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12 Things You Really Should Know About SEO
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by: James Doc Lewis
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From the very beginning of the Internet, the
number one challenge which all of us have faced is how to attract
qualified visitors to our websites. Throughout the boom years, one of
the most popular solutions was to get massive funding, relatively easy
to get in those days, and "buy" traffic, by various means.
As an iconoclastic young developer, with ambitions of beating the "big
boys" at their own game, more time than money or the connections to get
it, I sought a less capital intensive methodology to achieve the same
results. Years of study and rapt attention to the pertinent forums,
trying everything that even seemed to make sense (making many mistakes
along the way, and learning much from each one), then carefully
monitoring the results, has lead to many highly workable tools in our
SEO bag of tricks. The outcome of these trial and error methods, (lots
of both) lays the foundation of our SEO services and the basis for the
ongoing growth of traffic to your website and ours.
The simple fact of the matter is this: Expertise in any other form of
writing in no way qualifies one for the type of writing required to
optimize a website for the Internet. There are many sites which have
less than correct punctuation, grammar, and even spelling which rank #1
in their optimized search phrases. This is not to say that I don't
think these things are important, only that to be found in the search
engines, they are not the most important consideration.
The flip side of this argument is equally true. Just because someone
knows all the ins and outs of all of the search engines, can write
algorithms in their sleep, has lunches with Dr. Eric Schmidt and is on
a first name basis with Larry Page and Sergey Brin, does not, in any
way, make them a writer. All of the writing on this site was done as a
collaborative venture between Susan K. Thompson, a professional writer
with strong academic credentials and real world experience, in both
business and marketing, and myself. Was there a lot of editing and
re-write? Yes. Were there disagreements? You bet! Was it worth it? Look
at the record.
Emerald Coast Entrepreneur was launched on May 1, 2005 with most site
optimization in place and submission to the directories just beginning.
With a total monetary investment of less than $100.00, and a time
investment, I'd rather not think about, but which approached 300 hours,
the site was given a PR5 ranking by Google on it's first update, less
than 2 months after our launch.
Studies show that over 90% of all online users use search engines to
find what they are looking for, whether products/services, or just
plain old information.
The following twelve points will, I hope, summarize a philosophy,
approach and methodology to the SEO question which is both sound and
effective, along with giving some helpful insight into the industry
itself.
1. Content. Content. Content.
Effective, professional, optimized Copywriting is the single, most
important factor in any SEO campaign. Search engines index websites
based on the content found on each page of the site. With a thorough
understanding of the language and grammatical conventions combined with
intensive research, to find and exploit the market focus, one can move
a website to the upper echelon of the "SERP's" (Search Engine Results
Page) in a methodical as well as ethical manner.
2. Analyze Web Logs.
Measure everything, at least twice, and then check again. While I would
be the first to say that many of the procedures that make up website
optimization are more art than science, one needs to take a very
scientific approach to the results of the effort. This is done by
methodically keeping a record of, and making an analysis of the sites
web logs. There are a number of specialized software which make the job
easier but at the bare minimum, one needs to keep a close eye on the
site visitors and their activity while on the site. No matter how well
planned the strategy, it is largely theoretical until proven by the
results, which can only be measured by the logs, and a thorough
analysis of their content.
3. No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google, or any other search
engine.
Those who promise such feats will either optimize for such vague search
term phrases (such as, "green stunted widgets with purple Polka-dots
and icing") that no one will ever likely look for, or they are making a
false claim, which they have no intention of keeping, or they have an
inside edge at Google, something which they will loose, quickly, when
the honest folks at Google find out about it. The other option, that
they will take the money and run, is worth mentioning here but I'll be
polite.
4. Some things are just plain silly.
You don't need to submit your site to 50,000 search engines. Businesses
which offer this service are suspect, at best. 85% of the search
results on the Internet come from one search engine, which, if you have
one link from an established website, or better yet, a directory, will
find your site just fine, on it's own. Four (4) search engines account
for over 90% of the traffic on the web. As for any supposed benefit
which may accrue from being listed in an obscure search engine in
Botswana which specializes in safaris to the Kalahari Desert and
receives 7 hits per day; well, you figure it out.
5. SEO is not Pay-per-Click.
While no one would argue the effectiveness of getting increased traffic
and sales, through a well planned, pay-per-click campaign, the fact
remains that the conversion rates are generally low and they cease the
moment the "pay" stops. With a well planned and executed SEO campaign,
while results may take a bit longer, they continue to produce, and in
fact grow, long after the work is done and paid for. Quite often we
have found that after a thorough optimization of a site, only minor
adjustments are needed on an ongoing basis, primarily related to new
content and/or new items of sale or service.
6. SEO is not witchcraft, Druidism, shamanism.
Neither does it require any special chants, ceremonial fires, or
vestments, though some of us do like to howl at the full moon, on
occasion. There are no "Top Secret" practices which a reputable SEO can
not tell a client, a judge, or his mother, for that matter. The very
nature of the Internet has always been cooperative and there is nothing
about SEO that can't be learned, with a heavy dose of time and money. A
reputable SEO firm will give you an item per item breakdown of just
where the money goes. Be wary if you sense a secretive atmosphere or
any unwillingness to answer questions. While there are technical points
which might take some background to fully understand, if one has a
solid overview of the entire situation, a simple explanation should be
easy enough to come up with.
7. Do-it-yourself SEO.
Yes, you can execute your own SEO campaign and find a reputable SEO
firm to help plan and organize it for you. About one half of my own
clientele do some part of the actual work themselves, or have their
in-house dedicated personnel do it, after discussion of the goals and
aims of the business/website, a thorough website analysis,
comprehensive search phrase research, and focused instruction on the
ways and means of achieving high SERPs. These preliminaries are
followed up with a detailed program of suggestions and methods which
the client can then implement themselves or hire others to perform.
Average savings; 30-40%.
8. Phased Implementation.
While many companies spend thousands of dollars per month on Search
Engine Optimization, an alternative is available which will pay
dividends to you in increased sales and leads without the high initial
investment. The most important consideration is to have a reputable
firm handle the initial evaluation and suggested optimization planning
first. The trial and error method will cost much more, in the long run,
with or without the desired result. After studying the plan and
establishing a workable budget you may implement the plan as finances
allow.
9. Remember the old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is."
Never was this more true than in the realm of SEO. While concrete and
measurable gains will always come from a well thought out and executed
optimization strategy, the Internet is a competitive media and we all
want to be number one. Accept that a steady upward movement, over time,
will place you worlds ahead of a flash followed by a crash.
10. A thought to ponder.
At stake, in the race for the top, is the very existence of your
website, your business, and quite possibly your reputation. Beware of
any "shortcuts" or less than ethical schemes that anyone might suggest
to further your business goals. When it's all said and done it is you,
the business owner, who bears the responsibility for any company or
individual you hire. Insist on knowing exactly what the strategy is and
what steps are being performed to implement it. If it seems, in the
least, suspicious, ask for and get an explanation. In this case, not
only is Ignorance not bliss, it could very well be the beginning of the
end for your business.
11. All incoming links are not created equal.
Both the relevance to your line of business and website subject matter
and the PR value of the incoming link determine how valuable they are
to your own PR ranking. With Google starting the trend, nothing new
there, and most of the others following close behind, the days of
grabbing all the inbound links, in any way possible, are gone. Not only
will low ranked and/or irrelevant inbound links not help, they will, in
fact, cause a penalty. Link farms, free-for-all link schemes, automated
link accumulation software, or any other fad that doesn't carefully
screen the links and websites they are coming from will, in the long
run, do more harm than good.
12. It's more than just facts and figures.
The relationship between an online business and SEO is, perhaps, one of
the closest of business relationships. In order to be effective, a SEO
must know not only the facts and figures pertaining to the endeavor,
but s/he must know something of the dreams and aspirations of the
business principals. Things which don't normally come out in a
prospectus are often invaluable information when searching for the
"right fit" into the complex world of the Internet. My own clients
sometimes ask, due to the frequency of my calls and email in the early
phases, "Am I your only client?" I usually laugh and say something to
the effect that until I know your business almost as well as you do,
yes, you are the only one that counts.
About the author:
James 'Doc' Lewis spends much of his professional time as SEO for http://www.emeraldcoastentrepreneur.com/Emerald
Coast Entrepreneur. Doc started practicing his magic long before the
term SEO was even coined and continues to study and perfect methods of
workable and cost effective SEO and SEM, devising unique solutions to
diverse marketing challenges.
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