The term 'SEO content' has become so ubiquitous in modern content marketing that few of us ever pause to reflect on its meaning or implications.
However, for us at Digital Sisco, it’s a deeply problematic phrase that sets less-than great standards for a significant portion of your content strategy—implying a cheap and bare-bones approach to creating and publishing content to feed the beast of Google, rather than the needs of your audience.
How a Seemingly Harmless Term Became Problematic
We get the genesis of this term: It simply indicates that you're producing your content marketing materials with an understanding of how search engines work. This probably seems no-brainer to many modern content marketers. But, back in the day, it was a new mindset. Before 'SEO content', content marketers largely brainstormed content ideas in traditional editorial ways.
But the term 'SEO content' has morphed into a mindset that the content is *for* search, which means it just needs to:
- Stuff in all the TF-IDF keywords
- Probably be unnecessarily long(er)
- Structured with the requisite headings, FAQs, feature snippet opportunities, etc.
- Emulate/out-do other content that’s currently in the SERP
- Be cheap and fast to produce (how do we 100x this?) with a dramatically different per post target spend than that of “other” content
Let’s face it: The term “SEO content” became shorthand for “we know this isn’t great but this is the game we’re forced to play.” Instead of embodying both mindsets, most content marketers picked a side, and the two drifted further and further apart over time becoming two entirely different kinds of content marketer, one wide-eyed about storytelling and editorial quality, the other taking pride in their pragmatism and results-orientation.
But Google Is *Not* Your Reader
The real problem with the term emerges when you start to think as Google as the destination rather than the route you take to reach your reader. It may seem obvious but it's worth remembering that Google is not your reader. Your content is not FOR Google—that’s just how you’re distributing it.
Your content is, always was, and always will be FOR READERS.
Just because the content started with a keyword does not make it less deserving of your best as a writer and a brand. In fact, usually by volume alone, they deserve so much more! If your SEO content is indeed your top-performing content, it deserves so much more than the list above. Remember: There are people forming first impressions of your brand on the other side!
Your Reader Is Not Making This Distinction
Moreover, your reader is not making this distinction. They are not coming through search and adjusting expectations because Google was their starting point. None of us do this. We judge content as content, not by how we found it.
It’s like content marketers have adopted a strange “saving the good china” approach in content marketing. Oh, SEO, we’ll just give them the chipped plates. We’ll save the good china for… but for what exactly? What’s the better distribution channel you’re saving all your great storytelling, data reporting, graphic design, expert interviews, etc. for? (Yes, even though it’s getting harder, search is still most content marketers’ best distro channel).
Plus, Even Google Wants More From 'SEO Content'
Even more mind-boggling: Even Google has turned on this distinction! Most of the 2024 algo updates were reinforcing the importance of EEAT, i.e.:
- Expertise
- Experience
- Authority
- Trustworthiness
Yep, even Google wants that “editorial” approach many content marketers are saving for their “good china” content.
So, yeah, of course, optimize for search. But don’t let the tail wag the dog: Your real goal as a content marketer is to reach people, not search engines. People who will form a connection with your brand. People who will buy your product.
You’re not selling your solution to a search engine.
You’re using a search engine to sell a solution to PEOPLE.