Dear SEO Industry, We Need to Talk

It feels like every few weeks or so, something happens. Some sort of scandal or semi-scandal. It gets people talking in public. It gets shared in DMs. It gets whispered about.

"What happened in our industry — whether it was in 2008, 2011, 2015 or 2018 — is most definitely wrong and should never happen again."

"It’s not about us or our friends, it’s about the new generation not making the same mistakes we made."

These aren't my words. I've said them plenty of times, but the first time I saw them written anywhere online was 3 years ago. Gisele Navarro wrote something very poignant about her reality in the SEO industry.

And it keeps happening. Our industry is rife with what we would call toxic individuals. What do I mean by toxic? The folks I am talking about share some common traits:

1. They feel and act as if they are superior to many in the industry.
2. They lie, gaslight, threaten others.
3. They have no interest (or no ability) to see how their behavior is damaging others.
4. ...And this means they blame others because they will inevitable end up being a victim of their own behavior (oh look, if it isn't the consequences of your actions!).

Does that sound familiar? Do a few names pop into your head automatically when you read these words?

Why do we, as an industry, feel the need to give legitimacy to problematic individuals?

It's a cycle really. Some folks never learn because they don't need to. Their abject behavior gets rewarded: they make money, get visibility, go on a power trip. And then...it comes crashing around them. We, as a community, decide that maybe, we don't want to entertain such behaviors from that one specific person. So off they go, rebuilding their credibility, little by little, so the cycle can start again.

These folks don't learn because frankly, there is nothing to learn. It pays off to be this way. If you lose your legitimacy, there will be a brand new cohort of legitimate, well-meaning peers who will give you a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth chance. These folks lend problematic folks a platform, offer an aura of social credibility and things start right up again until the next time.

I know I should be providing a bit more context on the specifics...but there's been so many situations that fit this description lately. It feels like there's this undercurrent of folks coming out of the woodwork after years of dealing with the pandemic.

Picking your battles wisely

I have too many names I should name. But I know better. I'm not one to start public fights with toxic folks for the thrill of it. Picking your battles wisely is key to surviving in the SEO industry. This means that the best way to deal with ill-intentioned folks is to not engage with them. It's not a battle any of us can win.

Not engaging doesn't mean ignoring. It doesn't mean isolating people. It simply means staying away and refusing to provide any semblant of visibility these toxic individuals seek.

• Do not feature them in podcasts, webinars or events that are meant to be safe and inclusive.
• Do not share their content if it can lead someone down a toxic rabbit-hole.
• Do not put them in a position of power such as event organizer, judge on a panel, MC at a conference, etc.
• If you are in charge of a team, it means not forcing your underlings to collaborate with them.
• If you are a senior SEO with visibility, it means making sure these folks to not use you to (re)gain credibility despite never making amends or improving their behavior.

We all should be able to make a living practicing SEO. That doesn't mean we should all have a spotlight on us to do so. Some folks thrive on getting visibility to generate income without ever yielding that visibility to lift others around them. These are the folks I do not want to engage with. These are the folks that very often do everything in their power to seek validation and approval of their peers though.

Let's not give into irrational behavior because it makes for good marketing

Controversy sells. But under the guise of "presenting another point of view", you are giving legitimacy to some people who have proven time and time again that they want to leech off of the community for their personal gain at the expense of others within that community. These individuals are never involved in activities that do not provide visibility or do not improve their standing within the industry. They aren't there in important mentoring sessions, or part of the volunteer group for anything. Anything they do is calculated to benefit one person: themselves. And ultimately, that is fine as well, let's just not mistake this for goodwill or an actual desire to support the communities within the SEO industry.

Let's forgive but not forget

We cannot hope to see tangible, positive, long-lasting changes in our industry as long as we keep doing this. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. You can’t reason with toxic people.

We can't be having discussions in back-channels and private spaces about this over and over again. The only way you can send a clear signal is by setting strong boundaries: we can forgive you but we don't forget.

I get to talk about this (and not just behind closed doors)

I've put up with enough over the years to know better. I've put up with enough over the years to want better for the next generation.

I make more than enough to help me live the life I want without making anyone miserable as a by-product. Awesome! This also means that it is much harder for some folks to attempt to shush me or torpedo my reputation in the industry. Not everyone is in my position. Not everyone can afford to talk about this.

I have many friends, peers, mentees who are stuck and petrified at the thought of refusing to interact with some folks publicly. If your boss says you should do a webinar, podcast, interview or article with someone you know to be toxic...how can you afford to say no? Most of the time, you can't. It looks bad. You get labeled as difficult. Any explanation your give will be brushed off. Toxic folks thrive on this. They know how to play into social dynamics to get what they want at the expense of others.

If you speak, there is always the threat of retaliation, isolation and the very tangible fear that your career could be negatively impacted in ways you cannot fathom. I've seen it happen countless times. I've faced this as well...but I make a poor victim...too old, too angry, too well connected.

I get to talk about it because I am (relatively) safe. I need to talk about it because others aren't.

You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you

Maybe it is. Maybe it's not. I'm sad to say that this applies to more than enough individuals in our industry. I know better than to interact with truly problematic people in any meaningful way. But I am often the one who has to witness the devastation some leave in their wake. If you are scared, alone and afraid of what could happen to your career because someone pulled something horrible, you may get sent my way by someone else's I've helped. It may not get me visibility, it may not improve my reputation or my bottom line, but as Gisele so aptly put it: "It’s not about us or our friends, it’s about the new generation not making the same mistakes we made." I think the next generation deserves better. I think my elders do too.