Human beings are inherently curious creatures. God intentionally made us with an intrinsic desire to learn, discover, and create. The web has provided a way for our thirst for knowledge to be quenched. While the obvious advantage of the web is that it acts as a way for us to gain useful information, there are also risks that come with the Internet.
One of these risks is the convenience of Internet searches. The danger of the ease and convenience of quickly finding whatever information you desire, lies in the potential problem of laziness on the searcher. In the past, before the Internet existed, people used to have to go to the library and do physical research on their topic of interest. Now, all it takes is one click to find the answer to virtually any question one can imagine. People must be careful, nowadays, to balance the efficiency and convenience of the Internet with the lost skill of seeking out answers and exercising your brain power to find them.
If you are able to successfully master that balance, then the Internet acts as a fountain of new possibilities that helps you gain knowledge and find solutions to yours and others’ problems.
First, we search for entertainment. The root of nearly all searches stem from our curiosity as human beings. We strive to understand how and why certain things and people work. The Internet satiates our hunger by providing us with a way to gain knowledge and learn new information, both useful and useless. It allows us to research and find both practical solutions to our inquiries and learn new random information that does not necessarily contribute much to our day-to-day lives.
Second, when utilized ethically and responsibly, the web provides us with the potential to help others. We search to look for new opportunities in which we can better both our own lives and the lives of others. The goal of any site should be to add value to the lives of the viewer by providing answers for their search query and ultimately finding a solution for their pain.
Understanding the real human drivers of search is critical to the process of and strategy of SEO for every business or organization. Discovering the why is just as important, if not more important, than the what.
2 Responses
Intention is famously difficult to discern, but it is so important to understand before embarking on the SEO journey. I think you made a great point! We are all created by God. It makes sense that we can learn more about each other on a deeper level, even through something like optimizing for SEO.
You make a great point about how human curiosity drives most internet searches. I also agree that understanding why people search is essential for effective SEO, since websites should aim to provide real value and meaningful solutions to users.