print email stumble Digg

Don't Get Hosed on SEO

Tommy Humphreys

| January 18, 2010

Image by: iStock

Before you go shopping for search engine optimization services, you should know what you're paying for.

Search results: who needs 'em? Well, everyone, actually. But you shouldn't have to sign away your first born to show up as the top hit on Google. If you follow my advice, your red-headed step-child should also be safe from harm.

SEO is not a black box

Search engine optimization is not the dark art that some self-proclaimed gurus make it out to be. In fact, it's fairly well known what makes search engines tick. Technically, there are hundreds of factors to consider, but just a handful – such as properly written tags and the number of inbound links to your site – account for the bulk of the ranking.

Learn how to fish

You could pay a consultant $500 a month for the next five years to optimize your site, or you could pay one $500 for an afternoon to sit down and teach you the basics. How does that saying go? Teach a man to tag, and he optimizes for a lifetime?

Do (some of) it yourself

Most content management systems (like Drupal and WordPress) have plugins that let you write your own tags and descriptions, once you have the know-how. And while things like how many people link to your site – the #1 search result factor – may seem beyond your control, remember that it's ultimately up to you to create a site worth linking to.

Social media will get you more traffic

As long as your site is reasonably well optimized, it will be findable – provided someone is searching for you. On the other hand, social media tools like Twitter, Digg, and Delicious (the Internet's version of word-of-mouth) can spread your link like wildfire – provided it's good. This type of linking will also do more to improve your search results in the long run.

"Traffic + Conversion = Profits"

So says my Internet marketing colleague Adam Killam. Once the visitors start pouring in, you need a conversion strategy and obvious call-to-action buttons, like "Sign Up For Our Newsletter," "Work With Us," and "Get In Touch." As another wise man once said, "don't make me think!"

So if search optimization is so simple, why pay someone else to do it? Well, it still requires some expertise, not to mention time and effort. If you continue to outsource the task, just make sure you're paying for a legitimate service, like analytics, keyword research, or on-page optimization – steer clear of dicey "juicing" techniques and anything else that sounds too good to be true.

If, on the other hand, you decide to take it on yourself, just be sure to closely monitor your statistics. If, after a few months, you're still not happy with the results, by all means pick up the phone and call in a professional. At least now you'll know what you're searching for.

Tags

Keep in mind that SEO is a

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2010-01-19 09:02.

Keep in mind that SEO is a subset of the bigger world that is Internet Marketing. Just like book keeping could be seen as a subset of accounting or as a stand alone service, SEO is much the same. If you need to keep on top of your monthly numbers or need a financial statement put together, you might turn to your book keeper. If you need to manage a growing, multi million dollar firm, you'd likely turn to a CGA, CMA or CA. There's a big gap in what these people can achieve for you even though the fundamentals are the same. SEO is no different. If you have a serious business that is in a competitive industry, the usual things that most people talk about in regards to SEO will not be enough for you to compete just like your book keeper will not be able to run your multi million dollar public company. You need a comprehensive web marketing strategy of which SEO would likely be one aspect. If you have the resources to do some of the work in house, focus on content creation and interacting with your target customers online via social networks and tools designed to get you talking to people who can buy from you. Content comes in many shapes and sizes, it can mean text, video, audio and interactive presentations and more. Focus on bringing your expertise to light and how your company helps your customers solve their problems. This type of activity will bring you more benefit than trying to learn the ins and outs of SEO on your own much like hiring an accountant is likely better for your business than you trying to sort out the numbers on your own.

It's true. Unless you have a

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2010-01-18 12:26.

It's true. Unless you have a 1mm+ item catalogue or are competing for a hyper-competitive keyword, this stuff is pretty straight-forward and unintimidating. Spruce up your title tags, toss in a good meta-description or two, and make sure that relevant sites/directories are linking to your content and you'll have 80% of the benefit of an expensive SEO campaign. Of course, if your content is truly great none of this matters. There are some terribly-SEOed sites that rank well for popular keywords just because the content is so good that people can't stop linking to it. Try for that route first: it is way more fun than spending hours fussing with internal redirects for a 5% improvement. Also, remember: you are making a website for people. Human beings use search engines. Repeat that to yourself a few times before you get carried away creating a website for machines.

Awesome article !!! Thanks

Submitted by BobSongs (not verified) on Mon, 2010-01-18 11:31.

Awesome article !!! Thanks ! I think for so many of us, SEO was something that is, as you say, a Black Box, or a rabbit drawn out of a hat... intermittently. Many of us have a fair capacity for learning, and I'm finding it very interesting learning about Twitter, Blogging and a few SEO "tricks" all at the same time ! I've had a webpage for years, but because I'm "tweaking" my new Blogsite... I'm already getting more traffic and hits than I am on my established page ! (And I don't know what I'm doing yet !!!) Thanks again ! Cheers, Bob Gray - http://Blog.BobSongs.com

Opinion

Blogs