Rand posted some link bait on SEOmoz about how focusing on users as an SEO is a bad idea. Entitled “Terrible SEO Advice: Focus on Users, Not Engines,” the post is a one-sided rant against so-called SEOs that argue:
tactics which are engine-focused … can be ignored
I could be wrong, but surely no such people exist who call themselves SEOs? Jason Calacanis may argue this, but then again he’s not an SEO is he?
The post now includes an update saying “users should absolutely be the focus of your efforts.” Again, the title of the post boils down to “don’t focus on users” which doesn’t really add up as far as I can see. The power that SEOmoz now holds over the beginner-intermediate market of SEO information puts them in a de facto position of responsibility in not spreading misunderstanding and misinformation through irresponsibly titled and poorly argued blog posts such as this, which present opinion as fact.
Forgetting the largely pointless and opinion-based graphs in this post, let’s examine the bullet points in detail (Danny also does a great job of this.) Rand argues that the following wouldn’t exist without SEO directed ‘solely’ towards search engines:
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