The Relative Value Of Search Engine Optimization Principles

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

Search Engine Optimization experts disagree. A lot. Kind of like radio commentators during election season. And that’s why you’ll often find conflicting advice or contradictory statements from one search engine optimization blog to the next. The interesting thing is every Search Engine Optimization professional thinks he’s right and the other guy is wrong. Could it be that maybe every Search Engine Optimization pro is right?

In a relative sense, Search Engine Optimization is not necessarily about what is true or factual, but about what is effective. If it works for me then I believe it’s true. Someone else could disagree and still be just as right.

For instance, some Search Engine Optimization gurus will tell you that having your keyword in your domain name isn’t necessary. To be sure, there are many domains that do not have the necessary keywords in them and they are still very popular and successful:

• Flickr
• JohnChow.com
• del.icio.us
• You name one

There are a lot more examples, of course, but I don’t want to bore you. Looking at the list of successful websites that don’t have a keyword in the URL, you’d think it isn’t necessary just as these Search Engine Optimization firms say. But other SEOs will tell you that having the keyword in your URL will give you an edge in the search engines. And I believe they have a valid point. Both camps.

On the one hand, keywords in the URL are not an absolute necessity. Flickr has proven that. But all other things being equal, having the keyword in your URL will improve your competitive edge.

Consider these relative facts:

• Every search engine has a different set of algorithms used to determine rankings
• Google has more than 200 ranking factors in its algorithm
• All the search engines frequently update their algorithms
• The competition for every keyword is different

Every Search Engine Optimization agency has his own style. Some like to focus on link building. Others like to focus on developing content. Others may emphasize site infrastructure more. Some web designers are awesome at developing templates that are cool and search engine friendly, but they aren’t very good at coding metas. To each his own.

When it comes to good Search Engine Optimization, it’s more important to understand the principles involved in ranking a site well and to use those principles that apply best to a particular situation. For instance, Google doesn’t like interlinking between real estate websites. So a real estate broker in Alberta linking to an agent in Florida isn’t going to do either of them any good. But two agents in Jacksonville, Florida linking to each other will do them both wonders. On the other hand, reciprocal linking between two freelance graphic artists where one is in Florida and the other is in Alberta is perfectly acceptable. It’s important to know how the Search Engine Optimization principles will work for your industry.

The more you know about Search Engine Optimization, the better able you are in diagnosing problems and fixing them. If you don’t know the Search Engine Optimization solution, maybe you should call someone who does.