Is It Worth The Time And Effort To Learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 10:47 pm

Search engine optimization refers to any efforts that are required to try and get your web site into the top rankings of Google (and others) search engine listing results when someone searches for your “keyword phrases”.

Everyone loves successful search engine optimization, because you can get lots of traffic…and…it’s free! The problem is, that no one really knows how Google decides where to rank your site and when it will show up. Any expert that tells you that they know exactly how Google’s ranking works and/or guarantees that you’ll get into the top spots (for a fee, of course), is being less than truthful. For this reason it is important to understand SEM tactics so you won’t be taken advantage of.

Even so, there are proven techniques that you can employ to get your site into the top of the listings.

Business owners have big challenges when it comes to search engine optimization:

* Often, Google doesn’t even know their site exists (this is VERY common)

* Even if Google does know about their site, it never shows up in search engine listings.

* Even if their site does show up in some kind of search, it’s hardly ever the “keyword phrase” that the owner would like

* Even if the owner could dictate to Google what keywords to show the site for, most business owners don’t know which words
and phrases are the money makers!

11 Things To Know About SEO:

1. Content. Content. Content. Effective, professional, optimized Copy writing 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. Think original, well articulated and informative.

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.

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. Three (4) search engines account for over 90% of the traffic on the web – Google, MSN and Yahoo.

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. There is nothing about SEO that can’t be learned, with training and time. 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.

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.

10. 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. I

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.

These are not insurmountable but point to the need to to get training. Learn and understand what you’re doing and you will have highly profitable campaigns.

Put in the simplest manner possible, organic SEO is search engine optimization done manually using no black hat methods, no underhand methods and no automated scripting. It is the purest form of optimizing your website for the benefit of search engines, while still retaining interest for your site visitors, and done well it is exactly the thing that search engines are looking for in a website. Once they find it they will reward your site with better rankings and improved positions within the search engine results pages.