Comments on: SEO FAQ http://powazek.com/posts/2101 It's pronounced poe-WAH-zek. Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:26:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Derek Powazek http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5768 Derek Powazek Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:07:07 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5768 <strong>I'm closing comments now because I'm tired of deleting comments from people who can't be bothered to read. Nothing to see here. Move along.</strong> I’m closing comments now because I’m tired of deleting comments from people who can’t be bothered to read. Nothing to see here. Move along.

]]> By: Allyn http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5761 Allyn Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:41:50 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5761 The fact that big corporations and failing print magazine companies pay for SEO just tells me how facking stupid and lazy they are. The fact that SEO firms exist is to take money from the stupid fackers above. It's supply and demand, so what. There are those of us, however, that do our own SEO both on and off page for the benefit of ourselves. We are smart enough to write good content for people and search engines and also send quality links to our compelling content. We out rank big companies who hire SEO firms to get them ranking for their keywords. It's hilarious!..we laugh about it. L.O.L. Doubt you know many folks like us, cuz there ain't many around... that's why we do so well. Keep raging man, it's fun. The fact that big corporations and failing print magazine companies pay for SEO just tells me how facking stupid and lazy they are.
The fact that SEO firms exist is to take money from the stupid fackers above.
It’s supply and demand, so what.
There are those of us, however, that do our own SEO both on and off page for the benefit of ourselves. We are smart enough to write good content for people and search engines and also send quality links to our compelling content. We out rank big companies who hire SEO firms to get them ranking for their keywords. It’s hilarious!..we laugh about it. L.O.L.
Doubt you know many folks like us, cuz there ain’t many around… that’s why we do so well.
Keep raging man, it’s fun.

]]> By: Kevin Dougherty http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5760 Kevin Dougherty Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:34:58 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5760 My hypothesis is that 1) an average web developer likely lists content-first strategies and coding practices on a lower tier within their skillset; 2) an average SEO consultant likely lists people-first over bot-first strategies on a lower tier of their skillset; and 3) #2 is a much better pitchperson of the results of his/her skillset than #1 is, especially when considering clients who don't know the difference but need something quick. It's incumbent on us web developers to own content-first practices, refine them, and bring them to bear to all our clients. Many of us don't take the plunge. The optimization types will always fill in those gaps we devs do not fill in. A good post, Derek, with lots of emotion. My hypothesis is that 1) an average web developer likely lists content-first strategies and coding practices on a lower tier within their skillset; 2) an average SEO consultant likely lists people-first over bot-first strategies on a lower tier of their skillset; and 3) #2 is a much better pitchperson of the results of his/her skillset than #1 is, especially when considering clients who don’t know the difference but need something quick.

It’s incumbent on us web developers to own content-first practices, refine them, and bring them to bear to all our clients. Many of us don’t take the plunge. The optimization types will always fill in those gaps we devs do not fill in.

A good post, Derek, with lots of emotion.

]]> By: Jen Nahlik http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5759 Jen Nahlik Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:29:50 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5759 "But I use SEO for good. Then you’re called a Web Developer." I suppose there are some developers out there who have time in their schedules to do keyword research, competitive analysis, pour over web analytics, and then write pages of content and/or press releases that are engaging to readers and also keyword rich, AND know how to leverage that content using social media...but I have yet to meet one. Most developers I know are breaking their backs trying to learn more code and improve their design skills (plus selling if they're self-employed). Sure, if a developer had ALL of these skills, that would be great and I'm sure they'd be rich. In the real world, there are only 24 hours in a day and most of us have to specialize somewhere. “But I use SEO for good.
Then you’re called a Web Developer.”

I suppose there are some developers out there who have time in their schedules to do keyword research, competitive analysis, pour over web analytics, and then write pages of content and/or press releases that are engaging to readers and also keyword rich, AND know how to leverage that content using social media…but I have yet to meet one. Most developers I know are breaking their backs trying to learn more code and improve their design skills (plus selling if they’re self-employed). Sure, if a developer had ALL of these skills, that would be great and I’m sure they’d be rich. In the real world, there are only 24 hours in a day and most of us have to specialize somewhere.

]]> By: Jane http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5755 Jane Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:43:52 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5755 Well - this is why you need SEO consultant - have a look at @Josh comment on the previous post where he wrote: "I couldn’t agree more. I once hired an SEO to do my site. He like totally screwed it up. First, I wasn’t ranking anywhere. Then he made my site rank really well for a ton of terms. Then I redesigned my site in Flash. My site fell off the Google completely. Obviously, he was using shady tactics that failed to work in the long run." Well, if Josh has kept his SEO expert who ranked him so well for his site before redesign, then Josh would know that desinging his site in Flash WILL cause for the site to drop off completely from Google... Well – this is why you need SEO consultant – have a look at @Josh comment on the previous post where he wrote:

“I couldn’t agree more. I once hired an SEO to do my site. He like totally screwed it up. First, I wasn’t ranking anywhere. Then he made my site rank really well for a ton of terms. Then I redesigned my site in Flash. My site fell off the Google completely. Obviously, he was using shady tactics that failed to work in the long run.”

Well, if Josh has kept his SEO expert who ranked him so well for his site before redesign, then Josh would know that desinging his site in Flash WILL cause for the site to drop off completely from Google…

]]> By: Laura http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5753 Laura Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:07:40 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5753 As a web developer (and not an SEO person), I thought it was obvious, but maybe not: "web developers" have not typically gotten involved with web content for the last 4 or 5 years at least. Claiming that SEO is just a handful of technical web development best practices strikes me as rather naive. A bad developer can harm your site's performance in search engine results, but that doesn't mean a competent developer is going to have you covered. It's about content strategy, not keywords and meta tags. There's work involved there. Where there's work, there's an opportunity for providing a service. And it's not web development service, it's content service -- something that a creative agency or, yes, a (competent) SEO service can provide. Or you can do it yourself. Or pretend it's a non-issue. Maybe you just don't care. No doubt most SEO "experts" are scammers, or at least spammers I wouldn't want to validate by hiring. But that doesn't make the SEO practice invalid, whether you DIY or hire someone or just ignore it in ignorant bliss. As a web developer (and not an SEO person), I thought it was obvious, but maybe not: “web developers” have not typically gotten involved with web content for the last 4 or 5 years at least.

Claiming that SEO is just a handful of technical web development best practices strikes me as rather naive. A bad developer can harm your site’s performance in search engine results, but that doesn’t mean a competent developer is going to have you covered.

It’s about content strategy, not keywords and meta tags. There’s work involved there. Where there’s work, there’s an opportunity for providing a service. And it’s not web development service, it’s content service — something that a creative agency or, yes, a (competent) SEO service can provide. Or you can do it yourself. Or pretend it’s a non-issue. Maybe you just don’t care.

No doubt most SEO “experts” are scammers, or at least spammers I wouldn’t want to validate by hiring. But that doesn’t make the SEO practice invalid, whether you DIY or hire someone or just ignore it in ignorant bliss.

]]> By: Tara Hunt http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5748 Tara Hunt Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:48:22 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5748 Thank you for this post and the previous one. The examples you gave are the extreme in evil...but I think that even the 'harmless' examples hurt us all. For instance, using SEO to get your online shoe store to the top of the results of search instead of working on providing awesome service and selection. Then you have all these people clicking through and having awful experiences so they decide to never trust buying shoes online again, which damages potential business for all the other shoe stores. Or something like that. Also...can't say this on twitter because my Mom reads my tweets, but congrats on quitting smoking...it's inspiring me to do the same! Thank you for this post and the previous one. The examples you gave are the extreme in evil…but I think that even the ‘harmless’ examples hurt us all. For instance, using SEO to get your online shoe store to the top of the results of search instead of working on providing awesome service and selection. Then you have all these people clicking through and having awful experiences so they decide to never trust buying shoes online again, which damages potential business for all the other shoe stores. Or something like that.

Also…can’t say this on twitter because my Mom reads my tweets, but congrats on quitting smoking…it’s inspiring me to do the same!

]]> By: Mark Mroz http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5746 Mark Mroz Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:41:58 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5746 I totally agree with you Derek. Good show. Now, taking your advice, I wrote about it and even linked back to your post. Check it here: http://markmroz.com/2009/10/14/search-engine-optimization-is-crap/ I totally agree with you Derek. Good show. Now, taking your advice, I wrote about it and even linked back to your post. Check it here:

http://markmroz.com/2009/10/14/search-engine-optimization-is-crap/

]]> By: Shaheen http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5737 Shaheen Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:34:10 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5737 Excellent post! Amen! Thank you Derek. I'm a developer and I've been approached for years by SEO companies, I always ignored their requests to "team up" for the obvious reasons like that I could manage the 20 seconds of text placement myself. You are right in that these things should be obvious for any web designers. One day I humored one such SEO company and decided to piggy back on a job bid and see what would happen (desperate times I guess, lol). Well when he accidentally sent me the estimate instead of the client, I saw he just doubled my developer estimate (which included design & production of an entire website) and decided that his work was now worth the equivalent of mine... that pretty much sealed the deal for me! This article now places a massive steal trimmed concrete door on top of that seal. Now how about the perversion of click thru advertising! cover that next please : ) Excellent post! Amen! Thank you Derek.

I’m a developer and I’ve been approached for years by SEO companies, I always ignored their requests to “team up” for the obvious reasons like that I could manage the 20 seconds of text placement myself. You are right in that these things should be obvious for any web designers.

One day I humored one such SEO company and decided to piggy back on a job bid and see what would happen (desperate times I guess, lol). Well when he accidentally sent me the estimate instead of the client, I saw he just doubled my developer estimate (which included design & production of an entire website) and decided that his work was now worth the equivalent of mine… that pretty much sealed the deal for me!

This article now places a massive steal trimmed concrete door on top of that seal.

Now how about the perversion of click thru advertising! cover that next please : )

]]> By: @iq4sale http://powazek.com/posts/2101/comment-page-2#comment-5731 @iq4sale Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:02:58 +0000 http://powazek.com/?p=2101#comment-5731 S.E.O. - Stupidify Everyone Online Great post. Great thoughts. Great concerns. Great Scott! I agree - just do it right. Results from 'right' are awesomeness and far reaching (big time investments, too). I wanted to address the linkbait statement someone had made. It is just a reverse engineered term to describe what only excellence can achieve when aligned with sheer luck and is non-duplicatable unless you find a magic button. S.E.O. – Stupidify Everyone Online

Great post. Great thoughts. Great concerns. Great Scott!

I agree – just do it right. Results from ‘right’ are awesomeness and far reaching (big time investments, too).

I wanted to address the linkbait statement someone had made. It is just a reverse engineered term to describe what only excellence can achieve when aligned with sheer luck and is non-duplicatable unless you find a magic button.

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