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Does a Website Need to Be Written for Search Engines to Have the Best SEO Possible?

Optimizing website content for SEO

Short answer: Yes, but that doesn’t mean it should be.

If you’re looking to create a website that dominates search engine rankings, then yes, writing content specifically for SEO will give you the best technical results. You’ll hit every keyword, meet content-length benchmarks, and optimize for all the right metadata. But here’s the catch: just because a website is written for search engines doesn’t mean it’s written for humans. Humans are still the ones who buy your products, sign up for your services, and build brand loyalty.

Let’s break down the key reasons why writing for search engines is technically the best for SEO but, at the same time, may not be the best marketing strategy overall.

SEO Writing Hits Every Technical Checkmark

Search engines use algorithms to determine how relevant your website is to specific search queries. By writing content that’s tailor-made for these algorithms, you:

  • Include target keywords in titles, headings, and body copy.
  • Optimize metadata, alt text, and internal linking.
  • Match ideal content length and structure.
  • Use semantic keywords and natural language processing triggers.

These elements help search engines understand your content clearly and rank it accordingly. So, from a pure SEO perspective, writing “for Google” is the most efficient way to climb the ranks.

Search Engines Don’t Convert, People Do

While optimized content might get users to your site, only great marketing copy keeps them there and persuades them to act. Writing solely for SEO can result in content that feels robotic, keyword-stuffed, or overly structured. None of these things build trust or excitement.

For example:

  • An SEO-focused title might be:
    “Affordable Web Design Services Vancouver | Web Design Vancouver”
  • A more compelling, user-focused title might be:
    “Stand Out Online with Stunning, Affordable Web Design in Vancouver”

Both can work but the second one builds emotional connection, trust, and brand personality.

When content is overly optimized, it can actually backfire. Keyword stuffing, awkward phrasing, and ignoring user intent can make a page feel hard to read or irrelevant. This can lead to high bounce rates.

And search engines do pay attention to bounce rate, dwell time, and user behavior. If users land on your site but quickly leave because the content doesn’t feel authentic or helpful, your rankings may drop.

Modern SEO Is Moving Toward User Intent

Google’s algorithm is increasingly focused on search intent, not just keywords. This means the best SEO content is content that:

  • Answers the user’s question clearly.
  • Provides value.
  • Matches the tone and context of the search.

Ironically, this often means writing for the user, not the search engine.

The best-performing websites today are those that blend SEO strategy with genuine, helpful, engaging content.

Branding and Voice Matter More Than Ever

From a marketing standpoint, your website is not just about visibility, it’s about connection. You want your brand to feel trustworthy, relatable, and authoritative. If you lean too far into SEO copy and lose your brand voice, your site may lack the personality and trust that customers look for when making buying decisions.

The content should flow nicely so that users are educated, informed and entertained.

Balance Is the Key to SEO + Marketing Success

Here’s the bottom line:
Yes, your website needs to be written with SEO in mind to perform well on search engines. But the best marketing approach is to write for humans first and optimize for SEO second.

This balance ensures:

  • Your brand builds long-term trust and recognition
  • Your site ranks well on Google
  • Your site ranks well on Google
  • Visitors stay, engage, and convert

2 responses to “Does a Website Need to Be Written for Search Engines to Have the Best SEO Possible?”

  1. Ron L Schmit Avatar
    Ron L Schmit

    I got a link to this from Alignable on a discussion that was very similar to this blog. This answered that discussion perfectly so I just wanted to say kudos to you. I 100% agree with your opinions here!

    Reply
  2. Sherri Vachon Avatar
    Sherri Vachon

    I have been looking for information on SEO and I stumbled on this post. It really helped me understand SEO better so thank you.

    Reply

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