SEO is dead. At least that’s what Ben Lee says.
Lee is the founder of Rootstrap, a digital agency headquartered in Los Angeles. His company has launched mobile apps for people like Snoop Dogg and brands like Spotify.
Here’s what he had to say about SEO in a LinkedIn post last week:
SEO is dead.
Google doesn’t care about your optimized blog post.
And Amazon isn’t fooled by your search ranking hacks.
If you’re thinking about paying someone to teach you SEO—
Don’t.
Save your money.
It’s ancient history.
You’ll be a 21st-century dinosaur.
What, then?
Content.
The kind of stuff people actually love reading:
— Because it offers real, actionable value
— Because they’ll tell all their friends about it
— Because it’s just too damn interesting to click away from
And social media.
Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Pinterest.
Putting yourself and your work out there in a genuine, human way.
And finally, good ‘ole fashioned paid advertising done right—
Ads with punchy copy selling real products that solve real problems.
Where to start?
Learn from people who are doing it successfully.
Keep coming up with new and creative ideas.
Refine and clarify your message–
Until you build a real following.
The catch?
A classroom won’t teach you how to do it.
And there are no shortcuts.
You’ll have to put in the hours.
People have been saying that “content is king” forever. I went back and found a chamber presentation of mine from ten years ago with that phrase in it. Is 2018 the year that finally becomes a reality or has it already happened?
Is SEO dead? Not really. All the things that lead to having a website found online are still very much alive.
Off-page SEO and well-structured code will always have a place.
We’ve been stressing the importance of quality content that connects with customers for years.
The deal is that our definition of content is changing. Content is not limited to copy, social media, blogging, and email. It absolutely includes design, advertising, video, and photography, as well.
How ready are you to connect the content you’re creating to remain relevant with your audience? To paraphrase Ben Lee:
There aren’t any shortcuts. You have to put in the work.
Are you ready for the grind?
By Jason Piasecki, Partner + Content Connoisseur
