This special live episode of SEOs Getting Coffee comes straight from Vixen Digital HQ, where Emina was joined by Lauren Plug, ethical SEO specialist, copywriter, and founder of Copy by LP. Flying in all the way from the US (supposedly for a friend’s wedding, but we like to think it was just for us), Lauren shares her personal and professional journey into the world of sustainable and responsible SEO.
Together, they explore what ethical SEO looks like in practice, how brand values can be reflected in keyword research and strategies, and why SEOs need to stop chasing traffic and start thinking about intent, education, and impact.
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Ethical SEO: Aligning Optimisation with Brand Values | SEOs Getting Coffee Ep.40
What Is Ethical SEO?
For Lauren, the term “ethical SEO” covers a lot, and that’s the point. It’s about transparency, education, alignment with brand values, and treating clients (and users) with respect.
Lauren’s approach was shaped by her early experience with SEO: three days spent trawling YouTube for help, only to come away confused, overwhelmed, and convinced she didn’t belong. The loudest voices online made SEO feel elitist, technical, and disconnected from people. So she built a business doing the opposite.
SEO Shouldn’t Make People Feel Stupid
Lauren’s journey into SEO started with a desire to make others feel confident and supported. Many of her sustainable clients had avoided SEO entirely because they feared being pushed into keywords and tactics that didn’t align with their brand.
Ethical SEO, as she defines it, is about:
- Educating clients: Explaining the why behind every recommendation, not just reporting on metrics
- Custom strategies: Ditching the checklist and focusing on what the business actually needs
- Respecting values: Choosing keywords that reflect a brand’s mission, not just high-volume terms
When Keyword Strategy Feels Wrong
In Lauren’s experience, sustainable brands, in particular, may resist SEO because they fear compromising their messaging. Lauren believes they shouldn’t have to. If a keyword doesn’t feel right, don’t use it. Use smart copywriting to express the brand’s values and stay authentic while still being discoverable.
The goal isn’t just to match search intent, it’s to respect the intent of the brand, too.
From Rankings to Responsibility
Lauren and Emina agree that the focus of SEO is shifting. Traffic and rankings are no longer the main KPIs. Now, it’s about:
- Understanding who your audience is
- Communicating your values clearly
- Providing real value through content
Responsible SEO means making decisions with long-term trust in mind, not just short-term clicks.
SEO and AI: Use with Caution
As we know, AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful, but only when used thoughtfully and responsibly. Lauren isn’t against AI, but she’s wary of the temptation to use it for quick, low-quality content.
She recommends:
- Never copy-paste AI output
- Using AI for brainstorming, not writing
- Ensuring content has clear information gain
- Maintaining brand voice throughout
Good SEO content still comes from human insight, not shortcuts.
For more tips on using AI responsibly in SEO, read Emina’s blog reflecting on her BSEO talk about responsible AI practices.
Aligning with Clients Who Care
Lauren shared a story about turning down a client who claimed to be sustainable, but didn’t walk the talk. For her, working with clients whose values align with hers is non-negotiable.
Responsible SEO sometimes means making difficult choices.
3 Tips for More Ethical SEO
Lauren’s top recommendations for those looking to adopt a more responsible SEO approach:
- Educate clients where it matters
Provide enough context for them to understand your work, without overwhelming them with technical jargon. - Align with brand values
Get to know your client’s mission. Use that to guide strategy and keyword selection.
Create meaningful content
Focus on what the audience needs and values. Use SEO to support human-centred messaging, not manipulate algorithms.
Room 404: What Lauren Would Banish
Lauren’s Room 404 list included two well-deserving entries:
- Loud, gatekeeping SEO tech bros
The kind who make SEO feel inaccessible, overly technical, and toxic. They’re not helping anyone. - “SEO is dead” headlines
Tired, misleading, and often used as clickbait. SEO has died more times than we can count, and yet here we all are.
Final Thoughts
Ethical SEO is more than a buzzword. It’s about respecting the people behind the search, behind the brand, and behind the business. For Lauren, that means rejecting fear-based tactics, embracing transparency, and creating content that genuinely matters.
As AI, user behaviour and brand expectations evolve, ethical SEO isn’t just good practice, it’s good business.
For more insights and in-depth conversations on the latest in SEO and digital marketing strategies, stay stuned for upcoming episodes of “SEOs Getting Coffee.” Subscribe to our channel for regular updates and expert opinions.
