
The action started at Search Engine Watch in the morning.
The post was called Do you have to come first in search anymore?
I’ll have an analysis of its content tomorrow in the Midweek Roundup. For now, let’s just say that I disagree with most assertions that SEO is the way to go.
I said as much in the comments on this post and we had some good back and forths.
I suppose it was good for Search Engine Watch as well. Most of their posts get a couple of comments. This one has 20 now...and I don’t think we’re done.
After that I made a comment on Moz on their link post today.
God, linkbuilding...I’m so sick of it.
Again, it’s this SEO stuff, this idea that we have to manipulate and optimize, tinker and toy.
Just stop, stop it already.
Every year we have to suffer because these SEO-types need to do their thing. Every year Google rolls out some new animal from its menagerie, and we all pay the price.
Well, I don’t - I don’t pay shit.
I focus exclusively on writing content. Sure, I’m not the best on the block, but Goddamn it I can bark and yip and yap and hopefully that’ll make you think.
It’s argument and persuasion and convincing someone else of your point of view.
That’s what was happening on Moz with another commentor, and I went ahead and agreed with them.
You see, we’re sick of this SEO nonsense and we’re tired of these SEO-types clinging to their high-paying jobs. Those jobs do nothing more than try to convince us we need their over-priced and now wholly ineffective services.
I wish I could stop the desperate SEO-services-types from emailing me and telling me my site is not ranking well, can never rank well.
Then why the hell does my traffic keep going up?
There’s no reply to that one.
You see, you can do it, you can get ahead without the manipulation and the trickery.
It’s called hard work, elbow grease, and putting in a full day.
Yes, these are age-old concepts, but we’ve forgotten them.
We’ve grown lazy, entitled and boring.
I go out each day now and say that in the comments of the big sites and I take a pummeling for it.
Don’t think for one second that I’ll stop, either - I did this for 2 years on my local newspaper before they pulled the plug.
I get the plug pulled quite often.
Just today I posted a rather “provocative” and “offensive” post in a Google+ community called SEO+ - Search Engine Optimization / Website Design.
Well, the moderator didn’t like me hinting that there might be too many non-native speakers putting up spam posts so I was shown the door.
Happens to me all the time.
Maybe I have problems with my approach, my tone, my style.
Maybe I’m just pointing things out that others would not like pointed out, like their shortcomings and how this costs you.
I’ll keep pointing that stuff out, just like I have been on this site for nearly three years now.
I went ahead and pointed out to Neil Patel today on his Content Marketing Institute post that he’d given us nothing new.
When he asked what he could have done I went ahead and pointed out two awesome links he’d missed.
Well, to be honest, one didn’t appear until today, the cool Ciotti post on Entrepreneur on how to write like a pro.
Anyways, I think Patel is too focused on his side projects to give a damn about what’s good for you right now.
Obviously I say what I think and don’t give a fuck.
Is that sustainable...either for myself or for the blogs I visit?
We saw what happened to me back in 2013 when Copyblogger kicked me off their site. I suppose they did that to everyone a short time later, however.
I'm a trendsetter, what can I say.
Many sites don’t allow comments. I suppose that’s good - I’m not sure the “Land” sites especially could take my quick wit or sharp tongue.
It’s because they don’t develop those things. It doesn’t align with their shortcut world.
That’s what SEO is - a shortcut.
Google has told us that the days of shortcuts are over.
My, what will the SEO-types do!
Probably try like hell to convince you that their ineffective services are what you need.
God help us.