Today we are bombarded by “Fake News” and “Alternative Facts” or so we have been told.
Recently Google discussed their ongoing battle with “Fake News” sites (Our latest quality improvements for Search) and the effects it’s having on the search results people see. Whether intended by the content producer or not, these sites were creating “low quality” results, and Google needed to respond. Google’s solution may not be perfect, but their actions have cleaned up my searches, especially for news related content.
This got me to thinking that it’s a good time to remind people to be careful with their SEO (Search Engine Optimization). When asked about SEO (which happens a lot), I always tell people, “don’t pay for SEO, pay for good content and keep your site up-to-date. Most important of all, don’t take shortcuts.” So many companies try to sell you SEO shortcuts that they claim will move your ranking up faster. While you may be able to game the system for the short term, the constantly changing criteria and rules will filter out your optimizations in the end, damaging your brand and lightening your wallet. Instead, we suggest spending your money on your site and its content. Quality content and frequent updates are always going to be what Google wants to encourage and promote, and it is a surefire way to make sure your business stays relevant.
“Fake SEO”, just like “Fake News”, is the fast track to the bottom of the search results. That’s the last place you want to put your company.
