[Sigia-l] SEO versus Experience design versus usability
Skot Nelson
skot at penguinstorm.com
Tue Oct 10 09:53:33 EDT 2006
On Oct-8-2006, at 19:56 , Marianne wrote:
> For information architecture, the critical changes involve site
> structure.
I think this is a somewhat narrow definition of "information
architecture" although it may be true at the core. Information
Architecture should play a role in determining "content structure" as
well as how that content is distributed through the site. Neither one
of these is encompassed by the term "site structure."
> For me the most important is to remember that this technology is
> pretty
> smart and getting smarter by the week if the technology patents are
> to be
This, to me, is a key point that too often gets forgotten. Examples
are frequently cited of the google algorithm being tweaked and entire
groups of sites losing their highly paid optimized search rankings.
A long time ago I posted a note on a poorly read Canadian discussion
list that called search engine optimizers "snake oil salesmen"; the
reaction was pretty entertaining. My fundamental point, and I made it
quite clearly then, was this:
The person you pay to do search engine optimization doesn't control
Google's algorithm any more than you do. Any SEO specialist offering
a guarantee is offering something they cannot actually provide.
One of the reasons I liked the Nielsen article I referenced earlier
was because it made a very good fundamental point: focus on quality
content and structuring your site well first, and chances are good
that your site is already well on the way to being optimized.
SEO dollars should be treated as *any* marketing spend should be
treated -- count what you spend, measure your ROI and don't expect a
silver bullet.
--
Skot Nelson
skot (at) penguinstorm (dot) com
http://www.penguinstorm.com/
skype. skot.nelson
"In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when
there is no longer anything to add, but when there
is no longer anything to take away."
-- Antonine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars
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