SEO - "Old School" Marketing vs. "New School" Marketing
Yo yo… Kicking' SEO - "Old School" vs. "New School" Marketing
OK, I admit it. My attempt to explain "old school" vs. "new school" marketing below is way, way too simplistic. But here it is anyway -- the history of the pre-Internet, the Internet, Google, and SEO all wrapped up in about 500 words.
- Before the Internet big "old school" advertising became reliant on building brands… BIG beats small more often than not!
- When the Internet first started brands didn't matter much because you could gain visibility by manipulating your website stuffing keywords into your META tags, buying links, link farming, and other tricky stuff with "old school SEO"; you didn't necessarily need to be a big brand to do well.
- Pay per click advertising arrives and Google smells the money.
- Google knows the future is paved with gold if people searching for information and content becomes mainstream, then central to people's lives.
- Google wins when they are perceived as serving up great and appropriate content fast.
- Manipulating websites to get visibility hurts Google's businesses model because people won't use their search engine if crappy content gets served.
- Google eliminates the ability to manipulate their search results with trickery and rewards "quality" content and website construction by improving visibility to those who comply. This encourages people to build more websites and online channels that encourage people to become more reliant on being online and plugged in.
It's a numbers game: the more people online means more people sharing their details with Google and more people clicking on pay-per-click ads. Google rules the game. Kaaa-ching!
What's The Takeaway?
What's "old school" is "new school" again
Today, being successful online is all about creating content that engages with an audience, involves building relationships online and offline, and hey… dare it say it… revolves more and more about "brand building".
A big difference between "old school" and "new school" marketing?
Once upon a time "little guys" couldn't compete with the "big guys" on a level playing field. Now, you don't necessarily have to be a big company with tons of resources to win. It sure can help … but even the little guys can compete with the monolithic Fortune 500 companies by utilizing strategic, timely content and great story telling.
As we move into 2014, if you want to be successful online most of us need to become "publishers"! That means blogging, and utilizing social media, email marketing and the like. It's the "new school SEO". Those who don't create quality content and promote it loose. Those who do content right, routinely, then promote that content increase their chances at winning… significantly.
"Old school" and "new school" oversimplified? Yes. But am I on the right track? I kind of think so. Am I too cynical? A little but you be the judge.
True? False? Your Turn!
Leave your comments below and let's discuss it. #Word.