Still, organizations and businesses must write about content in areas in which they aren’t SMEs because the content itself still has the potential to be a valuable asset for their audience types. Just like all marketing, SEO has its specific place in the realm of developing visibility.

The reality is that the content we produce is largely focused on what the “search algorithm” wants to be fed, not necessarily what the user wants to find. Certain industries are very deliberate with this effort, with the effect that they rank for keywords that are best answered by regulators and government entities. Instead of leaving the publication of this information to those authorities, they attempt to establish “trust” with users by convincing them that their content provides a better answer.

This means the user is often finding information that is curated to appeal to them—and might be a deliberate misdirect from true authoritative sources.

Code on a computer screen. Text: The reality is that the content we produce is largely focused on what the "search algorithm" wants to be fed, not necessarily what the user wants to find.

Why This Is Concerning For SEO Managers & Users Alike

Let’s take a basic example: users expect to be able to buy consumer packaged goods (CPG) on ecommerce sites (think shoes and hats) by a simple search.

However, the vast majority of users are not aware that the “reviews” they read that rank for those products are heavily curated and, essentially, manipulated to favor the product. So, if I type in “brand x hat reviews,” the search engine results page (SERP) is highly likely to give me a series of ranking results with reviews that have been paid, in some sense or another, for me to see first.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the reviews are not honest; it just means that they are heavily incentivized to highlight the positive. This has been common practice for decades in the marketing and advertising industry.

The primary concern isn’t that companies are posting positive reviews, but rather that, because the positive reviews dominate rankings for those products, users aren’t able to find areas where customers are voicing their concerns.

This SERP curation occurs across many industries online, from cars and trucks to jackets and pants. Even the service sector is working to heavily push a positive reputation and bury any negative information.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg. Reputation perspective is a small part of the greater battle for your eyes and interest. Companies and organizations have always invested heavily in ensuring that you think well of them, but they haven’t always been able to so convincingly present a false sense of expertise.

Search engines, specifically Google, have enabled a lot of this. The result: misinformation in droves.

Fair Play And User-Focused Content

There are a lot of things on the internet that are considered less than ethical—some more concerning than others.

Practices like dark patterns, user data capture features that try to prevent you from leaving a page without converting, and burying necessary details about services or products are all “gray-area” tools that are leveraged to push users into actions they did not intend to take.

The ability to effectively appear as an authority on information you have no business speaking to to create audience interest is another of these troubling practices.

A man looking at a computer in frustration. Text: "Gray-area internet practices: dark patterns, user data capture features that try to prevent you from leaving a page without converting, and burying necessary details about services or products.

Combining Quality, Authentic Content With User-First SEO

It is important to start with being honest with users and letting them know that you are producing this content for the purpose of engaging them, rather than claiming to have a solution.

While both the ethics (and long-term sustainability) of a company that poses as an authority where they are not is deeply questionable, it is in the interest of an organization to create helpful, relatable resources that can be connected back to their brand.

For the end result to have a net positive effect for both parties, the content should be founded on user first SEO practices and focus on providing information. If there is no appropriate solution that the brand can offer, don’t force a path to a needless conversion.

When possible, create transparency and take ownership of the items you need to address. Users—especially younger and tech-savvy users—can sense disingenuous content, they can tell when things online aren’t real.

As users continue to get better at knowing when they are being manipulated, the onus is on SEO managers and content creators to clean up their work and ensure transparency is at the forefront of all they produce.