A Formula For SEO Success

Sunday, 16 November 2008 01:00

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a big business these days. It's easily been the fastest growing web based industry in the past few years. I see many businesses asking for it, without having a real understanding of what they're asking for. On the other end, I see many "SEO experts," offering to get sites to the top of the search engine listings for, "$300 SPECIAL!!!" The buyers are inviting bamboozlement and the sellers are peddling snake oil, not search results.

There are professionals out there who can get your business to page one, but they're probably not doing it for $300 as part of a Thanksgiving special. And while I don't claim to be an expert at SEO, I do know a thing or two about it. I can compress my knowledge and experiences into one valuable formula, that if you examine, I think you will find to be sound and appeal to common sense. Hopefully, it will save you some heart ache and give your SEO expectations some perspective.

The Patent-Pending Blue Bridge SEO Formula

Step One: K.I.S.S.

If you want to purchase effective SEO for your website, simply type: "SEO hometown, state" into the search query of your favorite search engine. For example, "SEO Portland, OR." You can multiply the power of this technique by adding variations to it and seeing who comes out on top. "search engine optimization Portland", "page one rankings Portland or."

My reasoning(like my mind) is fairly simple: if a SEO specialist can't do for themselves what they profess to be able to do for you, why should you hire them? Also, if a SEO expert can't compete for page one in a much smaller industry, how are they going to make your site competitive in a much larger one? Chances are, there are far fewer Internet marketing businesses in your town than whatever industry you're in (flower shops, attorney's, mechanics, and etc.)

"But John-- The guys who do show up on page one cost an arm and a leg!!!"

And to you I say, "It's time to dance like a pirate or consider another course of sail."

The truth is that for any given phrase that a person types into the Google search bar, there are literally hundreds of thousands of sites competing for relevance in the eyes of Google. You probably have very little chance of competing for any of the keyword phrases you want (i.e. "bridal shower, Portland or") and will still find yourself in a battle for the keyword phrases that aren't an exact fit of what you're selling. If you hire a SEO expert, they can make you competitive, but they have to be good.

Step Two: Quit

Step one is to find a SEO pro off of page one of your searches and call them up. If you find that they're out of your price range, my recommendation is to give up (If they are in your price range: hire them and consider step two as just another piece of the puzzle.)

Nobody likes a quitter, but you know who is even more unpopular? Sore losers. Step two is all about avoiding being a sore loser.

It's an unfortunate truth, but in SEO, second place is really just first loser. It's been awhile since I last read the stats, but I believe it was something like: 70% of searchers choose the number one site that pops up, %20 hit two and three, and %10 check out the rest of page one. Almost no searchers visit page two, or three, or ten of the results.

With web design and development, you can get a return on a conservative investment. Though your contact form might not be coded as tightly as if you spent big money on it, it will still work. Though your site's design is not as sharp as it would be if you hired a big design firm, it's still attractive. However, in search engine optimization it's different: bargain hunting is not going to land you on page one, and having the expectations that it will is setting yourself up for heartache.*

How are you going to feel when you dumped $300 on some guy that's not returning your phone calls and, after a year and an extra $200 you spent on a link campaign, all he got you to was page 8? Probably a little embarrassed and a little pissed off. That's why step two is quit.

The rationale that convinced you that you needed SEO in the first place was this: "What good is it to have a website, if no one ever sees it?" And it's a great point, but SEO is not the only way to gain traffic on the Internet.

In fact, the quickest and surest way to get gains in your web traffic is to actively promote your website. Some examples of this:

• Take out an advertisement in an industry journal and put your web address in bold across the bottom.
• Put a big sign on the side of your building that says, "It brought me to laughter and than to tears. Thank you, http://yoursite.com"
• Tell every customer that comes into your shop, "Hey, have you checked out our website? We're giving coupons for $5.00 at the Dancing Bare(Portland Gentleman's club) to customers who fill out a survey about our company."
• If you have already have a mailing list, let people know about your new site.
• Send out 4x6 postcards that highlight the fact that your company now has a web presence.
• Use paid Internet advertising(PPC)

The truth is web site traffic relies upon only two things: that people are aware of your site and that your site provides something of value to them. It doesn't matter how you get there, just that you fulfill these two goals.

To sum it up, step two is to look for alternate means of gaining traffic if you can't afford quality SEO. Market your website through word of mouth and traditional advertising and marketing. So long as your site is offering something of real value, you will see a sustained increase in traffic and a better return on your investment.

*In my opinion, sub excellent SEO is not a worthless service. It better organizes your site, cleans your code up, and connects you to the rest of the Internet. In short, it builds a solid foundation to grow off of. My company offers such a service(though I call it, SEO Prep, not "sub excellent SEO" ;-) .) The expectation that you're paying someone to significantly increase your site's traffic is what is misguided.