Those of us who have been involved in the web design and content strategy game for a while have to sometimes chuckle thinking about what used to go on in the “good old ‘aughts” as the Internet was growing and maturing.
Before Google elevated its ranking algorithms and organic content became the norm, it was common for webmasters to “stuff” keywords into text. So, for instance, for a store in Cleveland selling beanie babies, you had long keywords like “Cleveland OH Beanie Babies store” and “Beanie Babies in Cleveland” peppered throughout the text, making it both difficult and repetitive to read. The idea was, you get the clicks – and then the web surfer uses your primitive e-commerce link to buy.
It’s called “spinning” – and it works like this: a writer creates a 300-500 word page about, say, Beanie Babies in Cleveland. Then, somebody highlights the places where the keywords go. Then, the “writer” starts an identical second block of content, plugs in new keywords, and shuffles the sentences around a little bit, so that the piece looks somewhat original. Both pieces are posted in different places, or refreshed or updated to make the site look active.
In general, Google will able to detect spun content. If you are planning to have an effective SEO with results, it is best to follow Google’s best practices and stay away from outdated practices.
Today, the real competitive nature of a web site is that readers want real, actionable information. They want vibrant, persuasive copy with relatable anecdotes and stories. Content is very much alive – in fact, as mobile devices take over, millions of us are looking for something to scroll at any given second, sitting at home or in between phone calls at work or waiting at the doctor’s office.
At WebSubstance, we understand the web world, and how to help our clients to stay authentic with their content. Our content writers provide real, narrative-driven page copy that will draw in targeted readership and create a community. Talk to us about creating a state of the art web copy for your site.
