Google and the other big players in search all hate SEO. This is completely understandable (coming from the Director of Search Engine Optimization at a large web development firm). SEO is riddled with bad advice, grey areas and misinformation to the engines. The problem is not the profession, it’s the approach.
Let’s step into the shoes of Google. Their mission is to organize the information for the entire globe into a single query line. They want to ensure what you type into that box results in what you want to understand. That’s one hell of a goal and I’d like to see it met with quickness. The problem lies in people trying to find an easy out, be it due to pressure from a marketing team or the lack of traffic they expected off their existing “tactics” or any number of other reasons.
We are not here to fight Google. We are here to help. First off, don’t take on a client that isn’t actually an authority in their market. If they are and should be an authority in the engines, then you have something to work with.
The biggest beef I have right now is social media. I talk to who I talk (or “friend”) to for a reason. I know a lot of you talk to 2k people but only do business with 10 and this is not ethical as an internet marketing practice. Additionally, I believe the goal of Google will shut you down. There is no truth in your methodology. If you believe relevance relies in any way on the number of people you connect with, Google has a big surprise waiting for you,
Bottom line is this: The best of the engines will show relevance and a trend when it actually is a trend. Don’t underhand them or try to make it what it isn’t. Play by the rules. By helping the master (Google) understand our world, we help ourselves.
Or…keep being cheap. You won’t last (just like the link farmers of ’97, who boasted big stats 13 years ago)
“Their mission is to organize the information for the entire globe” – Cody how right you are! Play by the rules, don’t game the system. The irony is that google is transparent in their rules – they TELL us how to “game the system” — produce original relevant content. And they give us all kinds of extra points for linking, etc. – ASSUMING we keep it RELEVANT. Pay per play? It’s won’t last!
Our projects have exceptional SEO results because we follow 2 rules (and ignore the rest).
1-Don’t try to cheat, if you can’t write honest content for your target demo as an authority WTF makes you think you can use SEO or social media correctly?
2-Google has only one goal : Deliver humans to “the answer” as best as possible, so feed that pig by playing the game.
If you do honest work you will get honest results. SEO companies are the snake oil salespeople for the digital age. Usually these companies deliver hacked short term results to justify the bloated expense. In the long run these decrease search engine relevance.
If you can’t write 3 paragraph minimum per week you have no right asking anyone to help you do SEO work.
As for Facebook, Zuck is a crook, liar, and the rest is redacted. Social media compliments your web presence. Social Media will not help the lazy – so stop sending me all the “like suggestions” because that gets you D-R-O-P-P-E-D fast.
We closed an event yesterday that was SEO-PPC-Social networked like mad. This work delivered several times more $ (real ca$h) then our highest projections. This is 100% a product of honest work (no hacks).
We increased user base, subscriptions, and have a huge pool of qualified people to market towards.
Cody – good job,keep it up.
Good to hear it’s not a one-man fight to actually help Google meet their goal.
To the success of white hat practices! (raises glass)
it is good to read regarding ethical seo their is a lot of speculation about the google search engine honestly I agreed but for us with not employed people google is the best assets to earn some money. regards
Thanks for the comment, which has proven to be one of the most interesting attempts I’ve ever seen to get a link that is irrelevant to the page content. The irony of posting that link from a page about ethical SEO practices is too much to handle, I had to remove the link and leave the post.
Great attempt, though. That probably works well for you elsewhere.