| h Engine Optimization. Big words. Sounds | | | | value they may have had in the past. |
| Important. What is it? If you do a search in | | | | Those methods, along with many others, are |
| google for the web definition of search engine | | | | simply tricks that temporarily work. Alot of |
| optimization, you get a lot of different results. | | | | search engine optimization companies all keep up |
| Some simply say that search engine optimization | | | | with the latest tricks and shortcuts. They may |
| is the generic term for making sure your site is | | | | even get you some good results in the |
| optimized to appear as one of the top ranking | | | | short-term. But what happens when the search |
| web sites on a search. | | | | engines catch onto the trick? |
| Others get more detailed with their definition and | | | | I’m glad you asked. They stop letting that |
| say search engine optimization is the term used | | | | trick or shortcut work. They may even penalize |
| to describe the marketing technique of preparing | | | | the websites that used it. They penalize you, the |
| a web site to enhance its chances of being | | | | customer, not the search engine optimization guru |
| ranked in the top results of a search engine once | | | | who used the trick and charged you for it. |
| a relevant search is undertaken. | | | | Whenever one of these companies tells you it |
| A number of factors are important when | | | | has “inside information”, |
| optimizing a web site, including the content and | | | | “ex-search engine company |
| structure of the web site's copy and page layout, | | | | employees”, “guaranteed search |
| the HTML meta-tags and the submission process. | | | | engine placement”, guaranteed top 10 |
| Is it important? That also depends on which | | | | placement”, or “secret |
| definition you believe and who you ask that | | | | methods”, a red flag should go up in your |
| question to. If you ask someone who runs a | | | | mind right away. |
| business and charges for search engine | | | | If you start a business offline, like a restaurant or |
| optimization, they will tell you it is the most | | | | a store, you know that besides the money you |
| important thing you will ever do for your website. | | | | will have to put up, you will also have to work to |
| At each SEO website, they will tell you they are | | | | make it a success. It is no different when you |
| the number 1 SEO company on the web, even | | | | start a business online. You have to work at it, if |
| though each of them has a completely different | | | | you want to be successful. |
| method of optimizing your website. | | | | If search engine optimization is not the most |
| If you ask many self-appointed webmaster gurus | | | | important thing you can do to become successful, |
| in some of the webmaster forums, they will tell | | | | what is? Again, I’m glad you asked. |
| you the same thing, then each one will tell you a | | | | Promotion. Do not depend solely on being found |
| different way to do it and they will all disagree on | | | | by the search engines. Search engines are fickle |
| the most important aspects of search engine | | | | creatures and what is today’s #1 can be |
| optimization. | | | | tomorrow’s #100 just because they |
| So the confusion continues for the average user | | | | decided to change the way they give relevance |
| and the SEO companies love it that way. If the | | | | to websites. Continually chasing this dream is a |
| consumer doesn’t understand what you | | | | total waste of time. |
| are doing, you don’t really have to do | | | | There are other sources of traffic out there. |
| very much and just say you are doing a lot. Most | | | | Would you rather have 1000 hits from a search |
| of them would never work on your website on a | | | | engine for one of your minor keywords or have |
| contingency payment plan, one based on actual | | | | 100 hits from someone who read an article you |
| results and performance. Some say money back | | | | wrote and came to your website because they |
| guaranteed, but read the fine print. | | | | liked what you hadto say? |
| A lot of these businesses are based on the fact | | | | If you chose the thousand hits, you don’t |
| that people who are new to the web and even | | | | get it yet. Out of that 1000 hits you might |
| some of those who have been online for awhile | | | | convert 2 of them into sales. Out of the 100, you |
| do not know what search engine optimization is. | | | | may get as many as 20-25 people who want to |
| They know that with more and more people | | | | buy from you. Conversion rate is more important |
| coming onto the web for the first time, their | | | | than how many hits you get to your website. |
| business is secure. They can continue to tell | | | | Write articles about your website, about your |
| people that without their service the website will | | | | products, about relevant topics to your products |
| fail. | | | | or services you wish to sell. Distribute or submit |
| I’m not saying all search engine | | | | those articles to article submission websites that |
| optimization companies are rip-offs. Some of | | | | provide free content to webmasters. |
| them really do their best to get good rankings for | | | | You may write one article like the one I am |
| their clients and know what they are doing. A lot | | | | writing now and have 100 webmasters want to |
| of them still really believe that search engine | | | | use it as content for their website. That would |
| optimization is the key to success on the web. | | | | mean there is suddenly 100 other websites on |
| It isn’t. How’s that for a | | | | topics related to your product that now contain a |
| statement? I know a lot of web designers will | | | | link to your website. (see the footer below |
| disagree. I know a lot of SEO companies will | | | | contains links to my website and is to be included |
| disagree. But simply put, search engine | | | | when this article is reprinted.) |
| optimization of your WebPages is not the most | | | | That increases your link popularity without the |
| important thing you need to do to succeed on the | | | | need for a company to optimize you. Just by |
| web. | | | | submitting your article to several article submission |
| Let’s break down some of the things that | | | | websites, you increase your link popularity, but |
| are included in the phrase search engine | | | | when those webmasters start to republish your |
| optimization. | | | | articles, you will see a huge increase in your page |
| Metatags are one of the things these gurus tell | | | | rank and the quality of your traffic. |
| you is important. Metatags are all but dead. | | | | Some people write one article per month and |
| Search engines, especially google, ignore metatags | | | | others write one or more per day. It depends on |
| for the most part. | | | | you. How fast do you want your website to |
| Having them in does not hurt you, but go do a | | | | grow? |
| search on any topic besides web design or search | | | | How much time do you have to invest? If you |
| engine optimization, etc. and you’ll find that | | | | are not good at writing articles or do not have |
| IF the websites at the top of the search results | | | | the time, hire a writer to ghost-write them for |
| have metatags at all, they usually only have the | | | | you with your byline and your links inthe footer. |
| description and keywords metatags. | | | | So that we are clear. Search engine optimization is |
| Well they also have the title tag, which is | | | | necessary, but by no means the most important |
| sometimes referred to as a metatag, but it is | | | | thing you can do for your website to make it |
| actually the only metatag you need to have. | | | | successful. I would not pay a lot of money for |
| Keyword Optimization is something the gurus will | | | | this service. Promoting your website IS the most |
| tell you is very important. Some will tell you they | | | | important thing you can do. Articles are just one |
| know the exact percentage of text that should | | | | of the methods you can use to promote your |
| be your keywords. Yes, keywords are very | | | | website. |
| important. Do they know what percentage the | | | | Advertising, buying links on relevant websites, |
| search engines will want to read for the best | | | | posting in forums and blogs with related topics, |
| results? No. | | | | putting your link in your signature line, are some |
| When writing copy for your website, you must | | | | of the other ways you can promote your |
| be conscious of the keywords you wish to | | | | website. |
| promote. Don’t pick too many keywords | | | | My Checklist: |
| and try to optimize each page of your website | | | | 1. Be conscious of the keywords you wish to |
| for twenty different things. If you do, it will not | | | | target with each webpage you build. Write your |
| be relevant for any of them. That isn’t | | | | text for the reader, then go back and add your |
| guru talk, that’s just plain old fashioned | | | | keywords without destroying the flow of your |
| common sense. | | | | text. |
| Remember that search engines crawl web pages, | | | | 2. Make sure the website is easy to navigate and |
| not web sites. If you choose just one or two | | | | user-friendly. Don’t assume the customer |
| keywords per webpage that you wish that page | | | | knows the web site as well as you do. Make it |
| to be optimized for, then you can optimize the | | | | simple. Make it easy to find the buy button! |
| page easily and write text the user will want to | | | | 3. Once the website is built, quit worrying about |
| actually read. | | | | the newest search engine trick or optimization |
| Write your sales text the way you would with | | | | technique as some like to call it. |
| only the user in mind and with making sales in | | | | 4. Search for blogs and forums with related topics |
| mind. Then go back and reread the page. | | | | and sign up for them and participate in discussions |
| Find places where you can add in your keyword | | | | with your link in your signature line. |
| without destroying the flow you created when | | | | 5. Write articles about related topics and submit |
| you wrote the text in the first place. | | | | them everywhere or buy a service like that will |
| Now, do you need to hire an SEO company to do | | | | do the submissions for you. If you cannot write |
| that? Do you know your product? Do you know | | | | the articles, hire someone to do it for you. |
| how to sell your product? Then you need to write | | | | 6. Don’t do link trades with websites that |
| the text. If you do not wish to write the text, | | | | have less traffic than you do. Buy links on |
| then hire a writer. You still don’t need a | | | | websites that have more traffic than you and are |
| search engine optimization guru. | | | | on a topic related to your products or services. |
| Some search engine optimization experts will tell | | | | This article in no way claims to have listed all the |
| you they can increase your link popularity. They | | | | ways you can use to promote your website. |
| use a variety of methods. They create websites | | | | What I have done here is tried to explain to you |
| where they put all of their clients website links so | | | | what is or is not important to creating and |
| you will have links to your website. The search | | | | maintaining a successful website. I hope this helps |
| engines call these link farms and discount any | | | | you. |