Robert_Charlton - 6:14 am on Oct 12, 2011 (gmt 0)

Has Panda brought an end to SEO?

Not exactly, but it has broaded it and made it more challenging. Panda has raised the bar and added opportunities for other layers of optimization based on engagement, social, and quality signals, which will inevitably evolve over time. It has not yet eliminated traditional SEO for those who already were paying attention to quality, but, as understanding of the possibilities spreads, it will shift everybody's game.

In the near term, particularly in less competitive areas, I suspect that for sites that satisfy certain minimum thresholds, traditional optimization and relevance signals will be around for a while. In more competitive areas, the added factors will necessarily come into play, and the rate of change will most likely be accelerated by competition.

I see creativity becoming a larger part of the optimization process. What you will be able to do, onsite and off, to promote awareness and visitor engagement, will become much more open to your imagination... and also a larger part of the challenge.