Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Three Common Myths
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Three Common Myths
If search engine optimization were easy or "straightforward", then most SEO firms would be out of business. On the contrary, most anything related to Internet marketing (namely search engine optimization) continues to grow in popularity. So is search engine marketing really that big? Yes, and “big” is the right word. Case in point… Rob Hof of Business Week states, "If you can believe it, Google's $144 billion market value tops that of Time Warner (TWX), Viacom (VIA), CBS (CBS), ad agency giant Publicis Groupe (PUB), and the New York Times Co. (NYT) combined."
Is it easy to grasp and successfully implement website changes for higher website rankings? To answer that question, let’s first consider a few things. It has been commonly understood that Google has more than 100 variables it uses to determine how to rank one website higher than another. And guess what? They don’t tell anyone what these ever-changing, variables are. Combine the challenge of trying to better understand Google’s "black algorithm box" with the fact that new competitors are always entering your market and what you have is a process that’s anything but easy. At the end of the day, improving ones’ website rankings in search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN requires painstaking and time-consuming testing and tweaking.
Myth 2: If I take all the right SEO steps, my website will organically rank number one in search engines within a week or two.
So to achieve higher organic search engine rankings, continual testing and tweaking are a must. But how long should one "test and tweak"? Indefinitely. Some websites may take a year and often longer to achieve top rankings. In many ways, we are all at their mercy. Sure, a website’s rankings can and often do quickly rise. However, beyond those initial increases, typically the amount of difficulty required to compete with the top contenders exponentially intensifies as you move closer to the top.
So how long does it take to "rank high" (which of course is often relative)? Well, it just depends. But to expect to rank high (and stay there) in two week or even two months may be overly optimistic.
Myth 3: Having a hip website is very important when it comes to obtaining high organic rankings.
Not true. Having a stylish website does not necessarily equate to high organic search engine rankings. Depending on what you mean by "nice", having a nice looking website can certainly be vital to a successful usability and branding strategy. But a website with very little visual appeal could beat out your competitor’s Flash-laden website in regard to organic rankings… 10:1. Case in point: the CraigsList website. CraigsList is not exactly the most stylish website on the Web and yet when you search Google for “online classifieds", CraigsList is right at the top of the list. It’s all about ensuring your website is "SEO friendly" not necessarily "cool".
Don’t get duped by these or any other SEO myths. Get good search engine optimization guidance from a certified search engine optimization analyst.
© Copyright Optimum Web Marketing, Inc. 2007. All Rights Reserved.
Search Engine Optimization SEO Three Common Myths - To learn more about this author, visit James D.'s Website.
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Myth 1: SEO is a fairly easy, straightforward process.
If search engine optimization were easy or "straightforward", then most SEO firms would be out of business. On the contrary, most anything related to Internet marketing (namely search engine optimization) continues to grow in popularity. So is search engine marketing really that big? Yes, and “big” is the right word. Case in point… Rob Hof of Business Week states, "If you can believe it, Google's $144 billion market value tops that of Time Warner (TWX), Viacom (VIA), CBS (CBS), ad agency giant Publicis Groupe (PUB), and the New York Times Co. (NYT) combined."
Is it easy to grasp and successfully implement website changes for higher website rankings? To answer that question, let’s first consider a few things. It has been commonly understood that Google has more than 100 variables it uses to determine how to rank one website higher than another. And guess what? They don’t tell anyone what these ever-changing, variables are. Combine the challenge of trying to better understand Google’s "black algorithm box" with the fact that new competitors are always entering your market and what you have is a process that’s anything but easy. At the end of the day, improving ones’ website rankings in search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN requires painstaking and time-consuming testing and tweaking.
Myth 2: If I take all the right SEO steps, my website will organically rank number one in search engines within a week or two.
So to achieve higher organic search engine rankings, continual testing and tweaking are a must. But how long should one "test and tweak"? Indefinitely. Some websites may take a year and often longer to achieve top rankings. In many ways, we are all at their mercy. Sure, a website’s rankings can and often do quickly rise. However, beyond those initial increases, typically the amount of difficulty required to compete with the top contenders exponentially intensifies as you move closer to the top.
So how long does it take to "rank high" (which of course is often relative)? Well, it just depends. But to expect to rank high (and stay there) in two week or even two months may be overly optimistic.
Myth 3: Having a hip website is very important when it comes to obtaining high organic rankings.
Not true. Having a stylish website does not necessarily equate to high organic search engine rankings. Depending on what you mean by "nice", having a nice looking website can certainly be vital to a successful usability and branding strategy. But a website with very little visual appeal could beat out your competitor’s Flash-laden website in regard to organic rankings… 10:1. Case in point: the CraigsList website. CraigsList is not exactly the most stylish website on the Web and yet when you search Google for “online classifieds", CraigsList is right at the top of the list. It’s all about ensuring your website is "SEO friendly" not necessarily "cool".
Don’t get duped by these or any other SEO myths. Get good search engine optimization guidance from a certified search engine optimization analyst.
© Copyright Optimum Web Marketing, Inc. 2007. All Rights Reserved.
Search Engine Optimization SEO Three Common Myths - To learn more about this author, visit James D.'s Website.
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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