Is Organic SEO Really Organic : The Unconventional Guide to Search Engine Optimization

First things first, Wikipedia defines organic search as “search results through unpaid search engine listings, rather than through paid advertisements”, the key word here being “unpaid”. In a much broader sense, organic refers to “something which is naturally grown under normal conditions and circumstances without being aided by any external agents or stimuli”.

But how many of the organic search results we see on any given search engine are actually organic?

Having read a lot of articles about search engine optimization vs search engine marketing (aka. paid listings) and people stating that free search engine optimization is better than paid search engine marketing, it buzzed me if search engine optimization really is free. I tried thinking about the last organization I knew which did not have a huge amount set aside for search engine optimization in their marketing budget, to organically list them on the first page of search engines (for some, even the first page was not enough, they have to be the first listing). I thought hard and researched even harder, but failed to find an organization which was actually dependent on the real organic optimization. They all were too dependent on some cheats, on the page and off the page, to get their listing as high as possible.

With the emergence of a gazillion marketing agencies which claim to get you amongst the top rankings in search engines through various hacks, we have forgotten what the visitor on the website really wants. When a visitor searches for anything, they have a set objective in mind, whether it is to gain information about a particular topic, buy a particular item, or anything else. Businesses out there want to tap into this want of the visitor to generate revenue. And anyone can attest that the number of visitors on your website is not a direct measure of revenue, but the number of satisfied visitors is. Then isn’t relevant content the biggest search engine optimization technique you can have.

In the age of search engines changing algorithms with every update, and you having to feed agencies to please the search engine, doesn’t it make sense to please the search engine itself and save money and time in the process? The so called “organic” search engine optimization would take a few weeks/months to get you listed on the top and then a continuous investment to keep you there. Why not just buy the relevant keyword and be positive of a listing on the first page and amongst the top listings, that too in an instant and at the fraction of the cost? You can always spend the savings on actually making the content relevant to the visitor, thus increasing conversions (and I am sure you would still save in the process).

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Ethical Marketing : With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

I received a text message today that read;

“Enjoy FULL BODY MASSAGE By High Class Hot Pretty Girls @ Rs-999/- at Newly Opened AY****YA SPA, SEC-18, NOIDA, for Appointment Call-0120-45***16/981****011/611”

Yes, you read that correct. I starred out the name and contact numbers intentionally to not provide publicity to the establishment.

Objectification of women and unethical marketing are phenomenon we all are aware of, but this steps even that line and goes into the pure shameless and unacceptable territory. Is this what we have come down to? Does this look like an advertisement for a spa to anyone?

Marketing needs to remain positive and optimistic. If you need to target basic human tendencies of fear, greed or lust to advertise and sell rather than the product/service and its virtues, you are not doing a very good job. Yes, these cheats tend to work every now and then, but the negative image you create for your brand is going to stick for long. And this may ultimately be harmful in the long run.

Marketing industry has evolved a lot in the past few years and today we accept what may have been unacceptable some time ago. This is because the society as a whole has opened up, and it’s a good thing. But where does this end?

Objectification of women has been happening since long and has significantly gained traction since the 1980’s. Scantily clad, suggestively portrayed women sell every different type of product on television, in magazines, and on personal computer screens in increasing numbers. This has increased exponentially since the advent of bulk e-mails/messages and social media. Depression, appearance anxiety, body shame, sexual dysfunction, and eating disorders are only a few among the growing list of repercussions of this.

Our role as marketers is to promote our product/service in a way that is ethical and highlights the positives of the product. We have a moral responsibility to the general public, who as receivers are tend to be influenced by what we share. Marketers today have great influencing power in the form of tools and media at their disposal, and as Benjamin Parker from Spiderman once said “With great power comes great responsibility.”