Andrew Edwards asked a question on ClickZ recently that has been on the mind of many online marketing professionals: “Is SEO Dead?”
Whatever Happened to SEO?
Google has always been at odds with SEO per se. They are perpetually at war with anyone trying to manipulate their precious search algorithm to get an unfair advantage on their search engine results pages (SERPs). They have also always been destined to win (you know, being Google and all). While there are still those who have been trying, the Panda, Penguin and Hummingbird updates have made it clear to all that they’re fighting a losing battle. Nowadays, people are turning their focus onto content marketing.
Content is King
It’s been said for years, and still can’t be said enough. Google has repeatedly made it plain that they want their engine to prioritize quality content. After all, their customers, with their infinite variety of searches, are really looking for one thing and one thing only – information. Google will use everything at its disposal (quite a lot, obviously) to make sure they get what they want, not a bunch of useless results stuffed with regurgitated material.
So what’s a Guy to Do?
The short answer is to do both. Contrary to what some may say, SEO still counts. As Edward writes, “Certain SEO principles should not be ignored, simply as a matter of site-hygeine.” Keeping your site organized, mobile-friendly, and connected to social media accounts all help to make them look more useful to Google’s users. At the same time, content provided should be of the highest quality and relevance you can make it.
The bottomline is that there are no longer any shortcuts to making your site visible. It’s either worthy of being seen, or it isn’t. There’s simply no substitute for quality.
