Remember when search engine optimization (SEO) was as simple as adding a few keywords to your web page and getting your friends to link their website to yours? Those were the good old days weren’t they? Now it seems “SEO” companies are popping up everywhere, calling us on a daily bases suggesting they can get us on the first page of Google. So annoying!
Since Google’s inception (September 1998), SEO companies have continuously tried to figure out Google’s algorithms. Forcing Google to continuously update their algorithms. It’s been a never ending battle for Google to outsmart these SEO companies. But with the recent Penguin and Panda updates, it looks like Google just might have succeeded.
What do standard SEO companies do?
If you search for an SEO company now, they will all offer the same basic services;
1. Keyword research
2. Content optimization
3. Title and Meta tag optimization
4. One-way link building
5. Article writing and submissions
6. Directory listings
7. Social bookmarking
8. Web 2.0 submissions
These techniques worked for quite some time. Today, these techniques do offer some relevance in search engine rankings but for website owners that are marketing their websites the right way, these old techniques are becoming a thing of the past.
Implementing these old techniques is fairly simple for an SEO company. For the right dollar amount, they’d bring you thousands of backlinks, stuff your website with keywords and write hundreds of articles for submission. So, if you as a website owner had plenty of money to throw into an SEO campaign, you were making it difficult for your competitor to compete with you.
Google’s job is to provide the best, most relevant results possible. A company with a large marketing budget does not necessarily provide relevant information. If you sold shoes from your website, with the right amount of SEO, you could rank number 1 for coats. This system obviously does not bring the best search results.
So what Is Today’s SEO?
Today’s SEO must include the right mix of internet marketing along with article writing, backlink building and social media activity. If you are tied in with an SEO company and they are only offering the list of services I’ve pointed out above, drop that SEO company as soon as possible. Google knows what you are doing and they WILL penalize you.
The idea is not to BUY links, the idea is to EARN links.
How do you earn links? The concept is pretty simple, if you provide good content, a great service and a fantastic product, others will share it. They will share it on review sites, social websites and even their own blogs. Your job as a website owner is to create content that is fresh, unique, relevant and worthy of a referral link. You want as many people talking about you as much as possible.
If I were to break down SEO to it’s lowest common denominator, I would list these three aspects as the most important aspects of SEO;
1. Content
2. Content
3. Content
It’s all about content, and it should be. If your content is unique, fresh and relevant, then you should rightly take your place ahead of your competitor in the search results.
If your customers are happy with your product and or services, they will gladly talk about you. They will “Like”, “Retweet”, “Share”, “Comment”, “Review”, and do their best to tell the world about you.
SEO Is Not Quite Dead IF Done Properly
So what should you look for in an SEO company? Work with a company that understands internet marketing. Look for a company that understands how to engage with consumers. Find a company with a proven track record of building social media relationships. And, most of all, look for a company that will work closely with you to fully understand your business. You don’t want a company that works with thousands of other companies at the same time. How could they possibly get to know your business? Search for a local internet marketing company that you can sit with, face to face. Make sure they can answer all of your questions without hesitation, check their portfolio and finally, if they give you that warm and fuzzy feeling inside, hire them.
If you’re a Salinas, Monterey Bay area resident, we will be glad to sit with you to discuss your SEO/Internet Marketing plan. Our consultations and analysis of your website are free. Give us a call at 831-975-4524 or stop in at 426 Salinas St in Oldtown Salinas.