SEO, Search Engine Optimization, as an activity, has gone through many phases and changes over the years since it became a legitimate method of promotion and marketing. The idea has always been the same. The website listed at the top of the search results for the relevant keywords to any business, will bring the most traffic to that business, resulting in more customers and ultimately more profits.
Search engines have algorithms that rank websites per the keywords that are being typed in by the user. For instance, “gourmet pizza in miami” gets typed in by a user, and the search engine displays a list of websites of gourmet pizza restaurants in miami.
Since the algorithm is essentially a computer, and since computer guys are the ones who deal with computer stuff, SEO started out as being a highly technical activity, in an effort to get websites ranked by the search engine algorithms for the desired keywords that would help the sales of the business trying to get the traffic.
However, over the years, as the algorithms have evolved, the algorithms have caught on and are now being written to ensure that people are having the best user experience possible. Most of the new updates are aimed solely at eliminating spam from the search engine results. Yes, spam finds its way into this area too.
What we mean by spam in search engines is the aspect of having a website listed in the search results that shouldn’t be there. The idea behind this would be that, if you aren’t the most popular gourmet pizza restaurant in town, however, you are listed at the top of the result for “gourmet pizza”, the search engine will give the impression that you serve the best gourmet pizza and you will have those customers coming to you instead of the other guy.
Instead of using technology to automate processes, think about using technology to enhance human interaction.
Let’s be real here, when we say Search Engine, we mean Google. And Google has an entire department dedicated to web spam. This is the department that deals directly with the search algorithm. Meaning, don’t spam the internet!
Therefore, the best way to SEO your website is to completely be real about who you are and what you do. The concept, from a marketing standpoint, is simple: Someone out there will want your product and service for exactly what you do. You are the best at something, display that and talk about it. Represent yourself and highlight what you are. And then do that again and again. Of course there is a technical aspect to creating the page in such a way that the search engines will see the content and index you according to what the subject of your page is about. That’s where the professionals come in. However, in today’s landscape, the professionals should have their main focus be on the online PR aspect of the campaign. The technical side is just a given.
Once properly executed, you will have content that interested people will want to read, displayed in such a way that those users can find it. You’ll be surprised at how many people are looking for exactly what you do and how you do it. Those users, will become the best clients. And those are the users you want to become your customers. You started your business because you believed you delivered a service or product that people want. The best way to get those exact people is to represent yourself exactly as your are. With proper web practices, you will attract those people, as the internet magically creates these connections.
