Small Business SEO - How Do Content Farms Effect Quality Content on the Web

Content farms have been getting a lot of publicity as of late, and some believe it is all for the wrong reasons. In the minds of some critics, they are doing nothing but congesting the online space with trash and lowering the overall quality of content on the web in general. Are they really that bad? Let us examine this controversial matter a little closer.

What are Content Farms?

In simple terms, content farms are websites that mass produce content. Some of the most well known players in this field are Demand Media, HubPages and Suite 101. These sites often get a bad rap because the overall consensus is that the content they produce are sub-par at best. While some work with professional freelance writers, most of the articles coming out of these sites are written by individuals with little to no experience at all. You may think this would deter editors and managers, but that is not the case. Why? Because the goal of these farms is to amass large amounts of content to boost search engine rankings and generate traffic.

How They Work

Content farms provide their writers with user-friendly web-based publishing

systems and run very cost effective operations. What makes these operations so cost effective is the fact that the sites generally have a low overhead, leverage a variety of automated tools, and outsource their work to freelancers. One reason content farms have come under scrutiny is because they are actually very efficient at what they do. In fact, they typically employ SEO specialists who are skilled at targeting keywords, linking building strategies and various other methods that help increase search engine visibility. Although these sites tend to do well in terms of ranking, many observers believe that the lack of quality is the result of low rates that leave freelancers lacking the motivation to put their best foot forward.

The Good Qualities

While content farms receive a lot of negative press, they are not all bad. Some of them actually have a wealth of quality stuff to offer. Sites like Associated Content, which was recently acquired by Yahoo, are making improvements to attract writers that will give their best effort. Higher rates and more lucrative revenue sharing programs are helping them filter out the lower quality content and build their libraries with stellar pieces that offer value to readers. In addition, contributors looking to bolster their portfolio and land high paying clients are using these sites as their starting foundation. So while some things you hear about content farms may be true, a lot of it based on myths and misconceptions from those on the outside looking in.

Opportunities For Small Businesses

Content farms do serve a purpose, and this means small businesses can use them to their advantage, particularly in terms of SEO. These sites are essentially pre-optimized, so all it takes is a well written, keyword-rich article to boost traffic to your profile, which could direct that incoming traffic to your website. View it as another channel that can be used to promote awareness and increase visibility for your business. Not all content farms measure up, so do some reading to educate yourself and learn which sites can offer the most value for your time and efforts.

Gary San is a best practices activist and advocate for Why your email newsletter test is never read.