Comments on: The BBC’s SEO http://blog.hackbash.com/2009/12/08/the-bbcs-seo/ wake up and smell the copy Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:40:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: cpev http://blog.hackbash.com/2009/12/08/the-bbcs-seo/comment-page-1/#comment-7823 cpev Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:44:52 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=739#comment-7823 I've noticed this a lot recently on the BBC Sport's online tennis coverage. This evening I've clicked on a sidebar link snappily titled 'Henman on Murray' and found myself looking at <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/8480832.stm" rel="nofollow">a page entitled 'Tim Henman on Andrew Murray's victory over Rafael Nadal'</a>. I'd have to work really hard to work myself into any kind of lather about this. As handolio says, it's a relatively inoffensive kind of SEO play. But it's a bit naff isn't it? A kind of 'beiging' of editorial. Ok, I may find this content according to the keywords I've just Googled; but if they keep this up, the BBC's brand pull in the search results will start to wane in the face of more charismatic alternatives. I’ve noticed this a lot recently on the BBC Sport’s online tennis coverage. This evening I’ve clicked on a sidebar link snappily titled ‘Henman on Murray’ and found myself looking at a page entitled ‘Tim Henman on Andrew Murray’s victory over Rafael Nadal’.

I’d have to work really hard to work myself into any kind of lather about this. As handolio says, it’s a relatively inoffensive kind of SEO play. But it’s a bit naff isn’t it? A kind of ‘beiging’ of editorial.

Ok, I may find this content according to the keywords I’ve just Googled; but if they keep this up, the BBC’s brand pull in the search results will start to wane in the face of more charismatic alternatives.

]]> By: Andrew http://blog.hackbash.com/2009/12/08/the-bbcs-seo/comment-page-1/#comment-7166 Andrew Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:30:53 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=739#comment-7166 I would notice and care if the BBC introduced keywords into URLs. Specifically, I would be able to see what a story was about before clicking through to it, which would be useful. In any case, I think this beats the old 'exam girl smash death tragedy' nonsense headlines they used to have. I assumed they were keyword optimising gone mad. If not, what <i>were</i> they for? I would notice and care if the BBC introduced keywords into URLs. Specifically, I would be able to see what a story was about before clicking through to it, which would be useful.

In any case, I think this beats the old ‘exam girl smash death tragedy’ nonsense headlines they used to have. I assumed they were keyword optimising gone mad. If not, what were they for?

]]>