DISQUS

Matt Davies · 1 year ago

Good post, especially with point number 3. It surprises me too how pious some SEOs can be... or, at least, it did until I realised that this industry and community are ALL about how much noise you make for yourself. Unfortunately, taking a "holier-than-thou" atttitude without backing it up with evidence is just an easy way of doing that. Either that or just keep on posting boring crap for the sake of it.

And thanks for putting me on the blogroll man, it's appreciated.

Melanie · 1 year ago

Reasons 2 through 5 are why I call myself an "online marketer" instead of an SEO. And it's not like "online marketer" has a good connotation among the general public either. The SEO community is so insular and self-congratulatory sometimes that we just don't comprehend how the rest of the world sees us -- it's not a question of "unethical" SEOs tarnishing our reputation. It comes down to the fact that most people don't like marketers, even the squeaky clean ones.

I think your point #1 is really part of #2.

When I'm truly participating in a community, I'm NOT an ambassador of SEO. I'm not an SEO period. If i don't have an agenda, if I'm not there to promote something, I come across like a real person. The problem is how do you participate in a community without looking like a marketer if the only reason you're there is as a marketer? That goes double if you're trying to build links. Authenticity is pretty hard to fake.

Syzlak · 1 year ago

Nice comment. I think 1 and 2 are different, but I can see your point. However, I think that my main argument about being an ambassador is highlighted by your final point. Even when one is not out there with an agenda, we can still get targeted if we don't paint ourselves and our industry in a good light.

It is definitely true that advertising in general gets a bad rap (sometimes rightfully so)

Michael · 1 year ago

i look forward to the collapse of social media. it will happen. Its kinda like the delorian - it looked and worked amazing, but when push came to shove - it couldn't be produced right and the guy behind it was a coke dealer.

when social media falls its going to be entertaining to see where all the "social media guru's" end up.

user generated content sucks.

hilker · 1 year ago

that's my beef with almost every "social media optimization" trick, site or top ten list: it's all about traffic. but by definition, social media is about relationships. as long as the so-called social media gurus focus on pageviews alone, i think they should be labeled as spammers.

here's a tip: if you participate in a community to primarily get more traffic to your site, if you submit your own stories more than you submit others', if your content flat out sucks, then you are abusing the community. consider showing up at a party, joining a random group (already in conversation) and telling stories about yourself. when someone else starts a story you interrupt with how your own story is better (comment hijacking; case in point - see? it's annoying). how long will that group let you speak? pretty soon they're going to leave you with your cheap beer and tell everyone they know not to talk to you because you're annoying as hell.

here's another tip: the aforementioned practices are not optimization. i would contest that social media is optimizable in the first place. again, do you go through conversation optimization with your friends? sure, in a business meeting you might (hit all the right buzzwords so they know you're in the know) and social media is your business, right? sure. but it's not always the business of the community you're repeatedly abusing. some people interact online because they enjoy it. go figure. but don't go jack up a perfectly good community just so you can get a few more bounced pageviews.

props to you, syzak, for improving the su community, communicating honestly within & imploring seo to greater community values.

Syzlak · 1 year ago

@ Michael - I don't know as though I look forward to the collapse, as I definitely enjoy aspects of social media. I more look forward to the growth of online social communities and the eventual integration of social media, allowing for a more pleasant experience

@hilker - That's almost a post right there. See if you had a real blog instead of your tumblr account, you could use that as some pretty good content...oh, you put that up on your tumblr page...

...but how are you supposed to make money with that? ;)

@Matt - Thanks for the support for the article and thanks for your agreement on #3. Being in a "new" industry is really what I love most about what I do, I just wish everyone would realize how young we all really are...

@JDog - Steve isn't going to post all the time. When he thinks of something that he thinks is brilliant (and we all think is inane) then, and only then, will he post.
He's too damned expensive to have on the payroll for an article a day!

hilker · 1 year ago

i don't make money, syzlak. i make people miserable.

JDog · 1 year ago

What does Search Master Steve have to say about the whole MSN/Yahoo Deal?

Hobo · 1 year ago

This was actually a fine article.