After work a group of us used to head out to a 70s disco every Friday. This was in the mid-1990s so I think the retro craze was just starting to heat up.
It started out as just a fun way to enjoy some cheap drinks, listen to good music and have a laugh but things turned more sinister when one of the guys turned up with a wacky Kool and the Gang wig. To be honest, I think the rest of us were just waiting for this moment and from that night on all hell broke loose. Chest wigs, flared trousers and shirts open to the waist suddenly became acceptable clothing for all of us.
I got to thinking about this period of my life the other day when something funky came on the radio, and it made me wonder whether I could use some of the lessons from 70s disco music in my SEO work.
Class Always Shines Through
In any style of music there are always those acts that have a lot of genuine talent and those that are just jumping on the bandwagon. In the case of 70s disco a lot of the acts had excellent musical ability, which is why the songs are still good to listen to today. The same sort of principle applies to SEO, as a well thought and cleverly executed campaign will stand a greater chance of both quick success and good long term results. Novelty acts in it for a quick buck but with no real talent or knowledge won’t last long, as Carl Douglas knows only too well.
Don’t Get Pigeon Holed
Michael Jackson managed to outlive the disco era and the subsequent anti-disco backlash but not all artists were as successful after the golden years ended. If you are seen as being limited to just one type of work or one industry then it is less likely that you will be able to have a successful long term career. The funkiness was ended by the arrival of punk, and while you can’t be expected to jump between two such different worlds you should look to have a balanced portfolio which shows your flexibility.
It’s Ok to Re-invent
The 70s saw disco covers of a few older songs and there have since been many covers of disco classics. I Will Survive, Don’t Leave me This Way, and several of the Bee Gees songs have all found popularity all over again in more recent decades. The difference between those covers which worked and those which didn’t is the element of new creative thought which the artist put into it. The same goes with the SEO techniques you use. There is no point in just doing the same thing over and over again without thinking about it. The fact that there is a death metal version and a rap version of Stayin’ Alive should help to prove that old ingredients can be put together in fresh ways. With your SEO work you need to try and stay ahead of the game and avoid mindless repetition of things which no longer work.
Realise When It’s Time to Put the Flares Away
My time as a retro disco fan eventually ended one day when I caught a glimpse of myself in a shop window on the way home. There I was, a fully grown man with a good job and a family, yet I looked like someone who had been kicked out of the Village People for having poor dress sense. I found a quieter bar to go to, where the music wasn’t as much fun but where there was less chance of someone’s platform shoes doing you some damage on the way to your table. With SEO you should know when it is time to move on to a new project and when you can get even more benefit for the sites you are dealing with.