SEO: The “science” of dummies
The SEO experts will go “all guns blazing” on me but let me explain.
I have been engaging in SEO practices for over 10 years and I have managed some important SEO projects and target high quality and traffic keywords but I will admit it is a practice by fools for fools — and I am explaining:
The way in which search engines worked has forced both users and professionals into a certain way of searching and targeting. For example, if I want to know about the Samsung Galaxy A8 I will search for “galaxy a8 review greek” or “galaxy a8 κριτικη” or “samsung galaxy a8 reviews”, that’s how we learned to use search engines like dumbasses. Searching “hand hurts burn drug how to” or “hand burning medicine”. In both cases, the way we use the search engine is wrong. Although technology is here to make life easier, however we also change our language and distort the way a search engine is used.
This is not a feeling or an impression, it is a reality with which I have been confronted by managing an large number of adwords and analytics accounts.
Luckily Google has had enough with us and is beginning to improve its search algorithm by focusing in long tail keywords and natural queries. This means that a search like “how to cook lemon spicy chicken” will have better performance and more relevant results than a corresponding “lemon chicken recipe”. This should also ring a bell to marketing and SEO professionals, trends, real time marketing and long tail keywords are the ones that need more focus in SEO in 2018.
In addition, the bubble of “you’ll be the first to appear in the Google search results” will burst and crack. It is the most unprofessional approach and I really wonder why it still exists, the real promise should be “how will I bring to your site users to whom your content is really relevant and valuable”. Bounce rate and time on site metrics are incredibly underestimated and extremely important.
Of course, there are traditional industries that still rely on more monolithic SEO techniques and targeting strong keywords (yes, betting sites, I’m looking at you), but eventually they will be forced to get in line and follow the SEO trends.
Dominikos Pritis is an Instructor in a Leading Digital Diploma, Digital Marketing Strategist and Performance Marketing Expert and Editorial Director in one of Greece’s top Tech Sites.
