Write blog content for human beings, not Google bots
In order for blog content to be found by your tribe, it needs to be SEO optimized.
But, how far is too far with optimization?
Whenever SEO optimization for blog content comes up during my conversations with entrepreneur friends, my head begins to spin wildly out of control and my eyes glaze over in dread.
It’s that type of conversation I know I have to have, but, I hate every minute of it.
And, it’s a conversation that never ends!
Why? Because the damn rules are always changing and it’s hard to keep up with them because I don’t speak in Google algorithms and code, nor do I ever have a desire to ever be fluent.
I speak in human being and I despise that I have to acquiesce my content to these standards set forth by search engines like Google in order for the articles to be found.
I know - I get extra cranky over this shit, :(
With that being said, I also am extremely grateful for the ability to promote my services online essentially for free - I just have to play by the rules a little bit.
So, I give myself space to bitch and moan every now and then - you know, let a lil’ air out the tires - do the work to optimize each post, and I simply move on with my day.
But, my main issue with people who live and die exclusively by the SEO sword is that they aren’t writing their content to help those in their tribe, they’re writing their content solely to get a bigger tribe.
Now, is there anything wrong with wanting to attract a larger tribe and widen the pool of potential clients coming through your door? Of course not - we all have goals, and there’s nothing wrong with achieving them.
But, at what cost?
At the cost of depleting all your creative power on researching long-tail keywords 12 hours a day, rather than creating unique insights that will inspire your followers over the hump and have them showing up in the world the way they want?
Ultimately, if you don’t spend time creating informative, entertaining and inspiring content that resonates deeply with your followers, you could have the best SEO in the world, and no one will buy shit from you because you’re giving them zero to believe in.
They will not trust you because how can you be if your posts read like they were translated from some ancient language because it’s all keyworded up.
Sure, optimized SEO of your blog content will undoubtedly bring people through the door; but it’s the value of your expertise shared in your posts that keeps these same people in the house.
If you just throw a bunch of gibberish at them, they know their way out and have no problem slamming the door shut behind them.
So, what am I saying here?
I’m saying that while you do need to respect the standards set forth by these search engines like Google when it comes to formatting your posts - adding H1,2,3 headers, leveraging a focus keyword, adding images with ALT-TAGS, etc. - you need to balance your efforts by ultimately writing your blog posts for those you serve.
While search terms and hashtags do get you visibility, they ultimately fall in and out of trend.
But, building relationships with your tribe through the stories you share about your life and business is what draws people in, and has them emotionally invest in what you have to say.
The last time I checked, focusing on building relationships and creating amazing connections with people who can then refer you to people they know who would benefit from your services is a pretty good hook to hang your hat on.
What are your feelings on this topic? What has your experience been with SEO?
Please share in the comments section below.
PS - For those of you who aren’t in the know, I mail out these blogs 3x a week, and lemme tell you, they’re a real party, so, if you’d like to get in on this, sign up for it here and I’ll throw in a free gift for you, because I care, :)