5 Things You Need to Know About SEO September 23, 2011 by Sarah Bauer BA English Literature

“It’s an art form.”

You wouldn’t expect to hear these words from the mouth of an SEO expert, right? Equating search engine optimization skills with creativity and “art” seems as out of place as Mickey Rourke at a tap-dance class.  But get talking to the men and women who dedicate their careers to cracking the current algorithms which determine the rankings of search query results on Google, and the craft of the game becomes very clear. Improving Google search rankings for a specific URL is a challenge, and an art form.

Today we will review five aspects of the current SEO “game” that make this service a demanding task for web marketing teams. With some insight into the tricky, ever-changing realm of SEO, you can then count your business amongst the wiser companies vying for that top spot on Google searches. It’s not as easy as some SEO companies might have you believe.

Before we get started, let me explain algorithm a bit better. An algorithm is the process or set of rules which specify how to solve a problem (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=algorithm). Google uses algorithms to instruct computers how to complete a search query. The orderly list of links on each page of a Google search is pre-determined by the calculated specifics of the algorithm. It involves the number of key words within a site corresponding with the search query, amongst other qualifications. As a mathematic process, it can be re-worked to attain different results. Different results mean different sites on the front page.

So now that we’ve got a handle on Google’s search result process, let’s discuss some things you need to know about SEO:

1.       The rules are constantly changing: Google announced last February (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/finding-more-high-quality-sites-in.html) that a major algorithm change was being implemented to combat content farm sites that were making the top of search queries with poorly written content and advertisement saturation. Sites like hubpages.com and ezinearticles.com, known notoriously for its e-capitalizing motives, were going to fall from their top placements, to make room for quality content. Suddenly, the emphasis on packing website content with keywords was not nearly as relevant as writing useful information that a searcher could look to as a resource. The game had changed. SEO experts had to adapt their methods to fit this new requirement. And that’s the challenge of playing the Google game: constantly adapting to its algorithm specifications for the most effective climb to the top of search queries.

2. Quality ranking improvement takes time: Don’t believe the “Quick Results” SEO service companies claims of “30 Days or Less” for top-ranking Google search spots. Getting your business’ website to the top of Google search queries and keeping it there requires time and energy. The “speedy” results of these SEO services are often undependable, and the workings of underhanded SEO methods. Depending on what search query you aim to have your business website rank high with, getting your site to the top of the page could a month at the least. Which brings me to my third point:

3. The more specific the search query you aim for, the higher your business could rank: Since search engine algorithms are designed to understand specific phrasing (http://dejanseo.com.au/advanced-search-queries-for-students/), the more specific your targeted top search ranking phrase can be, the better results you can expect for your web site. For instance, competing with all the other real estate agents in Vancouver for top ranking in a “vancouver real estate agent” search query could be next to impossible.  But if you take something specific about your business-perhaps you specialize in selling mid-level condos-and make that your search query target, your ranking will be much higher. Now you’re competing with a smaller pool of web site players. Searches for “condos mid-range Vancouver” could increase your chances of appearing on the first page.

4. Dirty fixes will be penalized: Any business owner who boasts of having his or her site ranking at the top of a highly coveted Google search query mere days or weeks after employing a SEO service provider better not get too comfortable up there. A quick change in site rank often comes at the cost of “dirty” or “black hat” techniques. Methods like keyword stuffing, link farming, and blog comment spam, are traceable by Google, and punishable by rank banishment.

5. It’s worth it: Quality search engine rank improvement for your small business is an investment, but one well worth it in today’s current web-based business climate. With Yellow Pages nearing obsolete status as a resource for finding services, it is becoming increasingly important to have a strong web presence. According to research conducted by searchguru.com, as of July 2011, Google accounts for 65.9% of search traffic (http://www.thesearchguru.com/search-stats.asp). Over 77% of the North American population uses the Internet.

Navigator Multimedia offers SEO packages to fit a variety of budgets and search engine query goals. Call today for an appointment to see how we can assist your business in ranking at the top of Google searches! You can expect honest, passionate service from specialists who are crazy for SEO as an art form.

We Like Our Apps Support You Can Count On