As a marketer at heart, I always found the old-school approach to SEO a curious one – that’s the polite way of saying it never made sense to me.
Websites are just another media type. Another shop front for your brand. Another customer-facing opportunity to communicate who you are and why you’re different.
So why wasn’t the customer always at the heart of SEO strategy – at the heart of the algorithm itself?
Why wasn’t the focus on communicating your unique value proposition as effectively, and as engagingly, as possible?
Instead, it used to feel like everyone was out there hunting for cheat codes to rank quickly. Tricks, loopholes, backlink schemes… all in the hope of climbing the search results.
It felt crazy to use prime brand real estate this way. It’s like having a TV ad and sacrificing your brand personality, your tone of voice, and any regard for what might actually attract or engage your audience – all just to get it aired to as many people as possible.
But finally, SEO feels like it’s catching up.
SEO’s Quiet Revolution: What’s Changing?
It’s been there quietly rumbling in the background, slowly gaining momentum. EEAT updates, core updates, Helpful Content updates, all pointing in the same direction.
And now, recent data from Ahrefs, combined with what Google has been signalling for years, confirms what many of us have always believed:
Links are no longer king.
Pages with few or no backlinks are outranking link-heavy competitors.
The winners aren’t chasing shortcuts anymore. They’re practising good marketing.
They’re focusing on their customers and delivering real value, while staying true to their brand. Creating content with depth and relevance. Designing user experiences that are seamless and intuitive.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what Google wants too – to give users the best possible experience.
Backlinks Still Matter, But Not Like Before
Don’t get me wrong, backlinks still matter. But their role is different now.
They’re no longer the crutch propping up mediocre websites. They’re the amplifier for great ones.
If your content is weak, your brand message unclear, or your site experience poor, no number of backlinks can save you.
So no, backlinks aren’t irrelevant. But they’re no longer the deciding factor. They can’t carry bad marketing anymore.
What Does This New SEO Order Look Like?
Today, it’s about alignment.
Those who can stay true to their brand, communicate their message with clarity, create content that genuinely serves their audience, and obtain useful, relevant backlinks along the way – they’re the ones winning.
Because SEO isn’t about chasing cheat codes. It never should have been. It’s about good marketing.
This shift is a mindset change. One that finally puts the customer at the centre, with SEO working as an amplifier rather than a workaround.
The New SEO Playbook: What Great Marketing Looks Like Today
The pages outranking link-heavy competitors right now aren’t doing so because they’ve found a new loophole.
They’re winning because they’re doing what great marketing has always done:
Understand Your Customer
Know who they are, what motivates them, the language they use, and how they search for solutions like yours. Anticipate their needs, questions, and hesitations – then shape your content around that. Mirror their language to connect naturally, and make sure every page answers their search intent fully and clearly.
Clarify Your Value Proposition
What sets you apart? Why should someone choose you? Make this obvious immediately – ideally above the fold. Your uniqueness isn’t just a brand asset; it’s an SEO asset too. If users land on your page and see exactly what they’re looking for (and why it’s better with you), they’re far more likely to stay, engage, and convert.
Show Why You’re Credible
You know why people trust you – but do your customers? Is it clear on your site? Awards, accreditations, review scores, big-name clients, media features… don’t bury these on subpages. Credibility isn’t just a conversion tactic; it builds the authority, expertise, and trust signals that Google now prioritises.
Create Content with Depth and Relevance
Move beyond surface-level posts. Share insights, experiences, and expertise that genuinely help your audience solve problems or make better decisions. Make your content so good that people would miss it if it disappeared tomorrow.
Invest in User Experience
A seamless site isn’t just “nice to have.” It’s essential. Fast-loading pages, intuitive navigation, clear headings, and a logical content structure keep people engaged and help search engines understand and prioritise your content more effectively.
Earn Backlinks that Enhance Your Authority
Links still matter – but not as shortcuts. Build relationships and create genuinely useful, interesting, or innovative content that earns links because it deserves them. Focus on relevance, quality, and context. Because backlinks still matter. But they’re no longer the heroes of SEO. They can’t carry bad marketing anymore.
Is Your SEO Built on Good Marketing?
So, how does your website stack up? Is your SEO strategy built on shortcuts, or is it built on good marketing?
If you’re thinking about how to make this shift, get in touch.