SEO = BS?
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- epic_rim0
good article on JC Penney getting busted for gaming google
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/1…
in my line of work (ecom) it's a pretty big deal. the top 2-3 results on google get such a disproportional cut of the converting traffic that we have to consider how every piece of content, at least the evergreen content, is coded and tagged.
It isn't evil or BS, it's just another component in doing business, like picking a good location for a storefront or nodding to a current trend.
- oooh.....mikotondria3
- that would be a good thing to show some of the suits I had to deal with in the past..vaxorcist
- abettertomorrow0
I think its mainly people who don't understand SEO that think it's a bunch of BS. As long as search engines have a way of ranking pages, obviously there are steps you can take to rank better.
- Boz0
SEO is the new "above the fold"
- boobs0
Sure, if you follow the basic things that are listed out on the Google site, like putting in meta descriptions and simple stuff like that, it'll help.
But, you know, the Search Engines want honest results, that can't be gamed. And a lot of SEO is sold as "secret techniques" that will game the system. So, the Search Engine people are always fiddling with their algorithms, and, consequently, success in SEO is always a moving, shifting thing.
And you know what? Even in this day and age, most of the Search Engines really, really suck for finding useful information. For instance, go to Google, and search on a few common, useful terms. The first 8 or 10 results, except for the mandatory Wikipedia link at the top, are going to seem awfully arbitrary.
- "meta descriptions" - google ignores these nowanimatedgif
- boobs0
For instance, do a search on Google for "Graphic Design Blog." Most of what comes up is just absolute shit. The higher quality, useful graphic design blogs are basically not seen on the first page. And this is true on subject, after subject, after subject.
- boobs0
Dreary grind though, isn't it? All those fucking about with keywords and coding? Not at all like making a site look sharp and proper and inviting.
- abettertomorrow0
Its true that people game the results, but that really just shows you that SEO works, doesn't it?:)
By spending time on SEO at all you're also in some sense trying to game the system.
- It only works temporarily. Until they either change their system, which they do. Or knock you down for cheating.boobs
- Not reallyabettertomorrow
- Worst case you get blacklisted by Google for cheatingwagshaft
- chilamont0
I would say that 75% of it is utter and complete bullshit
- doesnotexist0
i don't think it's as serious or complicated as a lot of people claim.
have original content, label it/title it correctly. have a decent nav that's text based with headers and shit. you'll be SEOd right forever.
easier said than done, i suppose.
- boobs0
That's what I'm getting at. It's not as serious or complicated as people claim. But a lot of people are trying to make money by claiming it's so intricate and complicated!
- abettertomorrow0
It depends how much effort you're talking about. Is it just optimizing a few pages on the site? Or also keyword research, link building, content creation, etc?
- utopian0
SEO is all hype....
- JSK0
Seo works if you pay google or break the rules that google sets
- caput580
90%
- monNom0
seo itself is okay and a good consideration. 'seo consultants' are 90% snake oil salesmen touting 'secret techniques' and delivering nothing because "seo takes time". Dealing with clients who know a small number of seo tactics but don't know why or how they work, and where they are appropriate is the inner circle of hell.
- gramme0
It's not rocket science.
- fugged0
I'm so glad that I'm not in marketing anymore, and don't need to give a shit about things like SEO.
- vaxorcist0
short term SEO is very different from actually making a good website that people want to use and link to and that may actually survive the coming google dances....
Google will probably re-engineer their algorithm a LOT in 2011 to defeat the SEOs gaming the system, people are getting frustrated with the results and google makes almost all their money on search... they can't afford to lose out to Bing,etc..
- Mr_Mxyzptlk0
No more or less than any other marketing.