The Secret to SEO Success
My recent post about the latest Google algorithm update prompted me to think about all the tactical changes and tweaks that are required to keep up with the always evolving technology in search marketing.
What I notice after a number of years in this business is that although the tactics do change, the strategies (at least the strategies we use) haven’t changed at all. This is partly because we’ve done our homework and we know what the end game is for the search engines – and that makes all the difference. I hear stories all the time of business owners who were at the top of the search engines and then when a search engine update comes out they find themselves “slapped” back to page 20 or page 100 or even taken out of the index entirely in some cases. This is unfortunate, unnecessary, and evidence of a focus on particular tactics rather than a high level strategic plan for SEO. The secret to being successful in SEO isn’t some new tool or awesome software or even technical knowledge or ability, although all of those things can help.
The key to success is to understand what the search engines are looking for and give it to them. So what are they looking for? You may want to write this down… it’s pretty profound. They are looking for the most relevant result. Stop and read that again. When someone types in a search into a search engine, the goal of the search engine is to render the most relevant result for that search.
For example, if I’m in Phoenix, Arizona and I’m looking for blue widgets, I’m likely to type in blue widgets, buy blue widgets, blue widgets in Phoenix or something like that. The search engines know that if they deliver relevant results when people type in a search term that those people will keep coming back and using the search engine over and over and that means big bucks for the search engine companies because they make advertising dollars on some of those search transactions.
So the higher level strategic issue for you as a business owner to understand is that if you can actually BE the most relevant result and present yourself that way, then you will eventually find yourself at the top of the search engines. All of the tactics, techniques and knowledge are secondary to that. As the search engines continue to evolve, get smarter and adapt their algorithms to find the most relevant results, gaming the system with techniques and tactics is going to become harder and harder and produce diminishing results.
So focus on marketing your business and being the most relevant result for your market. SEO is a tool in your marketing toolbox and part of a comprehensive marketing strategy rather than a magic pill. Follow this advice and you’ll have lasting success with SEO and you won’t have to worry about becoming invisible in the search engines or having your traffic and leads evaporate overnight.
Contact Renew today to see if an Online Marketing strategy is right for your business.
