seography.ca

I’ve been an SEO copywriter for four and a half months now and in that time I have written in excess of one hundred and seventy articles for clients in pursuit of back links.

That is approximately a novel’s worth of content written in 500-800 word chapters.

I have not once scraped for content, which is to say copied another article wholesale from an article site and simply spun it. I have instead relied on online research, common sense, well used tropes, and client suggestions.

So many articles. So many sites. So much random data out there. This is why SEO copywriters are potentially insufferable dinner party guests.

A random sampling of the things I’ve learned which I might never have learned otherwise:

• what SaaS stands for
• the purported benefits of  Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG)
• what a CPAP machine is
• the location of Cardiff
• the remarkable purported benefits of certain pro-biotic skincare products
• in Texas you can have your divorce tried in front of a jury
• some of the history of Xe Services LLC
• what a ferrule is
• the height, location, and history of the Spire of Dublin
• the term angel investor
• some people will pay money for mud dug up from the bottom of the Dead Sea
• the name of Bono’s wife
• Pilates can make you taller
• the function of immunoglobin or IgE
• the ‘difference’ between a private military contractor and a mercenary
• hoe best to prepare for a medical school interview
• relative populations for the five largest cities in Denmark
• what is meant by the term primate city
• how to interview a wedding planner
• the benefits of hydraulic vs mechanical presses in metal stamping
• the benefits of live chat software
• the purported benefits of zinc in pet shampoos
• what AIDA stands for
• the benefits of vinyl windows vs aluminum
• Google bought YouTube in 2006 for 1.65 billion USD
• the difference between bio-available and bio-compatible
• the kingdom within which Greenland is an autonomous country
• what a peptide is
• what to expect from a personal trainer
• the benefits of a collaborative divorce
• the advantages of email marketing campaigns
• some of the notable achievements of John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
• how to say kid’s bicycle in Dutch
• the factors to consider when choosing a fresh piece of fish
• who Eric Dean prince is and the organization he founded
• the three capitals of South Africa
• the lowest elevation on the planet  is 1,388 ft below sea level
• the location of  Peekskill, White Plains and Poughkeepsie
• Coco Chanel’s opinion on jewellery
• where you can find Signal Hill, Lion’s Head, Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak
• the proper way to perform a pelvic tilt
• what is meant by a turn-key project
• what country had the world’s fastest growing economy in 2011
• what it means to re-stump a house
• what one can expect to pay for fresh halibut cheeks
• Cardiff Bay, once a tidal flat has been converted into a 500acre freshwater lake
• the six principles of Pilates
• Stuart Webb’s contribution to family law
• the difference between a protein concentrate and an isolate
• what LOGCAP IV refers to
• services associated with virtual office space
• the common inciting factors behind canine pyotraumatic dermatitis
• the location of the river Liffey as well as the Taff
• the purpose of low-e coated glass
• the miraculous purported benefits of black mud
• the alt keys to for Ø and Å
• the existence of Solifugae
• what is meant by a white label service
• possible origins of the word limousine
• the importance of keyword density
• the difference between a perfume and an attar
• the basic principles behind staging a business for acquisition
• the dangers of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• 4 types of allergy testing and when they are employed
• the name of the man who developed “Contrology”
• what online lead generation is
• that there are sites where one can order custom bobble head dolls
• how to make eco friendly cloth nappies work for you
• the best streets on which to shop for sko in København
• the drawbacks of plasma TV technology
• the location of a number of car dealerships in Salt Lake City Utah
• what a letting agent does
• Youtube took up more bandwidth in 2007 than the entire internet in 2000
• the difference between a mediated settlement and a collaborative agreement
• features of a good remote server backup system
• the existence of business incubator programs
• in order to see great ‘six pack’ it’s not enough to develop your abs you must also shed that extra weight
• the difference between a business broker and a business advisor
• the capital of Ghana
• how affiliate marketing works
• the difference between an LCD and LED TV
• the most affordable time of year to book a holiday to Cape Town
• things to think about when designing custom banners
• the benefits of asphalt combination shingle vs wood shakes
• common ailments which can be treated through hypnotherapy
• where one is likely to find Cheyletiella
• where one can find Canadian ENERGY STAR rating qualifications
• the purported benefits of protein powders
• the contributing role of malassezia in Seborrheic Dermatitis
• that you can order fish online
• the benefits of having a CPA prepare your taxes
• what a tidal barrage is
• the location of the finest jewellery stores and bookstores in Dublin
• Utah hairdressing schools should be accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS)
• Where Joseph Pilates spent World War I
• the difference between tøj, modetøj, dametøj & herrtøj
• the fault-based grounds for divorce in Texas
• where you can find Baile Átha Cliath, or the “town of the hurdled ford”
• if you regularly inject yourself with a certain hormone purchased online (and stick to a 500 calorie/day diet) you can lose weight
• what to look for in a good junk removal company
• Roald Dahl was a flying ace and intelligence officer in WWII and gained the rank of wing commander

Search Engine Watch ran a story today (I have it posted in on my Articles page for those who are interested) about websites which took a major hit due to Google’s Panda update but which have since started to see a recovery due to sound SEO practices. I am reminded about my former career in book retail. Before moving out west and finding my way into the world of SEO I worked for Chapters (later Indigo) for thirteen years. I can still remember the shock waves when (a few years before I started working for the company) Chapters stepped onto the Canadian book landscape. The doom-saying and bellyaching from the small independent booksellers was ubiquitous. It was, we were led to believe, the end of the world of books as we knew it.

Well the truth is, it is 2011 and there are still independent booksellers out there. In fact, though there are admittedly fewer independents now, the independent booksellers of today are savvier, more focussed and competitive than many of their predecessors. There are more books being sold to more Canadians (and more CANADIAN BOOKS I might add) than ever before.

Things evolve. The results of evolution are almost always lean towards leaner stronger and healthier.

Panda was a means towards the those ends which Google has consistently preached. Namely, a faster, less spammy, more relevant internet search experience. Those companies mentioned in the SEW article have started affecting recovery through SEO best practices long held to be sound (and by distancing themselves from practices long held to be poor).

I suppose the question is, why did it take a huge hit in traffic to start adopting those practices?

For the record I shop exclusively from independent booksellers nowadays.

An SEO copywriter walks into a bar. The bartender looks at him and says, “Weren’t you in here less than an hour ago?”

The SEO copywriter sits down at the bar and hunches forward. “No,” he mutters under his breath, “musta been someone else.”

The bartender squints at him as he polishes a glass. “I’m sure I’ve seen you today. You sure as hell look familiar. You were dressed differently or something.”

The SEO copywriter says, “Yeah, I uh… get that alot.”

The bartender is not convinced. “Uh huh,” he says, “so what’ll it be, then?”

The SEO copywriter looks up at him and says, “A Guiness, same as before.“