Some thoughts on automation and implications for small business seo
There is always an element of excitement around the idea of SEO automation. Whether it is the newcomer or the experienced pro, there will be a point at which the fantasy (whether realisable or not) becomes too much to bear and the reality is ignored and the inevitable Googling session commences. We of course do not automate our advanced seo services, and this post (at times masquerading as a rant – so apologies for that) will give you some reasons why.
Luckily for our Googler – there is a wealth of honest guru like figures ready to take what is “a fraction of what you could earn” in exchange for the “one wierd tip” that changes everything.
It’s funny really because automation is exactly what computers are designed for – so why the ethical dilemna? The differentation comes where a human no longer controls the thinking and the spamming commences. We’ve all read the ridiculous off-topic comments (and as a blogger and webmaster I can assure you there are many more that don’t make it through) and I believe that anything does not contribute to the development of conversation is a sap on the vitality of the whole system. Which is why Matt Cutts and co. work so hard (actually he’s currently up Mt. Kilimanjaro) to develop new systems to keep the spam at bay – ironically through a mixture of automation and an increasing dose of human decision making.
In other areas of business, automation has become common place and on the surface seems to represent time saving on a massive scale. It could be argued though, that social fabric has been altered to a degree where it is difficult to ascertain some of the benefits. For example there is an on-going argument about the efficiency of social media in the workplace and whether communication is actually improved.
Other areas such as customer relationship management (CRM) have both improved efficiency while destroying quality to such a degree that you have to wonder at which point it will come full circle. I can’t recall the number of times you are required to argue with a real person because their machine won’t let them process a reasonable request.
And that is where the parallel with SEO is most stark – a lot of what we do as SEO’s is relationship management. Relationship with the search engines by producing understandable and original content, with optimised websites. Relationship with the reader by producing valuable content that satisfies a need. Relationship with the internet community who generously provide links to our sites in exchange for interesting comment, reputation or often just out of community spirit. It is this fabric that stands to be destroyed by lazy or malicious attempts to short circuit the process.
You can of course semi-automate some of the processes involved – keyword search for example. Some of the information retrieved from Wordtracker or Adwords is just simply not available for manual procurement. Monitoring software is also useful along with a good analytics package.
Content creation, link building (for example at a business resource directory) and site building are not areas which should be automated and they are the core elements of any search engine optimisation strategy. Customers are also far too valuable to be subjected to automated items, of any sort.
It certainly makes you wonder – why is there such a thirst for something that would actually destroy the hardworking SEO community? If success in small business SEO was really down to how much you spent on some software package marketed with bizarrely aggressive sales text then really there would be little point in trying as success would be hard to procure. That’s before you mention the search engines working to kill you off as fast as possible.
I take pride in following a 100% ethical SEO route because it is the only way that you can guarantee long term success. Where automation is acceptable in my opinion is by using multiple account management i.e. Tweetdeck or auto form fillers (i.e. Just adding name and email details etc – not spamming) and of course the tools mentioned above such as keyword research. Ethical SEO is the only route for local small business seo services such as our Ipswich SEO subsidary.
My recommendation if you are trying to automate your SEO – don’t waste your time or cash. Spend 90% of your money on content and 10% on website optimisation. In the success will be yours, not fast but longer lasting.
We offer top class small business SEO services – why not give us a call free on 0800 612 2883 if you would like to find out more about how we can help you achieve growth in converting customers and profit through internet marketing and SEO.
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Local motor is one thing that has frequently been overlooked and I’m not certain why. Perhaps it’s mainly because fewer local corporations are conscious of Seek in standard or perhaps it is due to the fact the only firms providing Research charge exactly the same rates as “national seo” which entails optimizing for large locations instead of focusing on local markets which could mean the world to your business.