Another content SEO vs Links thread

**John Scott** · 06-03-2004, 02:09 AM

In an opinion posted on LinkingMatters.com -

Quote:

In WebProNews, Editor, Garrett French stirs up the debate between 'content seo' and 'link generation'.

He quotes from a post by John Scott who is of the opinion that "Content SEO is dead, and that anyone interested in raising their search engine rankings should focus only on link generation."

Our view is that it's a bit like asking a professional golfer which is more important, driving or putting? Some will be fabulous drivers, other fabulous putters but you need elements of both if you are to be successful.

The lessons I would take from our experiences at Linking Matters are:

You absolutely must have great content (and should never be afraid to link out to great content)

A linking strategy, targeted at top sites can produce tremendous results

Those results will be greatly enhanced through SEO

Keep adding content

I take one issue with this opinion:

Quote:

Our view is that it's a bit like asking a professional golfer which is more important, driving or putting?

They are comparing page-elements SEO to driving, and links to putting? Hello? McFly?

Page-elements SEO would be better compared to waving your putter around in the air and then beating yourself over the head with it.

Has this guy seen what page elements SEO does to pages?? Take a look at this "SEO'ed" page:

Content SEO

From a marketing point of view, page elements SEO is often like urinating on your customers.

awall19 · 06-03-2004, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

From a marketing point of view, page elements SEO is often like urinating on your customers.

vintage JS. I thought you were working on that...

**John Scott** · 06-03-2004, 02:31 AM

LOL. I am working on it, but it's a twelve step plan.

I, Brian · 06-03-2004, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Our view is that it's a bit like asking a professional golfer which is more important, driving or putting? Some will be fabulous drivers, other fabulous putters but you need elements of both if you are to be successful.

Ask a pro golfer if he'd like to find a way to score a hole-in-one every time. That's proper link building.

thebassman · 06-03-2004, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

LOL. I am working on it, but it's a twelve step plan.

LOL... and what step are you on now?

We should collect all the vintage JS comments like that and put them in one place.

eCommando · 06-03-2004, 02:29 PM

On one of my sites, I am ranked # 1 on on Google with no on page optimization of keywords on it. It's all coming from anchor text links.