How to be a responsible SEO

Should there be a code of responsibility for SEO’s? I took the opportunity to look at some do’s and don’ts  for gamblers and  thought the was a high degree of synergy between the responsible SEO’ing and responsible gambling.

The similarities between SEO and Gambling is uncanny, here are the original guidelines I found on Poker Rakeback site RaketheRake

When gambling please remember the following:

• You’re buying fun, not investing your money
• Before playing, set strict limits on how much time and money you’re going to spend
• Quit while you’re ahead
• Only gamble with money you can afford to lose – never put your livelihood or family at risk
• Don’t spend more money on gambling with the hope to win back money that you have lost – i.e. do NOT chase losses
• Keep up other interests and hobbies – don’t let gambling take over your life
• Don’t gamble in order to escape from stress or boredom
• Gambling in moderation is okay

The SEO version is as follows:

When becoming an SEO please remember the following:

• This is your career, you are not spending your money
• Before starting an SEO project, set strict limits on how much time and money you’re going to spend
• Quit SEO while you’re ahead
• Become involved with projects you know can’t lose – never put your livelihood or reputation at risk!
• Don’t spend more time on SEO with the hope to reclaim positions that should never have had - i.e. do NOT chase lost causes
• Keep up other interests and hobbies – do not let SEO take over your life
• Don’t SEO in order to escape from stress or boredom
• SEO in moderation is okay

WARNING – Becoming an SEO can seriously affect your social life!