Write For People Or Write For Bots?

Jeffro2pt0 · Share | #1 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 03:45 PM

Every time I read a forum post about SEO in this forum, it usually discusses the subject of using relevant and hot keywords within your content. I see tips such as meta tag descriptions, using keywords in your post titles, and other misc tips.

Out of everything I've read, I have only implemented a few of the suggestions supplied to me because SEO seems to come naturally. I write my blog posts in such a way that a 7th grader would be able to understand what I'm saying. I try to get my point or points across without worrying about all of this SEO jumble. The posts usually end up somewhere on Google, sometimes near the top, sometimes in the middle, but I don't really care since it's my readers that I'm trying to please, not Google.

Now, considering this is an SEO based forum, I'm sure quite a few of you will argue that you can write for both parties to maximize the benefits. I agree with that. It just seems like at times, all of the tips on this forum make it seem like it's best to write for machines, rather than your readers.

What do you think?

Skinny · #2 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 06:05 PM

I've never been successful with SEO nor am I a guru of sorts (so take what I say with a grain of salt).

But I think that if your website offers a service or information that many readers will find important then I would write for the reader. It is after the reader that is hoping to benefit from the info.

What I did (and didn't do enough) was to stress keywords in my text.

So (I had a gadget blog) I would repeat the name of the product (but not so much that it got annoying) and so people searching for that product would still find my post and be able to find it easy to read.

Skinny

Qurratulain · #3 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 08:33 PM

Honestly, when I started writing, I did it for people, not for bots, and I'm of the opinion that if you write content that satisfies people or in other words is purely for people, SEs will love crawling at such content. Hence both the parties can equally be satisfied if your target is reader.

guinanie · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2007, 07:26 AM

As SEO, we write for bots and discusses about search engines , targeting keywords, increasing traffic, achieving high page rank, getting more backlinks and other link building strategies. But in reality, we write for people and we must identify the needs of the users, and this is the unique content.

Sheen91 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-06-2007, 07:42 AM

I would personally write for bots, get SEO high the people are coming to your blog and you have traffic... Then write for the people so they stay!

Easy to say not so easy to do I know!

**Cricket** · #6 (**permalink**) 09-06-2007, 04:41 PM

Without a doubt I recommend writing for your target audience, but keeping the search engines in mind while you do.

Sharkyx · #7 (**permalink**) 09-07-2007, 03:22 AM

Bots won't click your ads, nor will they read your posts and so will the people the bots bring. Content is king, you should work around that. Traffic comes naturally if content is good, especially in blogs.

Jeffro2pt0 · #8 (**permalink**) 09-07-2007, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharkyx

Bots won't click your ads, nor will they read your posts and so will the people the bots bring. Content is king, you should work around that. Traffic comes naturally if content is good, especially in blogs.

I couldn't agree with you more Sharky. That has been my philosophy since the day I started my blog and it's ringing true. The SEO and everything that goes along with it is coming along naturally as I write more and more good content.

bluemoon · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 07:57 AM

Write for bots first, the higher your ranking, the more visitors will see your work then write for people.

Jeffro2pt0 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluemoon

Write for bots first, the higher your ranking, the more visitors will see your work then write for people.

But what if your content that is written for bots doesn't help the visitors who end up seeing it. Those visitors will visit the site, realize the content is crap or not meaningful, then they will leave, never to return. Then you have to ask yourself, "Ok I have high search engine placement and I'm getting all this traffic, but no one is sticking around" What good does that do the site owner?

bluemoon · #11 (**permalink**) 09-16-2007, 08:45 PM

People should write content with keywords make it search engine friendly. It will be faster if search engine likes your content, what good will it do if one never get indexed? I would prefer for a more faster way then wait for ages for the visitors to trickle in.

my_misyel · #12 (**permalink**) 09-18-2007, 01:47 AM

ofcourse it's a double purpose. people do write because they wanted to share something, and other people would search for something to read. just make sure all contents are "understandable" ... and "meaningful"

Alfanso · #13 (**permalink**) 09-18-2007, 04:53 AM

I think your first priority should be your visitors.Websites made for SEs will drive one time visitors but not regular.So value your visitors and keep the SEs's algo in mind so that your visitors should reach you.

Adios

MrCat · #14 (**permalink**) 09-18-2007, 12:23 PM

Bots just help bring in the traffic but its your traffic than gives you revenue

I agree with Cricket! Focus on writing for your audience but take into consideration SE bots.