The SEO Content Controversy

One of the ways search engines determine site ranking is to sort through your online content and rank the site based on repeated keywords or phrases.

Content rich websites have found success in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies. While I highly recommend this strategy there is another viewpoint that is less dependent on content for exposure for site rankings.

Some webmasters are strong proponents of non-content SEO strategies. These technical experts rely very heavily on meta-title and other html or code-based SEO strategies for sites that are less content oriented.

Purists on both sides of the argument will say their approach is far superior to the other.


For the content sites they can judge their success through keyword strategies that are observable in long-term site rankings.

For the non-content sites they can observe keywords or phrases being used to determine site rankings from a more technical source in behind-the-scenes code.

So, which is the better approach?

Both.

This really is a matter of being able to have your cake and eat it too. You can maximize SEO strategies in the coding on your site while infusing your website with knowledge based original content.

The combination of these two strategies can work with greater efficiency than either strategy alone.

If you are ill equipped to manage coding then you should work tirelessly to incorporate knowledge based articles into your website.

The standard negative reply to this concept is when a business is primarily selling a product or service and do not feel original content really works with their online store.

If, for instance, your business sells blocks of gourmet cheese you could incorporate original articles on the various cheese offerings, their taste and texture and the history behind each cheese type. You could incorporate articles that provide recipes that include the cheese types you provide.


Hopefully you get the idea, by adding knowledge-based articles you can assist your site ranking, help your customer and minimize the need for coded SEO strategies until you learn how best to implement the non-content SEO.

There will always be a battle as to which SEO strategy is best, but I will go so far as to say the best strategy will be the one that includes both concepts to the best of the web owner's capabilities.

While some want to make the issue an either/or decision it is really a both/and solution.

However you optimize your site, work to the best of your ability to implement strategies that work for you long-term.

Too many strategies are short-term props that help you very little in the grand scheme of the life of your website.

About the Author: Scott Lindsay