of Google updates, check the above mentioned article on moz.com where you’ll find a detailed timeline.
It’s enough to mention here only three of the most relevant updates released by Google starting with 2011.
Google Panda
Fist released in February 2011, Panda targeted ‘low quality’ websites, penalizing counterfeit links and duplicate, spammy content.
Google Penguin
Released in April 2012, it declared a war against black hat SEO tactics, making it clear that link schemes were no longer tolerated to promote search engine ranking.
Hummingbird Update
For its 15th anniversary, in September 2013, Google launched a new algorithm update. It was called Hummingbird and it aimed to make search more conversational.
What’s the effect of the updates released by Google in recent years? What’s their impact on SEO strategy? What does it mean for your web presence? Where is the web headed?
Read on for some answers.
Google’s Algorithm Changes and SEO
Having a solid SEO strategy is no longer optional. It is mandatory for for business success. A well crafted SEO strategy makes the difference between being visible and being swamped in the online clutter.
From No Man’s Land to Integrated Architecture
Today, the cornerstones of an effective SEO strategy and successful web presence are original content, white hat link building and social media. What does this mean?
Creating Value and Building Authority Through Organic SEO and Original Content
Onsite content is paramount to build credibility online and ultimately convert. Content and SEO work in tandem because the role of good SEO is to structure, organize, and optimize the content on your pages. The key components of effective content are keyword choice, website design, content optimization, of both web pages and blog, and focus on user experience.
Keyword Choice
SEO strategies should be grounded on keyword choice. This means researching the keywords you’re going to optimize your content for. The Keyword Tool made available by Google helps you find out what keywords are used by people to get to your website. Make sure you leverage long tail keywords because they will allow you to rank higher. Differentiate yourself from competition by paying attention to their keywords and refine your keyword choice by introducing keywords they have overlooked.
Optimize Content
Content optimization is no longer about stuffing keywords, but about integrating them naturally in your copy. Including primary keywords in the title of the article and meta tags is essential, but content value is what makes you stand out.
Improved User Experience
Besides keywords and content, another key component of SEO strategy is user experience, in other words how people feel about your website. The bounce rate measures user satisfaction or lack of it. Again, Google gives you the necessary tools: Google Analytics measures your bounce rate, telling you if users get what they need or not. Website design and navigation are decisive in creating superior user experience and, in turn, high conversion rates.
Linking: From Tactics to Creating Value
In the early days of the web, links were a mere tactic to drive website traffic. Now, inbound links are meant to build trust, consolidate authority, and create value for readers. All these are translated into high ranking and implicitly conversion. How is it done? The keyword here is, again, content because as you already know, content is king. Blogging, press releases, social media they are all integrated in content focused SEO strategies. Besides content, solid SEO strategies identify and leverage directory listing. But not any directory works. Focus on local directories, professional and established directories that are relevant for a particular niche.
Social Media and Connectivity
The advent of social media changed the way we relate to SEO. No one can ignore the key role played by social media in boosting website ranking. Together with content, connectivity is the heart of the matter when it comes to online success. Sharing valuable content, engaging with your audience, encouraging and stimulating conversation are no longer optional, but vital in establishing and maintaining online presence.
Social media and Brand Recognition
Social media and strengthening brand recognition go hand in hand. Brand your social presence by sharing valuable content and a unified consistent voice and brand identity. Google encourages social signals, because they have come to be an important part of its algorithm. So, besides Facebook and Twitter, make sure you have a Google+ account. After all, it’s only natural that Google should favor its offspring. Of all the major social network platforms, Google+ is the most suitable for sharing content that is specific to your niche. People who tend to favor Google+ get connected based on interests which they want to share with like-minded users.
What It All Boils Down to…
The key highlights above make an obviously partial and selective list of the major transformations the web has undergone in its first 25 years. Now at the 25th anniversary of the web, they give you an angle on what has happened so far and what’s going on at the moment, hopefully enticing you to try looking at your online presence if not with new eyes, at least more vigilantly, and keep up with the swift changes in the field. Because the future of the web is catching up with you, and you most certainly want to be prepared.