Why I write for Google not Humans

Should you write with specific keywords in mind?

SEO experts will say Yes. Keyword density is frequently promoted as a guaranteed way to rank high on Google.

Maybe it works but I’m not convinced.

The problem with writing with specific keywords in mind is that the result is cold, awkward, and ineffective.

I know it’s not written for me, your potential customer.

The writer (and oddly the company that hired him) wasn’t thinking of me. After all, it wants Google’s attention not mine.

Writing with specific keywords is writing for a machine.

No one in their right mind would do that. But Google isn’t just any machine. The argument is:

you don’t write with Google in mind

the result is that

no one visits your site.

and

your efforts are wasted.

Let’s back up. That may have been true at one point but I don’t think it applies today.

Here’s why.

Google has recognized that people are creating pages specifically to please it, instead of readers.
Keyword cramming lowers the quality of content on the web.
This makes it harder for us to find what we want.
And if Google can’t deliver the right content,
We’ll stop using it.

Today, Google wants real quality content on the web. Read their blogs. That’s the push.

How does it identify quality content?

I’m not sure but I suspect it’s looking at:

Endorsements doesn’t only mean back links but tweets, likes, shares and so on.

But let’s go back to writing with keywords.

If you adopt this approach, i.e. writing to a formula, your content shifts from TRYING to please potential customers to pleasing a search engine.

I’m not sure it can please both.

But what happens if Google does like your site and sends leads to your sales page?

Think they’ll buy?

I suspect they’ll read the strangely crafted paragraphs, scan a bit, scan a bit more, then hit the Back button.

Isn’t that what you do?

Let me know what you think. Do you write web content with keywords in mind or focus on the reader?