Got Web Ideas? Fishing for the Answers?
Think Outside The Code First!
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Facts, Thoughts, and Opinions About Web Development and Business Strategy
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Any time that I speak with potential clients I am always asked, "Can you do Search Engine Optimization?"
It is an understandable question. After all, getting good rankings means free traffic. However, the
terminology and process is often misunderstood. Search Engine Optimization is something that should be done
by any Web developer, be it static HTML design or data driven, when they build Web pages for clients.
And guess what? It is not hard.
The Search Engine Optimization Specialist
Also known and advertised as an SEO Specialist.
This is a person, and service, that no longer exists. 5+ years ago, they were all over the place and a
few still claim to exist today. But they don't. It is a dead science. Long gone are the days of a
diverse Search Engine market where the likes of Yahoo, Google, AltaVista, HotBot, Dogpile, AskJeeves,
etc... all shared the SE world and all had ranking criteria readily available to the peeps. While these
sites may still offer searching services, Google handles the vast majority of searching these days.
When Websites are optimized for Search Engines in the present day, they are optimized for Google.
Google takes 100+ factors in to account when ranking a page. What those 100+ things are or when Google will
change their ranking algorithm such that one factor will be given weight over another is something that
no one will ever know. It is proprietary information. Hence, no one can offer a service that guarantees
a higher ranking in Google. The only thing that someone can do is take a Website that has a poor chance
of ranking high in Google and improving on that. How much will it improve? Depends on many factors in
addition to the 100+ Google factors mentioned above.
How Do You Achieve Good Ranking in Google?
By following the rules and guidelines in the many articles that can be found by searching Google for
"Search Engine Optimization". There are literally hundreds of articles that have been written by various
people about build Search Engine friendly pages. Some vary in technique, a few may have odd ball things
to try, but most of them say the exact same thing. Once a developer reads and understands these things,
they are now a modern day Search Engine Optimization Specialist - just like the developers who wrote them
and the other developers who have read them. It is all up to Website content at this point.
Developers should already know how to do these things while guiding a client in making sure that their content
is relative (more than just a few
short words whenever possible) and incorporating proper page titles and META descriptions. They should also
encourage clients to build deep
Websites - the process of using more pages to display information instead of trying to put it all on one page.
That is about all there is to it. If you build deep Websites with
proper page titles, proper descriptions for the page, and add a handful of keywords that are used in the page
then you have done all you can do. OK, there may be a couple of other tricks I know, which I am not going to relinquish,
but you have optimized as best you can with what you know about Google.
You will need a developer to do this, as HTML coding will need to be done. In the case of data driven Websites, there may
need to be a couple of special
things incorporated so data driven pages can have relative page titles, descriptions, and keywords. However, this should
all be done when the developer initially builds the page or changes the page. Any Web developer, static or data driven,
should know the fundamental basics of creating search engine friendly pages. Unfortunately, many of them don't or they
do not take the time to incorporate them.
Don't Over-Emphasize Search Engines
As stated, Google takes 100+ things in to account when ranking pages. Those things can change on a dime and you will
have no way of knowing what changed or why. You are only going to get it so good. Trying to rack your brains on
Search Engine ranking or spending thousands to try and get your pages #1 and keep them there will not do any good.
You need to concentrate more on Website content, quality and depth of information, and other marketing techniques
for your business. Search Engine traffic and rankings come in time.
Over the course of time, your Website should continue to grow in traffic permitting you keep it up to date and
work on alternative marketing strategies. As your Website continues to blossom, more people will link to it
in prominent places such as other articles, message boards, or blogs. This also helps rankings as long as
links to your Website are in prominent places. Don't start writing to other Webmasters asking them to add
links to you on link partner or similar pages. Google largely ignores such pages. Of course, writing
to your local newspaper or other Organizations in your niche and asking them to write an article about you
on their Website is highly beneficial.
I have always incorporated search engine techniques for clients when building Web pages for them and why not?
It only takes two seconds and it is hardly rocket science. I also have an outstanding track record of getting good
search engine rankings for clients. Twice in the last year I have made major improvements in rankings for two clients
whose Websites I took over. I did not use any techniques I could sell for $19.99 nor am I trying to tote myself as the
God of Search Engine Optimization. The former developers simply had not done it, at least correctly.
There is not anything ingenious about Search Engine Optimization nor can anyone truly advertise himself or herself as an SEO
specialist unless they truly have inside information about how Google is ranking pages right now, when that will change,
and what will change. And I assure you that will never happen.
A quick Google search will return hundreds of resources for making pages Search Engine friendly. SE techniques
should not be foreign to anyone doing Web development and a developer has no excuse not to do it when building pages
for clients. Clients should be aware of this and warned not to spend a boatload of money on a supposable Search
Engine Optimization Specialist. If you have a Web developer then you should already have one.
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• Different Users Get Different Search Engine Results
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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• Cuil Search Engine Launched
Monday, July 28, 2008
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• Let Your Search Engine Rankings Come to You - Part II
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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• Let Your Search Engine Rankings Come to You
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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• Faster Search Engine Indexing
Friday, July 11, 2008
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