Is SEO a Temporary Fix to a Permanent Problem?

SEO on the Chopping Block

There’s no questioning the necessity of search engines—nor the built-in opportunity they give to marketers. If you can help your clients show up at the top of that first page, they’re going to get a lot more visibility, and with that, the inherent potential for more customers. Instead, I’m calling into question SEO practices. The way we optimize for search engines just won’t cut it in the long run.

All Hail the Algorithm

The problem comes into play when we write for the search engine instead of our audience. If you pick your topics to meet keyword requirements and highjack searches that don’t even relate to the brand, the people who click that link at the top of the search results page won’t be the same people who would buy the product.

So, would you see your page views increase? Yes. Would your client base increase? Maybe.

Write for People, Not Computers

“Maybe” is still better than “no,” I grant you, but there’s another catch. The SEO rules that some advertising firms live and die by are based on the current algorithms of search engines. Yes, there are people who study those algorithms and update SEO strategies, but here’s the thing—search engine AI is constantly updated to think like people. Like your audience. To serve up the things that people are looking for—so in the long run, doesn’t it make more sense not to game the algorithm, but to write for the people you’re trying to reach? After all, the algorithms will catch up eventually.

Off with SEO’s Head?

So, what’s my call to action here? Am I telling you to throw out the SEO rulebook completely? No. Keep doing your keyword research and formatting to support H1 tag use, but never do so at the expense of your content. If you write blogs and website blurbs that will engage your audience, you can jump through all the extra SEO hoops you want. Just make sure that you don’t let short term page views overshadow long term customer gain and satisfaction.

This blog was first written for Targa Media Inc. and is published at targamedia.com