SEO is a scam
Absolute Genius - February 2, 2023
Search Engine Optimization is hyped as the magic solution for more traffic, more leads, and more sales. This is done by trying to game the algorithms of Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing etc. But — like all magic tricks — SEO is a scam.
Firstly, we have to disclose at least two Absolute Geniuses worked at a co-working space where their desks were right next to a grift[1] of SEO experts. The SEOers spent most of the time yelling at each other and playing table tennis. This is when they weren’t horrendously hungover. So this bias might be colouring our opinion here, but our analysis stands up to our personal vendetta.
Let’s break down what SEO actually is. You take all the content on your site — from blog posts to the main pages to the metadata. Then you throw in specific keywords and links you hope will make your page rank higher on search engines. The theory goes, the higher the ranking, the more people stumble upon your site. This means more traffic, this means more sales. Simple, right?
But here is where the magic/scam comes in. The SEO experts come in and stuff keywords, hidden text, and buy links from other sites into your site. Now this might give you a bump in web traffic. Cool. But is your actual goal some random teenager in a Turkmenistan click farm accidentally finding you on the world wide web? Nope.
For every keyword they insert that isn’t part of what you actually want to be saying, you’re using imprecise wording, waffle, and waste. This leads to confusion and provides an opportunity for your audience to misunderstand what you're trying to tell them.
Take recipe blogs for example. The reason you get the life story of the baker (and their entire extended family) every time you look up how to make Tarte Tatin[2] is because they are trying to SEO their way to the top of Google with every conceivable search term people might use to get there.
This is all fine and dandy if you want to cast a wide net. But much like Tarte Tatin, we think quality of communication far outweighs quantity. At Absolute Genius we know people want the recipe, so we give them the recipe.
If you use SEO you might see a bump of people coming to your site. But — and this is a big but — the people coming are strangers. They’re wanderers, looking around for something. The average time spent on your site will plummet, your bounce rate will skyrocket. This means your website will be penalised by algorithms or — even worse — banned by search engines.
Many of the SEO peddlers, like the ones we used to sit next to, talk about SEO like it is a mystery. And in some ways it is. The big search engines don’t disclose their algorithms. So the question is: how can the SEO grifters know how to bump up your site? Short answer is they don’t. They apply a shotgun approach, show you the short term gains, and then jet back into the night to spend your communications budget on beers and new table tennis tables.
There is no magic in SEO. If you use clear, concise, and contextual copy as part of a communications strategy then the right people find your site. They’ll understand what you’re saying, spend time on your site, and then click on the BUY button.
Absolute Genius will help you cut to the heart of what you want to say. We ensure clarity is maintained on your website. Our team works with you to divine the details and ensure sophisticated simplicity for all your copy.
For a confidential consultation or to enquire about pricing, please contact us.
[1] We’re taking submissions about what the Collective Noun for “SEO Experts” should be. Have a better one? Let us know.
[2] Here’s a recipe for Tarte Tatin that doesn’t play the SEO game. It was also the top hit on DuckDuckGo and, most importantly, it’s delicious!