This is part four of a four part post. Click here for part I, here for part II, or here for part III.
“The truth is more important than the facts.”
~Frank Lloyd Wright
I don’t write for SEO, or throw attention at keywords. I hope I never feel the need to stray from such straightforward guidelines, at least not while writing for Writer Dad.
I can almost hear the collective gasp from the probloggers. I’m not trying to argue, merely stating what works for me. Writing for SEO isn’t it.
Before I began the blog, I did my due diligence.
I read Darren’s book, and clearly understood the importance of SEO and keywords. During my first two weeks of posting, I stuck to the principles. I would outline ideas, title included, draw the keywords I needed, and then scribble around them.
It was backwards.
I knew it, and abandoned the practice my third week.
Writing exclusively for SEO content, I’ve no doubt, dulls the voice. Now, when I pen a post, I sit at the keys with a vague idea of how I’d like to spit. Words spill, I bring the mop.
Only when finished, do I read the post to see what keywords I might gather. I then decide on a title, an appropriate quote, and a picture to give all the black and white a little splash of color.
Like advertising, or pretty much anything else, I’ve no issue with writing for SEO. I understand the mathematics, and am positive that the future will find me developing sites where writing for the deities of search engine optimization is entirely necessary.
When that day comes, I’ll design my words accordingly.
The hallways of the internet blare with a billion echoes. Like life, it takes courage to think different. It’s hard to claim a niche when I find myself an expert at nothing. I don’t want to pen lists to tell others how to live their lives better when I’m still working full time on mine. Hunter Nuttall wrote a fantastic piece on building a slow and steady audience. This is an excerpt from that article:
Writer Dad says he doesn’t have a niche, and that’s certainly true in the traditional sense. But I think he has a very specific niche. He’s writing for people who like about 1 post per day, about 500 words, broken into lots of short paragraphs, with lots of interaction in the comments section, and most importantly, his unique writing style. Name another blogger who’s similar. Can’t think of one? That’s because he’s the only one in his niche.
The traffic that drives by Writer Dad could only be described as light. What I do have, is a high percentage of people who stick around. This is as it should be. I’d prefer a smaller, genuine audience, to a large one who slips Writer Dad in their reader because they think it’s something they’re supposed to do.
Without ads, an inflated audience is irrelevant.
When I write, it is because I want someone to feel a silhouette of my thought. Even with a full understanding that my words will be mostly forgotten within thirty-six hours of broadcast, I write them with everything I have.
My children will one day comb through my archives; I write for them.
If Writer Dad is my chance to touch our most local universe, then I wish to use my most genuine voice, rather than one designed to capture the attention of the Googlebots who crawl across my verbiage.
When you have language, you can skip rope. Why would I wish to tie my laces?
Writer Dad
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About Sean Platt
The number one piece of SEO advice is to write for people, not search engines. Everything else is a technicality. Google’s aim is to make such technicalities unnecessary in the long run (they’ve got a long ways to go).
For a blog where the blog posts are meant to be the answers to a seeker’s question, all this other SEO “trickery” applies. For your blog, Sean, not so much. :)
Michael Martine – Remarkabloggers last blog post..Blogger Biographies: Grant Griffiths
The number one piece of SEO advice is to write for people, not search engines. Everything else is a technicality. Google’s aim is to make such technicalities unnecessary in the long run (they’ve got a long ways to go).
For a blog where the blog posts are meant to be the answers to a seeker’s question, all this other SEO “trickery” applies. For your blog, Sean, not so much. :)
Michael Martine – Remarkabloggers last blog post..Blogger Biographies: Grant Griffiths
The moment I abandoned adwords or adsense (can’t remember which) was when I made a post in which I included the word “sex”. The resulting advertisement you can guess.
I was tempted to go and edit my post, but ultimately I thought I was not selling myself, at least not for peanuts.
Good job, Writerdad.
Miguel de Luiss last blog post..The photograph of a steak
The moment I abandoned adwords or adsense (can’t remember which) was when I made a post in which I included the word “sex”. The resulting advertisement you can guess.
I was tempted to go and edit my post, but ultimately I thought I was not selling myself, at least not for peanuts.
Good job, Writerdad.
Miguel de Luiss last blog post..The photograph of a steak
You’re right – don’t write for SEO.
I’m not sure that anybody that writes for SEO ends up successful with SEO, simply because that would be skin deep, and it’s really about relevancy and content. It’s not an end, it’s a means. It’s a means of helping your users find relevant information among the sea.
I think the meta-program is more like an edit pass. Write as you would, but then do a simple SEO pass for your audience. In general, I think domain trumps page title trumps keywords, but in the end, it’s your in-bound authority links that help the most.
J.D. Meiers last blog post..Help Your Colleagues Look Good
You’re right – don’t write for SEO.
I’m not sure that anybody that writes for SEO ends up successful with SEO, simply because that would be skin deep, and it’s really about relevancy and content. It’s not an end, it’s a means. It’s a means of helping your users find relevant information among the sea.
I think the meta-program is more like an edit pass. Write as you would, but then do a simple SEO pass for your audience. In general, I think domain trumps page title trumps keywords, but in the end, it’s your in-bound authority links that help the most.
J.D. Meiers last blog post..Help Your Colleagues Look Good
I know absolutely nothing about SEO – I just write and try to write as if I were talking with the folks reading the words. And with absolutely no knowledge of SEO, I agree with Michael Martine – keep doing what you are doing, Sean.
Brett Legrees last blog post..still doing crazy things…
I know absolutely nothing about SEO – I just write and try to write as if I were talking with the folks reading the words. And with absolutely no knowledge of SEO, I agree with Michael Martine – keep doing what you are doing, Sean.
Brett Legrees last blog post..still doing crazy things…
I completely agree with you here.
Writing for search engines totally defeats the purpose of writing.
I think writers need to write for themselves. We cannot write for robots.
If we are honest in our writing and it speaks to us, it will speak to others. And readers will eventually find it. That’s what I think.
Chase Marchs last blog post..Totally Disoriented
I completely agree with you here.
Writing for search engines totally defeats the purpose of writing.
I think writers need to write for themselves. We cannot write for robots.
If we are honest in our writing and it speaks to us, it will speak to others. And readers will eventually find it. That’s what I think.
Chase Marchs last blog post..Totally Disoriented
It is a relief to find so many like-minded writers. My first entries on my contractor’s blog was with the intention of making Adsense a viable alternative income for me, but I still wrote them from my heart with lierary style. I get a good laugh over my $1 per month average (and growing!), but pay attention every day to the craft of writing what comes to me in spirit. My analytic numbers remain dismally low, but the flattery is tremendously uplifting and inspirational. Like you, my fingers can only type out what flows freely. The wealth is in the content of the entry, and the payment lies in the quality of the readers who return.
However, this all takes ALOT of time and commitment while food still has to be delivered to the hungry mouths of our little children (…well, mine not so little now). This is all a new genre which we are defining each day as we go along, each and every one of us. Some very talented people will inevitably fall by the wayside. When I was getting published 30 years ago, writing was a lonely, isolating process. It is an incredible gift to have this daily link with people suffering and loving the same struggles and highs.
Write on!
Kip de Molls last blog post..Stuff
It is a relief to find so many like-minded writers. My first entries on my contractor’s blog was with the intention of making Adsense a viable alternative income for me, but I still wrote them from my heart with lierary style. I get a good laugh over my $1 per month average (and growing!), but pay attention every day to the craft of writing what comes to me in spirit. My analytic numbers remain dismally low, but the flattery is tremendously uplifting and inspirational. Like you, my fingers can only type out what flows freely. The wealth is in the content of the entry, and the payment lies in the quality of the readers who return.
However, this all takes ALOT of time and commitment while food still has to be delivered to the hungry mouths of our little children (…well, mine not so little now). This is all a new genre which we are defining each day as we go along, each and every one of us. Some very talented people will inevitably fall by the wayside. When I was getting published 30 years ago, writing was a lonely, isolating process. It is an incredible gift to have this daily link with people suffering and loving the same struggles and highs.
Write on!
Kip de Molls last blog post..Stuff
Hey Writer Dad,
I feel quite ignorant, reading through your post. I’ve never thought about these SEO words for the purpose of attracting readers. One word I know does get people over and that is SEX or any word similar!! I write like you do, with an idea of what I’m going to make the post about. Afterwards I read it through for corrections and hope it’s reasonably interesting and publish. I’m well aware that my tags aren’t unique but a few people come my way. I’ve been blogging since March and now I have a small amount of people who I know read and comment which is lovely, so encouraging! But sometimes I feel a bit intimidated when I see blog posts with 26 comments and mine may have 4, two of which are my own responses!!
Oh well, fickle is the blogging business!
Scribble
Scribbles last blog post..Getting the Teen.
Hey Writer Dad,
I feel quite ignorant, reading through your post. I’ve never thought about these SEO words for the purpose of attracting readers. One word I know does get people over and that is SEX or any word similar!! I write like you do, with an idea of what I’m going to make the post about. Afterwards I read it through for corrections and hope it’s reasonably interesting and publish. I’m well aware that my tags aren’t unique but a few people come my way. I’ve been blogging since March and now I have a small amount of people who I know read and comment which is lovely, so encouraging! But sometimes I feel a bit intimidated when I see blog posts with 26 comments and mine may have 4, two of which are my own responses!!
Oh well, fickle is the blogging business!
Scribble
Scribbles last blog post..Getting the Teen.
P.S. I am one of your true readers, I have you on my sidebar and love reading your posts!
Scribble
Scribbles last blog post..Getting the Teen.
P.S. I am one of your true readers, I have you on my sidebar and love reading your posts!
Scribble
Scribbles last blog post..Getting the Teen.
I think SEO and Search Engines shouldn’t have any impact on your writing what-so-ever, mainly because your blog is of the type that should be spread by word of mouth, not keyword rankings.
Danny Coopers last blog post..7 Effective Ways To Increase Your Technorati Authority
I think SEO and Search Engines shouldn’t have any impact on your writing what-so-ever, mainly because your blog is of the type that should be spread by word of mouth, not keyword rankings.
Danny Coopers last blog post..7 Effective Ways To Increase Your Technorati Authority
I’m right there with you WD. I don’t write for reasons to gain an audience, although nice, it is to put my ideas down on paper (read word vomit my thoughts onto a computer screen) so that someone can have a little glimps into my life and how I view the world around me.
Afterwards, I might go back and tweak some stuff, but for the most part, when I am done writing, it is ready to go to publish.
I am glad you don’t conform and follow the rules, I think that is one of the best parts of Writer Dad. And I think Hunter has it right when he says you are the only one in your niche of non-nicheness.
Sals last blog post..Paper or Plastic With Writer Dad
I’m right there with you WD. I don’t write for reasons to gain an audience, although nice, it is to put my ideas down on paper (read word vomit my thoughts onto a computer screen) so that someone can have a little glimps into my life and how I view the world around me.
Afterwards, I might go back and tweak some stuff, but for the most part, when I am done writing, it is ready to go to publish.
I am glad you don’t conform and follow the rules, I think that is one of the best parts of Writer Dad. And I think Hunter has it right when he says you are the only one in your niche of non-nicheness.
Sals last blog post..Paper or Plastic With Writer Dad
Good morning! Will there be a(n ironic) traffic spike out of this post? Perhaps! It would be pure glee, if so.
Point very well taken here. If you’re going to change your unique voice to conform with whatever SEO rules might be, wouldn’t it be easier to just have a lobotomy? Deadening is deadening.
Betsy Wuebkers last blog post..BAIL-OUT — YOUR TRAVEL BUDGET AND YOUR LIFE
Good morning! Will there be a(n ironic) traffic spike out of this post? Perhaps! It would be pure glee, if so.
Point very well taken here. If you’re going to change your unique voice to conform with whatever SEO rules might be, wouldn’t it be easier to just have a lobotomy? Deadening is deadening.
Betsy Wuebkers last blog post..BAIL-OUT — YOUR TRAVEL BUDGET AND YOUR LIFE
Content first, always! Otherwise it’s soulless.
Hayden Tompkinss last blog post..How to Work from Home With Your Spouse AND Keep the Passion
Content first, always! Otherwise it’s soulless.
Hayden Tompkinss last blog post..How to Work from Home With Your Spouse AND Keep the Passion
Michael Martine: I like knowing that about Google. I guess it would be impossible to expect that there wouldn’t be a huge learning curve. This is all so relatively new. I can’t even imagine what searches will be like in a decade.
Miguel: Those ads are the ones which scare me the most; those that I have no control of. You made the right choice.
J.D.: Thanks for explaining that J.D. That makes a lot of sense.
Brett: That’s how I do it exactly…. write like I’m talking. I’ve no plans to change.
Chase: If we write to tell some essential truth about ourselves, or shine a light into our thought, I believe that others will want to peer. We are all human and all curious. Googlebots have no curiosity.
Kip de Moll: There has been nothing more rewarding in my time writing as the daily exchange with all the fellow bloggers. They tell you that they want more of your honesty, more of your words, why would anyone be willing to exchange that for traffic that didn’t interact (unless of course the ultimate aim was to generate traffic for ads, which I do understand, I’m just not there). Thanks for your daily link, Kip.
Scribble: Thank you for being a true reader. A small, loyal group is good if they are feeding your fire. If they are waiting for your words, and reading your ideas, then they are helping you to grow. Perhaps you should try closing your post with a question and see if that helps with the comments.
Danny Cooper: I would much, much rather be spread by word of mouth than keyword rankings. I find the former a far greater compliment.
Sal: It’s nice to drain the brain. If you do things like everybody else, than you’re being a robot (and robots don’t have beating hearts).
Betsy: That would be funny. Well said. Deadening is deadening.
Hayden: I like my soul, I’d like it to stay where it is.
Michael Martine: I like knowing that about Google. I guess it would be impossible to expect that there wouldn’t be a huge learning curve. This is all so relatively new. I can’t even imagine what searches will be like in a decade.
Miguel: Those ads are the ones which scare me the most; those that I have no control of. You made the right choice.
J.D.: Thanks for explaining that J.D. That makes a lot of sense.
Brett: That’s how I do it exactly…. write like I’m talking. I’ve no plans to change.
Chase: If we write to tell some essential truth about ourselves, or shine a light into our thought, I believe that others will want to peer. We are all human and all curious. Googlebots have no curiosity.
Kip de Moll: There has been nothing more rewarding in my time writing as the daily exchange with all the fellow bloggers. They tell you that they want more of your honesty, more of your words, why would anyone be willing to exchange that for traffic that didn’t interact (unless of course the ultimate aim was to generate traffic for ads, which I do understand, I’m just not there). Thanks for your daily link, Kip.
Scribble: Thank you for being a true reader. A small, loyal group is good if they are feeding your fire. If they are waiting for your words, and reading your ideas, then they are helping you to grow. Perhaps you should try closing your post with a question and see if that helps with the comments.
Danny Cooper: I would much, much rather be spread by word of mouth than keyword rankings. I find the former a far greater compliment.
Sal: It’s nice to drain the brain. If you do things like everybody else, than you’re being a robot (and robots don’t have beating hearts).
Betsy: That would be funny. Well said. Deadening is deadening.
Hayden: I like my soul, I’d like it to stay where it is.
you are right on track here. I did the same thing with SEO & wracked my brain on how to incorporate those key words in. It sounded something close to those automated answering systems you get when you call customer service.
In some ways I think Darren’s book was more of a hindrance than a help in that it through me off track trying to do everything in there he suggested. Don’t get me wrong, there was a ton of useful stuff, and he does repeat the message of ultimately being true to your voice.
Your voice in many ways becomes your niche so to speak, because it gives the personality people are drawn too. SEO in my opinion is really something more important to being competitive if a site is selling something or informational.
I think you’ve already figured this out, so really I’m just wasting space preaching to the choir. =-)
CK Lunchboxs last blog post..Alec Baldwin: Father of The Year? You Decide.
An interesting metric for “reader quality” might be to see how many feeds each reader has in their feed reader, and how often those feeds publish.
I know that if I have excessive feeds, I hardly even read the ones I really like. However, if I cut it down to receiving about 5 – 10 things in my reader a day, I’m much more inclined to sit down and enjoy each piece.
Difficult to measure, I know, yet I’m guessing at least half of WriterDad.com readers are the type to limit their daily feed consumption.
Maybe it’s time for a WD poll?
you are right on track here. I did the same thing with SEO & wracked my brain on how to incorporate those key words in. It sounded something close to those automated answering systems you get when you call customer service.
In some ways I think Darren’s book was more of a hindrance than a help in that it through me off track trying to do everything in there he suggested. Don’t get me wrong, there was a ton of useful stuff, and he does repeat the message of ultimately being true to your voice.
Your voice in many ways becomes your niche so to speak, because it gives the personality people are drawn too. SEO in my opinion is really something more important to being competitive if a site is selling something or informational.
I think you’ve already figured this out, so really I’m just wasting space preaching to the choir. =-)
CK Lunchboxs last blog post..Alec Baldwin: Father of The Year? You Decide.
An interesting metric for “reader quality” might be to see how many feeds each reader has in their feed reader, and how often those feeds publish.
I know that if I have excessive feeds, I hardly even read the ones I really like. However, if I cut it down to receiving about 5 – 10 things in my reader a day, I’m much more inclined to sit down and enjoy each piece.
Difficult to measure, I know, yet I’m guessing at least half of WriterDad.com readers are the type to limit their daily feed consumption.
Maybe it’s time for a WD poll?
You know, I’d too started way back doing the same with keywords and all. But got too bored with doing so and closed the entire site for months before getting my act together and writing stuff that I actually enjoy sharing.
SEO or not, there’s still a great group of people following you. :)
Daniel Richards last blog post..Wordle I’m Writing In This Blog?
You know, I’d too started way back doing the same with keywords and all. But got too bored with doing so and closed the entire site for months before getting my act together and writing stuff that I actually enjoy sharing.
SEO or not, there’s still a great group of people following you. :)
Daniel Richards last blog post..Wordle I’m Writing In This Blog?
I’m the same. I write what I’m thinking and feeling. I can’t be bothered to dick around with keywords and stuff, though afterward I’ll collect them and put them in the tag spot or whatever. Who knows if my post might help someone searching.
My blog is a personal one, though. I would probably want to focus on SEO and stuff like that for a business blog.
stephs last blog post..I Mentioned Change, Right?
I’m the same. I write what I’m thinking and feeling. I can’t be bothered to dick around with keywords and stuff, though afterward I’ll collect them and put them in the tag spot or whatever. Who knows if my post might help someone searching.
My blog is a personal one, though. I would probably want to focus on SEO and stuff like that for a business blog.
stephs last blog post..I Mentioned Change, Right?
I’m so stoopid about the blogging Dos and Donts, I didn’t even know what SEO was until I reached the bottom of your post. :) Write on, Dad!
angies last blog post..Great Escapes Made Easy
Market research will always be necessary (when you’re targeting a market, anyway), but Google’s ultimate goal is to make SEO unnecessary. For many of us who are marketing to a specific group of people in the meantime, a little SEO goes a long way.
Michael Martine – Remarkabloggers last blog post..Blogger Biographies: Writer Dad
I’m so stoopid about the blogging Dos and Donts, I didn’t even know what SEO was until I reached the bottom of your post. :) Write on, Dad!
angies last blog post..Great Escapes Made Easy
Market research will always be necessary (when you’re targeting a market, anyway), but Google’s ultimate goal is to make SEO unnecessary. For many of us who are marketing to a specific group of people in the meantime, a little SEO goes a long way.
Michael Martine – Remarkabloggers last blog post..Blogger Biographies: Writer Dad
I also don’t write for SEO. It’s just too much work for a lazy guy like me. I guess if I consider my blog as a livelihood, then I will worry about SEO but since it’s a hobby, then I will work on producing good content with or without key words.
Chriss last blog post..GUT CHECK!
I also don’t write for SEO. It’s just too much work for a lazy guy like me. I guess if I consider my blog as a livelihood, then I will worry about SEO but since it’s a hobby, then I will work on producing good content with or without key words.
Chriss last blog post..GUT CHECK!
I’m with Chris (above) on this one – I’m lazy when it comes to SEO. For me, it’s the community that develops, and the content that I can write.
That said, I see nothing wrong at all with SEO. In fact, I’m sure it’s a good thing. Maybe someday it will be more of a priority for me.
Keep doing what you’re doing Sean. You attract an audience that cares and shares. And that’s very empowering for a writer…
Lances last blog post..Regrets
I’m with Chris (above) on this one – I’m lazy when it comes to SEO. For me, it’s the community that develops, and the content that I can write.
That said, I see nothing wrong at all with SEO. In fact, I’m sure it’s a good thing. Maybe someday it will be more of a priority for me.
Keep doing what you’re doing Sean. You attract an audience that cares and shares. And that’s very empowering for a writer…
Lances last blog post..Regrets
Writer Dad
Yes. THANK YOU! I was starting to feel left out there. Like I was the only one not jumping on the SEO bandwagon with all the other “Cool Kids”.
Call me a heretic. I don’t have to blog for a living, so I couldn’t give a flying fox-fart about SEO.
I’m so clueless, I don’t even know what “writing for SEO” even means. I don’t know how you’re supposed to fix your blog to get “SEO”. And I have zero interest in buying SEO books telling me how to do it.
I’d just rather spend the time writing my Deep Friar posts.
Is there something WRONG with me? ;-)
Friars last blog post..More Friar-O-Lanterns (*)
Writer Dad
Yes. THANK YOU! I was starting to feel left out there. Like I was the only one not jumping on the SEO bandwagon with all the other “Cool Kids”.
Call me a heretic. I don’t have to blog for a living, so I couldn’t give a flying fox-fart about SEO.
I’m so clueless, I don’t even know what “writing for SEO” even means. I don’t know how you’re supposed to fix your blog to get “SEO”. And I have zero interest in buying SEO books telling me how to do it.
I’d just rather spend the time writing my Deep Friar posts.
Is there something WRONG with me? ;-)
Friars last blog post..More Friar-O-Lanterns (*)
I’ve never given too much credence to SEO. It’s alot of work and is never guaranteed to work. Google keeps changing it’s formulas for page rank and in turn the rules for SEO change. Plus, writing with keywords in mind isn’t going to produce the kind of content that keep people around. It’s great if you’re blog’s sole purpose is to turn a profit, but otherwise, if you just want to build a loyal reader base, SEO is not the way to do it.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guys last blog post..Business Name Blues: Part 3, Make it legal
I’ve never given too much credence to SEO. It’s alot of work and is never guaranteed to work. Google keeps changing it’s formulas for page rank and in turn the rules for SEO change. Plus, writing with keywords in mind isn’t going to produce the kind of content that keep people around. It’s great if you’re blog’s sole purpose is to turn a profit, but otherwise, if you just want to build a loyal reader base, SEO is not the way to do it.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guys last blog post..Business Name Blues: Part 3, Make it legal
I’m still trying to figure this whole blogging thing out. I don’t have ads on my page and don’t think I’d put any on there. I like that there are people who read my blogs and post their thoughts. Someday, I’d like to have a group of people like you have who are faithful readers. I still don’t have many people read my blogs, so I got to figure out a way to get more to my page…any suggestions?
Tonys last blog post..What the hell happened to her eyebrows?
I’m still trying to figure this whole blogging thing out. I don’t have ads on my page and don’t think I’d put any on there. I like that there are people who read my blogs and post their thoughts. Someday, I’d like to have a group of people like you have who are faithful readers. I still don’t have many people read my blogs, so I got to figure out a way to get more to my page…any suggestions?
Tonys last blog post..What the hell happened to her eyebrows?
Flying Fox Fart = Funniest thing I’ve heard today! :D
Michael Martine – Remarkabloggers last blog post..Blogger Biographies: Writer Dad
Flying Fox Fart = Funniest thing I’ve heard today! :D
Michael Martine – Remarkabloggers last blog post..Blogger Biographies: Writer Dad