I Can’t Make You Love Me: Google’s Complicated Relationship with SEOs

Earlier this week, Google confirmed that they were removing their Toolbar PageRank Chrome extension, removing the information entirely from the public view. For most of us, the world will continue to spin. But even though the PageRank score has not been updated in years, it was an important litmus test in the SEO repertoire. This isn’t the only time an all-important tool was plucked from search engine marketer hands, either. Late last year, Google removed location settings in their search tools . The primary reason? It wasn’t being used enough by anyone other than SEOs. In fact, search tool filters have dropped from 9 to 2 over the last two years . You don’t have to live on Baker Street to notice a pattern…

Does Google hate SEOs?

The answer is yes .

Well… not really…

It’s complicated.

Strap on your billion dollar, self-driving Google shoes and think… What does your search engine do? Simply put, it provides the most relevant information based upon a search query. Now, what do SEOs do? They help sites rank better in Google. Sounds like these go hand in hand, right? In a perfect world, yes. Reputable SEOs (like your friends at SocialSEO) do this by improving the site as a whole. Creating unique, high quality content that reinforces highly researched keyword phrases, developing and implementing a robust link earning strategy, keeping your SEO knowledge up to date , improving the overall user experience through strong Web Design , posting on Social Media , developing a strong Pay-Per-Click strategy … These tweaks help sites rank strongly because they provide a better answer to a user’s question. Google likes this . Dare we say, Google loves this.

But we all can’t be as good as SocialSEO.

There’s a whole separate spectrum of the SEO world called Black Hat SEO. And Google does not like Black Hat SEO . Consider Black Hat strategies as SEO on steroids. This is not “on steroids” as in “espresso is coffee on steroids,” but more along the lines of “Lance Armstrong who?”. Basically, it’s against the rules, heavily frowned upon by the community, and while it can get you some short term gains, getting caught could wind up giving you a hefty penalty . Black Hats understand what Google likes. What makes their actions shady is how they go about getting it. Links are not earned, but purchased. Keywords aren’t integrated, but spammed. Black Hats take what they want instead of earning it. And that’s a no-no.

So does Google hate SEOs? The answer is yes. That’s because a good SEO isn’t really SEO at all, but more the proper way to build, nurture, and grow your website the way Google intends. So if you develop a strong, White Hat SEO strategy, or hire one of the best in the business , your site can naturally rank well, and you can find your happily ever after.