Which Would You Prefer – Search Engine Optimized or Valuable Traits?

I’ve been struck by the amount of blogs which have been ranking high on my SearchStatus counter, however their content lacked value. Sure there are lots of keywords around the site and the headlines are screaming with great click-thrus but I’m probably influenced more by the social crowd and there’s not 1 comment around.

As I read deeper, great point but it seems like it’s for the sake of search engine optimization and nothing less. Probably software used for rewriting an article to get some rank because, well, as humans we aren’t so perfect. Thus, once in a great post, there is something worthwhile to retweet and share but it’s kind of hard to comment when most of them are ‘awesome share‘, ‘great post‘ and ‘nice work‘. This may be going against my own words when I spoke about giving value through blogging with your heart.

I’d like to say hi to my friends but when I don’t have anything great to say, wouldn’t it be worthless to waste their time? Excuse the rant today but let’s look at blogging effectively here from a technical perspective which is business and from a personal one which is value. While some may infuse both, it takes a great personality to really knock branding into the content. I’d like to introduce you to a few I’ve been following. Hopefully, you’ll find them worth picking up on too!

I mentioned Mars Dorian awhile back as one of the many bloggers who influenced me in a post of gratitude to my friends. However, for today’s post, he occurs in my mind again as a great example of value. While he’s throwing words at you, it’s actually quite incomprehensible at first because he has his own lingo. That’s where his branding comes in. So you get the impression that there’s a little confusion going on but it’s good confusion. Then … aha! He throws you the point, tells you to comment and you do. Now, his blog infuses both creativity and his own personality and this makes personal branding kewl! That’s right, I didn’t spell it wrong … K-E-W-L. He takes action and converts the energy that everyone normally talks about and makes himself stand out. Thus, there’s lots to learn here from this young man.

Aaron Lee is another blogger I mentioned from my post of gratitude back then. While I did say he has over 100k followers on Twitter, it was hard for me to reach him. Thus, I like to peek in onto his site every once in awhile to learn a little something about twitter and social media. He has a lot of great information on social networking online and as a part-time internet marketer, he’s quite equipped to provide advice as he depicts pictures and proof towards the concepts he blogs about. You’re then informed when you read his posts and while his focus is mainly Twitter, the high number of retweets he gets is amazing. Moreover, you can ask him about anything on Twitter. That’s the name for his blog as well AskAaronLee.com.

What can I say about Marian Schembari that hasn’t been said by her commentators? I can’t stop reading her rants and while it’s educative at the same time, I pick up the energy and say to myself, ‘I’m afriad of her’. Yet fear is a good thing when you’re reading. It’s a power which can instill the message. I can hear her voice when she’s speaking through her posts. Thus, the vibration is right here. As a freelance writer and social media consultant, well she calls herself thug, there’s lots to learn from this woman. She doesn’t hesitate to call out on anything she thinks, feels or want. That’s what I call personal value!

I recently found Natalie Dee through a friend on Facebook. While I still remember how she looks like, the cartoon she had on her profile got me interested. Thus, I found a couple more messages with similar images. Then found out that they were part of a FREE comic series online. Following through, I caught myself reading the blog and the infectious personality was really off the wall, the comics became addictive. A bit too real that sometimes what I’m afraid to say is simply said without the ums and ahhs. Kind of remind me of Hugh MacLoed’s Gaping Void marketing comic business cards. Natalie and her husband Drew makes a living through selling T-shirts and merchandise online. Check it out and perhaps you’ll want to plug into a bite of Natalie’s wisdom.

Nicholas Cardot recently released his e-book Blogging to the Third Power (aff). You can get a few chapters excerpt through his other blog, Site Sketch 101, by subscribing to his e-mail list. While I really liked what I saw over at Site Sketch, I liked Nicholas’ personal blog more. Thus, it gives you a better glimpse inside a full-time infantryman who moonlights as a blogger and writes captivating topics on leadership, vision, focus and trials as a daddy. There’s a lot of valuable thoughts and pictures of his daughter as he creatively weaves his words around her. You’ll feel the impact of giving value as he pounds in you the desire to give back.

So what do you think? SEO or Values?

Both are a bit contradictory when you think about it but when you’re providing something real in personality, attitude and even performance, doesn’t it make the science of SEO overrated?

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