SEO vs. good content?
It happens often to me lately to go back to my childhood, or more generally to listen to the child in me. This made me remember a childhood dream that lasted relatively long time in my little head.
So, when I decided that my future as an astronaut is quite uncertain, somewhere around age of 10 I decided to become a journalist! Of course, at that time the profession of journalist meant for me to be on the TV for the evening news.
Unfortunately, I didn’t become a journalist! But my interest in the profession, especially in the today’s online version is still strong. Along with this interest, these days I started to fall more and more on interesting views on the over chewed SEO (search engine optimization) in a new light for me. Namely for its role in the so-called “new journalism” or even digital journalism (yes, there is such a term now).
Recently I read a remarkably adequate and still comprehensible analysis of the French journalist Alice Antheaume about the impact of SEO on journalistic work. In particular, she writes about the importance of search engine optimized titles for the articles to be well indexed by search engines. The fact is that sometimes very original, and usually eye-catching in a paper edition headlines, had no chance to be rated by Google as a quality content and pushed forward in search engine results in order to reach more readers.
It becomes obvious that SEO is now a mandatory rule for “online journalism” and not only! The same goes for any kind of corporate online content! Sometimes, inexperienced in online battles PR and marketing specialists decide to fill an online content with copy-pasted press releases prepared for the offline media. And if that is not a widespread misconception!
In this regard namely, Alice highlights the importance of keywords, tagging photos with adequate description and hyperlinks. All these are well-known to online marketing and PR specialists, of course.
I liked the article (I recommend it to the French-speaking among you, and especially to journalists), but more I liked the comments below. Most of them are positive and only confirm the relevance and importance of the topic. However, there are comments that represent the “other” perspective on these new digital weeds that stifle the natural impulses in the journalistic creativity.
One of them I would like to translate to you: (thanks to the author Olymoon): “All of you are a victim of this SEO obsession. Did you know that the first result on Google search earns 74% of the clicks, the second and the third share 15%, while the rest go to the next ten links? Conclusion: either you spend tens of thousands of euros to be among the top 3, or find another way to attract readers – as for example, really good articles. Do journalism with a capital J. Search to get information, do not get satisfied with what the search engine offers you. ”
Great argument in the eyes of the traditionalists, and this backed up by real numbers. I admit that it sounds inspiring and intelligent. Unfortunately, very naive and too extreme! As to deny the existing online lows instead of taking advantage of them wisely.
The truth, as usually and prosaically, is in the balance…
Good (read: intriguing, captivating, memorable) online content and SEO are NOT two sides of one coin. Combining them is a matter mostly of knowledge, equally good in writing and in the online field. It’s not necessary to be a digital specialist, but in order to achieve high professional / business purposes on the web – it is better to be or to get one! 
It happens often to me lately to go back to my childhood, or more generally to listen to the child in me. This made me remember a childhood dream that lasted relatively long time in my little head. So, when I decided that my future as an astronaut is quite uncertain (http://blog.eurorscg4d.bg/out-of-order/teach-me-to-dream ), somewhere around age of 10 I decided to become a journalist! Of course, at that time the profession of journalist meant for me to be on the TV for the evening news. J
Unfortunately, I didn’t become a journalist! But my interest in the profession, especially in the today’s online version is still strong. Along with this interest, these days I started to fall more and more on interesting views on the over chewed SEO (search engine optimization) in a new light for me. Namely for its role in the so-called “new journalism” or even digital journalism (yes, there is such a term now).
Recently I read a remarkably adequate and still comprehensible analysis of the French journalist Alice Antheaume about the impact of SEO on journalistic work (http://blog.slate.fr/labo-journalisme-sciences-po/2010/10/18/quel-impact-a-le-seo-sur-lecriture-journalistique/ ). In particular, she writes about the importance of search engine optimized titles for the articles to be well indexed by search engines. The fact is that sometimes very original, and usually eye-catching in a paper edition headlines, had no chance to be rated by Google as a quality content and pushed forward in search engine results in order to reach more readers.
It becomes obvious that SEO is now a mandatory rule for “online journalism” and not only! The same goes for any kind of corporate online content! Sometimes, inexperienced in online battles PR and marketing specialists decide to fill an online content with copy-pasted press releases prepared for the offline media. And if that is not a widespread misconception!
In this regard namely, Alice highlights the importance of keywords, tagging photos with adequate description and hyperlinks. All these are well-known to online marketing and PR specialists, of course.
I liked the article (I recommend it to the French-speaking among you, and especially to journalists), but more I liked the comments below. Most of them are positive and only confirm the relevance and importance of the topic. However, there are comments that represent the “other” perspective on these new digital weeds that stifle the natural impulses in the journalistic creativity. One of them I would like to translate to you: (thanks to the author Olymoon http://blog.slate.fr/labo-journalisme-sciences-po/2010/10/18/quel-impact-a-le-seo-sur-lecriture-journalistique/#comment-1057 ):
“All of you are a victim of this SEO obsession. Did you know that the first result on Google search earns 74% of the clicks, the second and the third share 15%, while the rest go to the next ten links? Conclusion: either you spend tens of thousands of euros to be among the top 3, or find another way to attract readers – as for example, really good articles. Do journalism with a capital J. Search to get information, do not get satisfied with what the search engine offers you. ”
Great argument in the eyes of the traditionalists, and this backed up by real numbers. I admit that it sounds inspiring and intelligent. Unfortunately, very naive and too extreme! As to deny the existing online lows instead of taking advantage of them wisely.
The truth, as usually and prosaically, is in the balance…
Good (read: intriguing, captivating, memorable) online content and SEO are NOT two sides of one coin. Combining them is a matter mostly of knowledge, equally good in writing and in the online field. It’s not necessary to be a digital specialist, but in order to achieve high professional / business purposes on the web – it is better to be or to get one! ;-
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Euro RSCG 4d Bulgaria is based in Sofia, 18 Ivan Vazov street.
We are specialists in digital strategy and consultant in communication online.
Our clients are the largest companies worldwide such as Carrefour, Volkswagen, Societe generale, Edenred BACB, Eon, Solvay, etc
Our main team comprise of Nicolas Galand, Alexandre Glas, Biliana Bogdanova, Zdravko Totinov, Martin Zhelyazkov.
You can send us an email to contact@eurorscg4d.bg or find us on Twitter @4d_bulgaria
Do you e-shop?
It is raining. Despite I like it when it is that foggy and wet, I can’t stand my boots being that soggy. You know what, I need new boots. On Sunday I spent 5 pointless hours of my life at the city centre. These guys seem to make joke of me, an entire salary for these stylish, pure leather, cozy and shiny black high-heeled boots? And then it struck me that my life is not worth wasting and my head does not deserve to get dizzy scrolling through the window shops.
The entire Monday I spent wondering how I could possibly find what I need, meeting my pocket opportunities and giving me the pleasure of knowing that I could spend less time on shopping with the better result.
E-commerce, what a great invention! On Tuesday, I didn’t move from my chair at all and still, with my lollipop, I am walking around the best shops (not always but most of the time). And somehow, brands have succeeded to make the online shops addicting as much as the real shops. The boring crowd is less There is no tedious tired looking seller pushing me to try this and that and lying me that it just suits perfect on my ‘5- kilo- too- much- to bear’ body. This really reminds me of the good idea of organization of these online premises similar to ‘an ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility’ as Ambrose Bierce said about things in general in The Devil’s Dictionary.
Looking at such evidence, I have searched for more info.
The online shop is as clever as I wish, answering my main criteria when browsing: taking into consideration that despite I would like, I am not Paris Hilton (price and selection options), fraud and security concerns (strong passwords, SSL protection of the vendor address), user- friendliness of the site, clear references, emailing (to reach me as one of the ‘to-be’ prospective customers), information and reviews, rating of products, manufacturer specification. I like the colorful trendy auctions and the ‘buy-me-now’ screaming in red.
And if we think for 2 sec, it seems that the best development opportunity for a Business is to be online in these hard times; shortens your outcomes and optimizes your revenues. Finally, building a website online shop must be considered as refurbishing a shop. And the potential is unlimited such as the web itself.
And of course, who could get surprised to understand that US are the best examples of successful online trades such as Amazon or Ebay. Indeed, Ebay gets 223 000 000 registered users! In 2010 the expected sells of U.S e-commerce sites are to reach $ 173 billion, which is a 7 % increase over the previous year. I am sure and it is certain that many shops would not be able to support this kind of traffic…
That is serious, guys.
I am stuck in Bulgaria with the unlimited opportunities of the online shop and my limited budget. Still, I admire myself on the grounds of the level of the ‘I am so cool’ to shop online while the others are walking in the puddles! Let’s see how it is over here, just in case.
I have continued my researches and I understood that Bulgarian users are more and more purchasing online. Figures are showing a real increase and Bulgarian e-shops are improving rapidly. The official statistics of the Association for Online Trading suggests actual figures of up to 20-30% of Bulgarians shopping online, reaching even 80% for some social groups. Pff, I am not that cool, you see, there are some 80 percent ahead. Probably I am amongst the few using cards, not the pay on delivery option, ha!
And wow, the online shop is working 24/7. I found them…for 15 min spared in my pajamas. Better price and no time wasted. Who cares that winter is approaching if you are prepared God Bless the Kingdom of E-commerce.
And you? Are you buying online? I AM AN ADDICT.————————————————————————————————————–
Euro RSCG 4d Bulgaria is based in Sofia, 18 Ivan Vazov street.
We are specialists in digital strategy and consultant in communication online.
Our clients are the largest companies worldwide such as Carrefour, Volkswagen, Societe generale, Edenred BACB, Eon, Solvay, etc
Our main team comprise of Nicolas Galand, Alexandre Glas, Biliana Bogdanova, Zdravko Totinov, Martin Zhelyazkov.
You can send us an email to contact@eurorscg4d.bg or find us on Twitter @4d_bulgaria
Letter to Euro RSCG Sofia
Varna, 1st of October 2010
Dear Euro RSCG Sofia team,
Sorry for the hand writing but it’s not easy to handle a pencil and to write all 10 persons as one! We know that sending postcard might sound a bit old-fashion under this digital time. But for this special occasion, we have decided to adapt our “digital behavior” and write you this letter.
We are working daily on common clients for creating the perfect combination offline and online strategy. So it is a real pleasure to learn about the award you won a few weeks ago at the Bulgarian Festival FARA .
Indeed, this year, you won the gold award in “Creative usage of traditional media” category and got one nomination in the “Direct Marketing” category.
In 4D, we are even more proud of you because the award was given to a nice cause; the matter of climate changing. The TV spot “Weather Forecast” was created for the worldwide campaign of Euro RSCG Tck Tck on the occasion of The Copenhagen Summit (UN Climate Change Conference).
Concerning the nomination in the “Direct Marketing” category; all the 4d team is in love with this one: simple, efficient, clever and well done. That was a great idea and we are even envious to not have it before.
Once again, a big applause for all the team of Euro RSCG Sofia
xxxxxxxxxxx
Euro RSCG 4D team Bulgaria————————————————————————————————————–
Euro RSCG 4d Bulgaria is based in Sofia, 18 Ivan Vazov street.
We are specialists in digital strategy and consultant in communication online.
Our clients are the largest companies worldwide such as Carrefour, Volkswagen, Societe generale, Edenred BACB, Eon, Solvay, etc
Our main team comprise of Nicolas Galand, Alexandre Glas, Biliana Bogdanova, Zdravko Totinov, Martin Zhelyazkov.
You can send us an email to contact@eurorscg4d.bg or find us on Twitter @4d_bulgaria