I’m reposting this post because I want to do an update of it and what I’m thinking now. So this week I will leave you with this and next week I will do another post on what my thoughts are now and what I’ve done.
This is something I’ve thought about a lot, the question of whether or not SEO is killing creativity. I find it affects how I post and what I write.
Is SEO killing creativity?
There are so many rules about what you should do with SEO. How you structure your blog posts and what you should include. It is starting to do my head in.
It seems one thing you have to do is repeat the title a million times. A friend asked me why my blogs posts kept repeating things and I told her I had to do it for SEO. It doesn’t make it good to read.
The title has to appear in different parts of the post. You can’t have three sentences in a row starting with the same word. You can’t use more than some percentage of passive words. OMG does anyone really even understand what passive words actually are. Then there are the transition words.
I’m not going to lie and say I think it is great, because I don’t. Do I really need to have my blog posts make it to the first page of google? Why can’t I just write organically and not worry about that? Where is the creativity?
What to do about SEO
Well I know I’m not going to convince Google to change, but I have to start wondering if it is time to stop playing the game. I want to be able to just write and not worry about it. In the past I used to enjoy blogging, but there seems to be so much pressure with it now.
I have no idea what the answer is. In the past I’ve felt that I should do everything to follow it, but then it keeps changing. Then I start feeling like I’m writing for an algorithm and not for you.
So the question becomes do I ignore SEO and not write for it? I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think my posts have become more like I’m not talking to you anymore?
There is the possibility that I could do one or two posts a week for SEO and then do the rest for us. One thought.
Jigsaw Gallery
While I was away I was trying to find some photos to use for Jigsaw Puzzles. I know that many of mine are too hard. They have too much black in them. So I’ve been trying to find images that would work better I think. Part of what I’m trying to think about is what sort of puzzles would I like to do.
While away I spent some time in the old shearing shed. I have three images here from it. I would love to know what you think. Do you think these would easier to do?
Great article. I didn’t know about any of this either… I still won’t consider most of that and just concentrate on the writing / enjoyment 🙂
Thank you Kosmas. I think that is the right attitude, that is what I am doing now.
I don’t even understand the SEO business. Someone said keep your key words you tag on the right side to 12 or less. Other than that I’m clueless.
If I’m honest, I don’t think any of do. The key words is actually a WordPress thing. When I started with them you could put as many tags as you wanted, then they changed it so you could only use 15, so it sounds like now it is down to 12. Thanks for sharing Sharon.
I tried doing all those SEO things you mentioned, for a solid year. I realized it didn’t really increase my stats, and I had gotten to hate doing blog posts because of the SEO part. So I let it go and I just write whatever I want, long or short, travel-related or not. I’m fortunate that I am retired and don’t have to care about monetizing my life like so many in social media. I can usually spot who is doing SEO simply by the clickbait titles.
I have to admit I have found the same, but will go more into it on Friday. I hated doing the SEO too, it just took out the fun of it. Good to hear you just do what you want, it is what we all should be doing. Oh yes, I hate those clickbait titles, I see them on YouTube and then you watch the video and it has nothing to do with the title. So annoying. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
My view is: stuff SEO. Or, at least think first about what YOU want your blog to do for you. Then you decide what you, –yes you not an algorithm — think best serves that purpose. And do it. I’ve never obeyed the rules about proper sentence-length, vocabulary levels, blah blah, that are supposed to govern writing. I write now very loosely, since purely for my own pleasure, but even in my professional days, I suited structure/vocabulary/length to the purpose and audience of the piece of writing, not in conformity to The Rules. So. Stuff SEO! Be Leanne.
haha, not a bad view Penny. I agree about the writing, it should be all about what you have in your blog, not what some SEO thinks it should be. Thank you so much Penny, love it.
You go, girrrl!
Hahaha, thanks Penny.
I have never been involved with SEO, I suppose I knew it existed but reading what you are expected to do to get near the top I am glad I never have.
I have never bothered about the number of followers I have or how many ‘likes’ I get. I do what I do because that is what I enjoy, if others enjoy it so much the better.
Photographers who ‘prostitute’ themselves to doing what is trending on Instagram or wherever to improve their ratings are stifling their creativity.
Stop doing it and be yourself.
It is a lot of work Mike, makes you wonder.
That is great that you are like that. I want to be, especially now that I am not trying to run a business anymore.
I agree, it should be about what you want to do. I am trying to be like that. Thank you so much for your thoughts Mike.
With rapid emergence of AI, sooner or later (more likely sooner) creators of the Algorithm will most definitely loose understanding of its specific. That will also be the end of SEO.
That is interesting, I wonder if you will be right. Thank you for your comment.
You have already given yourself the answer. If you need to reach the largest possible audience SEO is crucial. If you see your blog as a way to share your journey and you feel that SEO crimps your style then kiss your SEO must dos’ goodbye. Large readership or creative honesty? You can’t have both on the web. Choose the one that makes you happiest,
We’re both too old and too opinionated to play someone else’s game.
Brian
Thank you Brian, yeah it is a conundrum. I will give my answer next week.
Just write what you want. What I have been doing lately is adding Alt Text to my photos which I didn’t do before. You are so lucky to be in a shearing shed. They smell and “feel” wonderful 🙂
Sounds good bushboy. lol. I love shearing sheds too, this one doesn’t get used anymore, but I do love photographing it. Thank you Bushboy.
I dislike being a slave to SEO as well. But when I went back and revised my film-camera reviews to be more attractive to SEO, Google sent those articles a lot more traffic.
My blog is eclectic. I hide from Google posts that aren’t about photography so Google thinks it’s a photography blog. That helped my stats, too, I think.
That is interesting Jim. Eclectic is good. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Personally I pay no attention to SEO. Ultimately I think the most important thing is to strive for well written, interesting stuff. If you can incorporate some elements of SEO, fine, but it should be a secondary consideration that doesn’t get in the way of your primary objective.
Not a bad way to be Ken. thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject Ken.
SEO, I’ll not pretend…I had to look up what that stands for. Naïve, I know. I write and post what works for me, and that pleases me in hopes it does my readers as well. But, I’m not in this to monetize. The SEO thing, the work that needs to be done for that, but most of all following someone else’s rules isn’t for me.
If you aren’t really interested in it Angeline, it isn’t a surprise that you would know what it was.Good to hear that you do what you want. That can’t be a bad thing. Yeah, following the rules is very hard.
Thank you Angeline, good to hear your thinking on it.
Never heard of SEO. I just write what I want how I want. Haven’t especially noticed your writing being strange or anything. You do have many more followers than me is part of that down to SEO? (whatever it stands for.)
There is enough detail in the shed picture to make it a possible for a jigsaw. Not sure if the floor might be challenging; not as much as a black area though. I like jigsaws but I normally prefer people and colour and something going on.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is a strange thing.
Fair enough RJ, I guess these are the types of jigsaws I like. Thank you.
“I have no idea what the answer is”
The answer is to not give a damn about SEO. Forget about the numbers and the rankings. If you enjoy it, do it. Otherwise forget about it. Life is short.
YOLO.
✨🦋🐍🕊🐉🗝⚖🕯🤍⚛🎐🎋🙏✨
Hahaha, fair enough Graham, thank you.
SEO! I don’t know how it is useful!
Yeah, that is the big question, is it useful.
Yes it is
😀
😊😁🙄
Excuse my ignorance, but what is SEO? (Something Everyone Onderstands? Haha.
It stands for Search Engine Optimization. Meant to help people find you.
I shut down my business because of SEO. It was too difficult to write copy!
That is a shame to hear that Anne. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting topic, I’d like to know how you think now. To me, I don’t care SEO too much, as my posts aren’t suitable anyway (I’m not writing about topics people might search on Google). If you do a lot of lens review posts, etc., then SEO matters more.
YOu will have to see what I think next week Joey. Thanks for sharing that Joey, good to hear what others think of it.
I’ve given up caring about SEO and algorithms. I write for myself and if others enjoy reading it (and a few hundred people apparently do) then I’m happy.
As for jigsaw puzzles? I think the first photo would be doable – challenging but not exasperating.
Mother’s Day is coming up so I’ll wish you well now because I have a memory like a sieve and am apt to forget later!
That is great that you have worked out what works for you.
Jigsaws can be challenging and you never really know what will work and what won’t.
Thank you so much for your thoughts Ceci.
Well, looking forward to reading your updated thoughts on this.
I know it sounds a bit conspiratorial, but I truly believe the true purpose of “The Algorithm” is conditioning. You hear YouTubers constantly talk about The Algorithm and how The Algorithm is changing, etc. So they change their content to match that of The Algorithm.
And before you know it, hundreds of thousands of people are predisposed to be automatons to The Algorithm and the Overlords of The Algorithm.
My income isn’t based on The Algorithm, thankfully, so I can respond with a curt “Fuck That”. (Pardon my English 😉 )
I can’t help agreeing with you Matt, that bloody algorithm is so horrible. Thanks for you comment. 😀
Here’s how I handle the SEO thing – I don’t. I don’t care one bit about it! Be free, Leanne. 😂
That isn’t a bad way to be John, thank you.