Happy New Year!
Today I’m posting something brief today, just to get the year started and not be too overwhelming for you or me.
During these last few weeks off, I'm still trying to figure out Google and with it, search engine optimization…always a barrel of laughs.
Just like all marketing and copywriting professionals who work mostly online, I've read plenty about all of the algorithm changes the 1,200-lb. gorilla of the internet search jungle. But just when I’m trying to get my head around the changes that Penguin, Panda and now Hummingbird have brought, they’ll probably shake things up again.
And all of this to just throw all of those keyword stuffers off balance? It's kind of a silly way to get attention, IMHO.
Roughly a year ago, I started writing for a content “mill” (which shall remain anonymous, and for which I don't write anymore). They gave me a list of keywords and phrases that I was “strongly encouraged” to use in my articles. I had to write four of these 400-word posts every day, which were for different types of business websites.
When I submitted the articles, the editor said I didn’t include enough of these keywords. Had I done that, the quality of the articles would have suffered tremendously.
From this less-than-ideal experience, I learned about the value of quality content and began my quest to learn what it’s all about.
So…here’s what I’ve tried to do this year. Rather than be a slave these writing sweatshops, I’ve made an effort to learn about content marketing and search optimization. And something I’ve learned about these Google algorithm changes is that they’re simply trying to weed out these content farms that try to game the system.
It’s something to keep in mind when you’re trying to optimize your site, and an issue you really don’t have to worry too much about if you’re already including great content that doesn’t repeat itself.
All you have to remember is this…write for your audiences, not the search engines. Create content in the way that people look for travel information. Most important – treat your audience with respect and intelligence, and they’ll reward you with more traffic, business and loyalty!