Search Engine Optimization for Nice Guys

Published on September 30, 2011

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Nice Guys is my more politically correct, or at least less NSFW title I've chosen to slap on my attempt to drive you to check out SEO for Non-Dicks, from Matt Gemmel's blog.  

In essence, Matt says you can achieve high search engine ranking by heading down two divergent paths - (1) game the system or (2) play fair and generate valuable content.

His tips include such standards as:

• Use descriptive URLs (web addresses) that contain the article's title.  
• Make sure page title (that's the <Title> tag) matches the article title.
• Make your links descriptive, like learn more about everyday technology, rather than click here to read our blog. 
• Most importantly, create rich, original, and meaningful content on a regular basis... something we struggle with around here at Geek.  (Its hard to be everything to everyone, you know?)

Gemmel derides dickish SEO, and one technologist/trainer in particular:

..this entire side of internet marketing and promotion makes me sad - and a bit angry. I fully acknowledge the value of, and need for, actual SEO; I just think that in many cases, the tactics employed under that title would better be described as Search EngineManipulation or even Abuse.

Matt Gemmel is a blogger and an iOS an Mac OS X developer in Scotland.  You can read more about how to succeed in SEO with ethics on his blog.