Quiddity! - the SEO Blog

For something claiming to be an SEO blog, I have mentioned very little on the subject thus far, instead pitching my tent firmly in the social media camp. Well to be fair, social media is now just as much a part of SEO as keyword analysis, traditonal link-building, and all those other 'dark arts' once were. It is also perceived as being just that little bit more interesting on a mainstream scale than the arcane, 'unnatural practices' that go on behind the closed doors of many an SEO's office. 

I believe commentaries on blogging or social media sites appeal to a far wider audience. So inspired by Fused Nation's post the other day, it is at the risk of losing aforesaid audience that I dip a tentative toe into these murky waters with a 'strict' SEO post. 

Man alive! I hear your collective cry of fear. (Should I wake you once I'm done?)

SEO Rant
Well to be fair, it's actually more of a rant. Desperately trying not to fall into the egotist bracket of a previous post, it is with considerable care that I mount my soapbox and let sway with my thoughts like thus:

It seems to me that here in the UK there resides an unhealthy apathy towards SEO in general.

Every man and his dog now has a website, the rule of thumb seeming to be that you must have one if you want to be a success in the hi-tech age we now inhabit. This applies to the one man outfit - the domestic electrician or gardener - right through the whole run of business operations up to the big companies turning over millions or billions of pounds anually. It would appear that the yellow pages are no longer the exclusive port of call they once were. 

Obviously this is good for the design and development industries, and good for SEO too. Well to a certain extent.

Witchcraft
You see, a vast amount of these business's get themselves a website designed and built and believe that is all they need. To varying degrees they budget for either a decent job or get it done as cheaply as possible, and that's where it ends. The key mistake here being a complete lack of understanding as to how the internet and its global network of users operates.

There seems to exist a culture that believes 'I've paid X amount for this website, why would I possibly want to pay any more for your witchcraft?' They think that people will automatically come to their site.

As we all know, this is far from the case.

Or there's the other scenario of web developers that offer SEO 'thrown in' as part of their price and packaging (or sometimes for a nominal fee, on top).

This generally means they do no more than fill in the metatags and submit it to one or two search engines (There are still sites advertising this as their seo services).

Support your Local Web Developer
Now don't get me wrong. I am in no way taking a pop at web developers, after all without these brave souls and innovators us SEO-types wouldn't have a job. 

But web developers are very busy people - I know this because I work with three of them, all now sadly as bald as Kojak from the amount of hair they've either torn out with their own hands or lost through pressures of the job. They have the thankless and unenviable task of web development to undertake, a full-time commitment, and obviously no time to spare on an SEO campaign, another full-time commitment.

For the majority of cases this is probably just naivety on the developer's part - I hold my hand up in guilt to this, as before I started in this game, I too was under the impression that meta keywords, description, and a few site submissions were all that search engine optimisation entailed. Thankfully my SEO sifu soon beat this out of me and I was quickly schooled to the real complexities of the job - but there will always be that calculating few that know exactly what they're doing. This only sullies the water for those of us involved in the industry and search engine optimisation in general. (Likewise, there are SEO companies that do exactly the same)

But snake-oil vendors are a topic best left for another post. I'm straying from my original point regarding the SEO entropy that seems abundant in the UK.

Voodoo and Money
There is too much business out there that seems oblivious to both its existence and the obvious benefits it can reap. Those that are aware perhaps see it as a strange voodoo that is best left alone. Something only whispered about in dark alleyways or behind closed doors.

The root of the problem, I believe, lies (as does the majority of the world's problems) in money. A lot of companies fail to budget for SEO services because they're not fully versed in its practices (witchcraft) or rewards. Maybe they expect it to be part of the developer's remit and when this fails, regard it like they're being asked to pay fopr something twice.

The UK sits far behind our American comrades on this one, where it seems to me (don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong) that SEO is a standard practice that is not only competently budgeted for, but also to be expected.

Re-educate the Masses
Over here web design, websites, etc. are the buzzwords upon everybody's lips, but when SEO is mentioned I am usually greeted with a blank look. It's just not widely acknowledged, nor even considered as a job.

So the answer must lie in re-educating businesses of all shapes and sizes, through the valiant efforts of my fellow Brit SEO's and bloggers . The rarest of breeds, indeed. The message must be put out there that SEO isn't witchcraft, nor an inconsequential con. That it is, in the present climate, a necessity for online success. But we all knew that, already.

There it is, rant over. Normal service will hopefully be resumed next time.

Nick James

Further Great British SEO Blogs:

Andy Beard
CornwallSEO
Clicks
Caroline Middlebrook
SEOUnique