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Is SEO Comparable to a Play, Really?

Posted by Courtney Hume on 07/28/2010

It occurred to me the other day that SEO is a lot like a play. You ask, how so? Well, there are two sides to SEO (Search Engine Optimization): the on-page, which is the page viewed when typing in a url and the source code page, which is the part of the webpage that search engine spiders crawl. There are also two sides to a play: the stage where the audience sees performers and the backstage, not seen by the audience, where the director and production crew keep the performance running efficiently.

SEO VS a Play

On-page = Stage

• Both the on-page content and source code page are important because a page that is viewed by both people and search engines must make sense.
• A play must make sense for the people watching the performance, as well as make sense to the people backstage, so they know when to cue the actors and have successful costume changes.

• Text or images on a webpage must be clear, precise, and interesting to read, providing the viewers with an enjoyable experience and encouraging them to return.
• There is a similar understanding for a play; if extravagant costumes, settings, and effects are used, the audience receives more visual stimulation which increases excitement.

Source Code Page = Backstage

• Search engines spiders must be able to easily crawl a webpage to determine what content is on the page, so it is easily searchable by people. It’s also important to tell exactly what is on the page — don’t lie — otherwise, people will click away from your page and most likely not return.
• The backstage crew and director must also be able to know when to use certain lighting or sound and always know what parts of the play are going on to cue the actors. If the wrong actor is cued backstage, then the play won’t make sense and will have the audience very confused.

Have you ever been to a play that went horribly wrong? Actors forgot their lines or weren’t cued at the right time? Or how about the spotlight wasn’t on the actor at the correct time or the sound wasn’t loud enough? If a website isn’t correctly optimized through the use of correct keywords, then the user will be confused and unsure where to click next. The search engine won’t be able to distinguish what is crawled on the page from what is shown to the user if the content is different. If you thought you were going to see a play about two families, and it ended up being about a girl’s journey through a strange land, you most likely would be confused about the subject, mad that you spent you money, and upset about the time wasted. You wouldn’t trust going back to see another play at the same place, would you?

There you have it, a few examples of how SEO and a play are related. I didn’t want to get too technical, but I believe my explanation will help anyone who doesn’t do search engine optimizing, to better understand what exactly it is… at least, I hope it does.