In any given circumstances nobody wants to be the 2nd placer otherwise this article will be name "How to be the 2nd Best". Leaders and Followers are relative as they say great leaders are great followers, in most cases its NO longer effective if the relation is vice versa.
In Search Industry, everyone tries to lead by giving opinion, share ideas, collaborate resources and creating viral media. The main goal is to facilitate the users behavior in using Search Engines.
Year 2012 Google straightening Panda and Penguin update on its algorithm this means that Google channels are more sophisticated than the previous years. Google Panda first release was February 2011 this aims the low quality site or so called the 'thin sites' to lower the rank while bringing the quality sites on the top ranking. On the other hand Google Penguin is a Webspam algorithm designed to target the black hat and other webspam sites, currently Google launches the Penguin 2.0 this is more comprehensive compare to the earlier version 1.0. As mentioned by Matthew "Matt" Cutts, Penguin 2.0 includes Native Advertising or other Advertorial that violates Google Webmasters Guidelines will be penalized.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...QeKU25zg#at=126
These updates mainly affects the Business Process Outsourcing firms that plays locally on foreign clients although traditional method still exist but to those Internet Marketing companies and Individuals that were fully aware, they tend to adjust and adapt organic method. This is to serve clients, online business, products, events and other medium that are mainly dependent on the Internet.
Lots of speculations that leads into something more organize steps in dealing these updates. The few lists below will definitely help how to gain back the ranking and become the leader of your Industry in terms of Internet Search Result. This might be in general scope but I am sincerely sharing details that will help you specify your creativeness.
Like Water, Be adaptable
Just watched recently in discovery channel how Bruce Lee face challenges and his life's view point, I quoted the exact words below.
�Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.�
Be updated get connected and be notified
Follow and subscribe influential companies and individuals that will help organize your imagination in doing steps on how to lead your industry. Nowadays we are very lucky to experience social media at its best unlike in the previous years. Google Webmasters Guidelines will be one of your list.
Linkedin specializes page for the Influencer Posts , an updated section of the leaders of each industries from the biggest professional networks.
Some of us are more comfortable in watching/listening videos than reading text in the article, Youtube is the answer, more reviews are uploaded everyday in every Industry.
Create buzz and take the lead
Step by step, study your environment, get to know more the NEEDS of your Industry. Take a look on how your users searched behavior, Is your brand the Answer to their queries? Few tools might be helpful such as Google trend and Twitter Advance search don't forget to fill up your desired settings. Spend more time investigating the know how and your audience What to, from this format you can create Buzz of what your audience wants to hear.