Why is Search Engine Optimization not going strategic?

Search Engine Optimization professionals are facing a conundrum today.  While most practioners consider this field as a purely tactical, the search engines, notably Google and Bing,  are attempting to shift the focus.

The problem arises because the practice of search engine optimization or SEO, is trying to serve two masters at the same time – 

1. The search engines, and 
2. The website visitors. 

 

Unfortunately, and probably due to the historic reasons, we end up serving the two in that order!

Now search engines are striving to flip the priority.

But the nomenclature does not help. The name itself suggests that webmasters should make their website optimal for search engines.  The deck should be cleared for the bots to crawl and other artifacts (like links) added to boost the search ranking.

In short executing a set of tasks targeted toward meeting search engine requirements.  

Note that the phrase does not mention the searcher! 

Matt Cutts (+MattCutts) , Head of Google’s Webspam team, has been advising website owners to focus more on creating better user experience for their primary audience i.e. human visitors. He has been cautioning them not to stray into the gray practice of gaming the algorithm.  Search Giant’s consistent message has been – you focus on creating superior value for your users, we will take care of rankings.

But it also gives the following advice to webmasters that is at the nuts and bolts level.

Bing is not behind in belaboring this point. In a recent blog post Serve the searcher, not the engine their senior Product Manager implores that we should focus on the users.

Given such repeated advice by Search Engines for creating higher user experience, you wonder why they have not taken major steps in shifting the focus away from tactical matters. They can begin by changing the nomenclature that is not focused on users in order to turn the spotlight on to the users. 

Superior User Experience

Rechristening also makes sense in taking the practice to a more  strategic level. 

The current execution is mostly tactical. It is centered on tasks like “keyword density”, “link building”,  “indexing” and “crawling.”  Such preoccupation leads to cutting corners to stuff keywords or bait links however you can or to create different experiences for humans and robots. Wider consequences and fallout are rarely on the radar.

Businesses, both small and large, give in to the temptation of gaming the system. In the last two months we have seen some instances where Rap Genius, resurrected a practice banned more than five years ago to boost search ranking.  Just last month, Expedia saw its organic traffic plummet when Google handed it a penalty.  The SEO community believes that low quality paid guest blogging was the culprit.

It is time to go strategic and to focus more on what maters to your users. Technology is sufficiently advanced to take care of locating the content so you do not have to bother about robots. Algorithms are getting smarter in catching the correct signals (Big data) and separating the noise.  Once the focus is on users who drive the business, this practice will move out of the cubicle and climb up in the value chain.

But in order for that to happen, the focus of the practice needs to change first. Search Engines may take a lead in shedding the term SEO and replace it with something more representative, like Superior User Experience or SUE.