It was bound to happen… the search engine attention payed to content has always been a target of manipulation so when you see the misuse of Web1.0, Web2.0 and beyond sites being overtaken by those who neglect the powerful social aspect to these platforms, we shouldn’t be surprised.
Perhaps that’s an advantage to Web2.0 and coming Web3.0 platforms though as the built-in social feedback function will go a long way to weeding out the manipulators from the users.
Yes, there are definite SEO benefits to blogging – but the biggest bang comes from sites that post timely, relevant and quality content in a consistent, natural way. Oh…and if you are able to attract content-rich comments along the way – even better.
Social network sites such as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and whatever is next will no doubt evolve in the same way where today’s spammers and manipulators will either kill the platform or be weeded out in favor of those who use the system to build dynamic social networks.
Max Kalehoff has put it well in his latest blog posting… "Beware of Blogging Simply For SEO" where he does a good job of outlining the balance marketers must seek in delivering relevant (to their market and to the social network they are involved with) content, becoming a critical part of social networks and knowing how to subtly attract the network toward them much as thought leaders are able to do in any industry.
In my own case, becoming part of a network on Myspace, frequent content-oriented blog postings, and some admittedly brief work on expanding the network has proved quite successful in driving traffic and sales through various sites we have – but here’s the interesting part…almost entirely those visitors and sales have come through visits of our profile rather than through any specific links put in our blog postings or on other parts of the site.
The lesson then is that using social networks and blogs as intended, focusing on what your marketplace wants to read about will end up generating traffic, attracting search engines and making sales — doing anything less actually limits your potential rather than improving it.
Do you agree?
Jeff
