SEOSEOWhy do I Need It?Why do I Need It?

© 2008 Interface Communications Group

A famous coach once said “Get in the A famous coach once said “Get in the Race or Fall Behind.” Race or Fall Behind.” This applies to This applies to SEO as well. SEO as well.

Each year, more websites enter the Each year, more websites enter the fray known as the internet market, fray known as the internet market, and most of them get eaten alive and most of them get eaten alive within a year, ending up in debt. within a year, ending up in debt. Why? Complete underestimation of Why? Complete underestimation of SEO.SEO.

What is SEO?What is SEO?

SEO stands for SEO stands for

SSearch earch EEngine ngine OOptimization. ptimization.

It refers to the act of making websites It refers to the act of making websites easier to find by search engines like easier to find by search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, and most any Google, Yahoo, MSN, and most any other engine you have ever used.other engine you have ever used.

SEOSEOWhy Do I Need It?Why Do I Need It?

Why do I need Search Engine Why do I need Search Engine Optimization?Optimization?

Without search engine optimization, Without search engine optimization, your site cannot be found on organic your site cannot be found on organic (“free”) search engine results on the (“free”) search engine results on the major search engines like Google, major search engines like Google, Yahoo and others.Yahoo and others.

SEOSEOIs Optimization Enough?Is Optimization Enough?

Is it enough to optimize the pages on your site?Is it enough to optimize the pages on your site?The answer is No…The answer is No…unless you don’t care to have unless you don’t care to have

people ever see your site on Google’s 1people ever see your site on Google’s 1stst page of page of results.results.

Search Engine OptimizationSearch Engine Optimization involves more than just involves more than just optimizing a few pages on your website. There are…optimizing a few pages on your website. There are…– Inbound LinkingInbound Linking – Google determines the – Google determines the

importance of your optimized content by how importance of your optimized content by how many rich text links are linking to your sitemany rich text links are linking to your site

– Quality of Inbound LinksQuality of Inbound Links – Link farms won’t help. – Link farms won’t help. Only sites dedicated to your industry will, or Only sites dedicated to your industry will, or portals created especially for your site or sites portals created especially for your site or sites just like yours.just like yours.

SEOSEOIs Optimization Enough?Is Optimization Enough?

[CONTINUED…][CONTINUED…]

– Directory Submissions Directory Submissions – The hardest submission to – The hardest submission to make properly.make properly.

– Search Engine Submissions Search Engine Submissions – Some count, others just – Some count, others just don’t.don’t.

– Portals Portals – These are sites that deal with your industry – These are sites that deal with your industry and its top keywords and key phrases.and its top keywords and key phrases.

– Cross-LinkingCross-Linking – This is when you link from one page – This is when you link from one page to another among pages on your own site.to another among pages on your own site.

Without ALL of these in place in the proper proportion, it is Without ALL of these in place in the proper proportion, it is unlikely your site will ever reach Google’s Top10 –unless your unlikely your site will ever reach Google’s Top10 –unless your keyword is “rubber baby buggy bumper stickers in blue” , in keyword is “rubber baby buggy bumper stickers in blue” , in which case, knock yourself out. No one will likely race you for which case, knock yourself out. No one will likely race you for that 1that 1stst place result. place result.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO Issues

Inbound LinkingInbound LinkingThere are many rules for inbound links these There are many rules for inbound links these

days. Google has encoded these rules in days. Google has encoded these rules in its algorithm it uses to rank the keyword its algorithm it uses to rank the keyword relevance of websites. SEO professionals relevance of websites. SEO professionals must watch Google and adjust over the must watch Google and adjust over the course of time to learn what these rules course of time to learn what these rules are and how to maximize them to are and how to maximize them to advantage.advantage.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesCross-Linking Cross-Linking – It helps to cross-link – It helps to cross-link on your site, but to what degree is it on your site, but to what degree is it safe? Google allows a good deal of safe? Google allows a good deal of this, but how much is enough or too this, but how much is enough or too much? You probably don’t know, but much? You probably don’t know, but a professional SEO company always a professional SEO company always will.will.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesDirectoriesDirectories – They count higher than – They count higher than a thousand minor engines in the eyes a thousand minor engines in the eyes of Google. of Google. – Problems: Problems:

Operated by Finicky Human EditorsOperated by Finicky Human Editors

Usually difficult to get accepted intoUsually difficult to get accepted into

Difficult to submit properly toDifficult to submit properly to

Only SEO pros typically know how to get a Only SEO pros typically know how to get a submission accepted quicklysubmission accepted quickly

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesMeta TagsMeta Tags - Google cares more about - Google cares more about content than meta tags. So using content than meta tags. So using Dreamweaver or other editors to assemble Dreamweaver or other editors to assemble meta tags is mostly useless, except for a meta tags is mostly useless, except for a very small few.very small few.

ContentContent – This is the text on your site, – This is the text on your site, including a lot of the keywords that help including a lot of the keywords that help visitors find your site. It also includes the visitors find your site. It also includes the names of your images and other files.names of your images and other files.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesBlack Hat TechniquesBlack Hat Techniques

As the name implies, these are “illegal” As the name implies, these are “illegal” or frowned upon from the standpoint or frowned upon from the standpoint of most search engines and in of most search engines and in particular in the eyes of Google. If particular in the eyes of Google. If your site’s code raises the red flag your site’s code raises the red flag and a human monitor finds you are and a human monitor finds you are flouting the rules, your site could flouting the rules, your site could disappear from view indefinitely.disappear from view indefinitely.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

And now for some SEO…And now for some SEO…

Q & AQ & A

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

Q:Q: If Google cares more about content than If Google cares more about content than meta tags, why can’t I do it myself?meta tags, why can’t I do it myself?

A:A: Many can and do. But then the site still Many can and do. But then the site still sits in the water due to lack of sits in the water due to lack of understanding about the other factors understanding about the other factors which are still missing. And then there is which are still missing. And then there is the time factor.the time factor.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

Q:Q: Can’t I just go around SEO and Can’t I just go around SEO and use AdWords?use AdWords?

A:A: Yes, you can, but by putting it off, Yes, you can, but by putting it off, you will be paying for AdWords for you will be paying for AdWords for the life of your business. Also, the life of your business. Also, Customers tend to trust a name they Customers tend to trust a name they can Google instantly.can Google instantly.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

The Time FactorThe Time FactorQ:Q: How much time does it take to take a How much time does it take to take a

site from 50+ position to Google’s prized site from 50+ position to Google’s prized Top10?Top10?

A:A: About 2-4 hours per day, 5 days a week, About 2-4 hours per day, 5 days a week, for up to 6 months or more. Got some for up to 6 months or more. Got some spare time on your hands?spare time on your hands?

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

If you said YES to that last question, here’s If you said YES to that last question, here’s a follow-up:a follow-up:

Q:Q: Do you have another 6-12 months to Do you have another 6-12 months to master SEO? If not, you may find that your master SEO? If not, you may find that your master work lands you either severely master work lands you either severely penalized or banned from Google for a penalized or banned from Google for a year or more. year or more.

A: A: We’ll let you answer that one yourself.We’ll let you answer that one yourself.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & AIf you said YES to that last question, here’s If you said YES to that last question, here’s a last follow-up for you:a last follow-up for you:

Q:Q: What if I use a “Black Hat” optimizing What if I use a “Black Hat” optimizing technique without realizing it?technique without realizing it?

A: A: Google and most other engines will Google and most other engines will assume you did realize it and penalize or assume you did realize it and penalize or even ban you anyway, whether or not you even ban you anyway, whether or not you knew what you were doing.knew what you were doing.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & AIf you said YES to that last question, here’s If you said YES to that last question, here’s a follow-up:a follow-up:

Q:Q: If Google bans my site, what then? If Google bans my site, what then?

A: A: Either you get a new site, or you’d Either you get a new site, or you’d better saddle up to pay AdWords. Either better saddle up to pay AdWords. Either way, you’re never going to get a decent way, you’re never going to get a decent position on Search Engine Results Pages position on Search Engine Results Pages ever again.ever again.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

In ClosingIn Closing

To those with the 6-12 month To those with the 6-12 month learning curve timeframe to spend learning curve timeframe to spend learning white hat versus black hat learning white hat versus black hat techniques, and the 6 months or techniques, and the 6 months or more required to take a site from more required to take a site from nowhere to Top10 on Google, we nowhere to Top10 on Google, we salute you. To all the rest, check out salute you. To all the rest, check out our eContentManager package our eContentManager package today.today.

Thank You!Thank You!

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