Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a 21st century method of public relations, and it has become surprisingly effective. In short, SEO is the development of website visibility of a web page or website in a search engine’s unpaid or “natural” search results. Since almost everyone researches on the internet now, search engines provide what the Yellow Pages did in past generations, with a far greater volume of information.

Good public relations through SEO means keeping up to date with the latest search engine algorithms, but the fundamentals will always remain the same. That means publishing content (articles, blogs, stories, etc.) that is useful and relevant, with links to other pages that are equally relevant and useful. This produces search engine results that last a long time, and are known as “white hat” SEO techniques.

For example, gaining favorable mention on a major, credible site with heavy traffic is an SEO jackpot.

This brings us to the content farms. A content farm is a publisher or company that generates large amounts of textual content in order to manipulate search engines and maximize website traffic to their sites. They do this to maximize advertising revenue based on a number of impressions, page views, visitors, etc.

They solicit articles, blog posts, quotes, etc. in exchange for appearing on their site. However, the quality of the site, audience, and advertisers may be suspicious. Sites that exist simply to game the search engines gain short term ad revenue but generate little value. If anything, their sites get quickly penalized or banned by the search engines.

Not all of them are bad. Some of them offer great forums, and they have a legitimate look and feel to them with recognizable advertisers and relevant articles and links. They organize their content into recognizable and easily understood categories, and the traffic is targeted and legitimate. They can offer real but inexpensive SEO and public relations benefits.

What do bad content farms look like? Here are some ways to recognize them.
1. Is the site looking for a source for an article, or just a cheap or free article (with no pre-screening of the author)? If they are looking for a cheap article, it is a red flag.
2. Look for lots and lots of ads, with little useful content.
3. Are the articles useful, with consistent themes throughout? Is the content original? If not, it is a red flag.
4. Are the articles commented on? Do they get shared on social media channels? If not, this is another red flag.
5. If a requestor sends you a fee schedule, they are not really interested in your quality as a source or subject matter expert. Legitimate bloggers and reporters are only interested in your quality as a source.

You can always search the site on Google or whichever search engine you prefer. Search the reporter or writer and the site itself. There is no substitute for your own gut instinct. If it looks like a site you would be proud to have your business associated with, then by all means, submit quotes or content to it!