SEO Should Not Look Like Science Project
Often times I get phone calls from potential clients that start off telling me how they are looking for search engine optimization services and begin to ask for certain requirements on the strategy side of things. There is nothing wrong with that except that some of the requests look more like a recipe for a science project than actually online marketing efforts to help grow a business.
Since when did building a business online go from a traditional marketing mind set to a formula? Yes the search engines run on a mathematical algorithm but approaching the process of building an online business through quantitative efforts is not exactly the best approach. What if you hire a search engine optimization expert and they make the strategy look like a giant science project with no actual marketing elements? Sure you might get some keyword rankings but if your website has not one conversion marketing aspect on it corrected all the rankings in the world will not get your site to convert well or even at all. Major announcements have come out recently regarding significant changes in the ways that search results pull information and I can bet that this type of science project approach to search engine optimization is going to go away very soon. Since the day the search engines where introduced to the public the engineers have been working hard to clean up search results and get rid of websites that take scientific approaches like this. Long term search engine optimization is about creating in bound marketing efforts with quality content. Having well campaigned viral marketing efforts sweep through an industry like a giant wave or have well written articles, so well written that every online magazine and blog just has to write about it. This is what search marketing is all about, not how many PR3 links you can get in one month.
The definition of SEO is partially the fault of the search engines. Certain changes are consistently being made making everyone shift their focuses in other directions. It fundamentally starts at the search engine so if they allow it what else can you really do but follow the path that has been paved. This is the reason why so many businesses are just worried about rankings which is a horrible way to approach your online business. If your search engine marketing strategy for your company looks like something out of a chemistry class I think it might be time to rethink your plan a little bit. Some of the best SEO approaches have a strong emphasis and marketing and branding. Those three elements combined can go much farther than just rankings.
12 Responses to “SEO Should Not Look Like Science Project”
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I agree! Search engine optimization should not be a recipe. One of my websites it thriving (150,000 visitors per month)through the use of blog posts and YouTube.com videos. Another website, an art website, is experiencing nice growth by hosting the same images I have on my site on Flickr.com.
Consider what your product/service is, and then consider your marketing strategy.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for sharing your sites as examples. This is very true indeed, every site, product, company, etc is totally different and the SEO and marketing strategy behind it should be totally customized.
I agree on that. If you find yourself struggling to explain the difference between Google rankings and Google PageRank, that means there is something wrong the way you are handling your SEO projects.
Hi Andy, Thanks for this post and informing everyone to what online marketing should really be all about. Just because a site might be the first on Google’s SERPS definitely does not mean that it will convert those site visitors over to being paid customers. It definitely has a lot to do with conversions. Many SEO companies guarantee their clients that if they get to the top of the SERPS then they will be on their way to making lots of money. This is such a “myth” because if the company’s site isn’t correctly set up to convert those visitors, then the point of generating traffic to the site was worthless. Couple tips: Have a secure site, offer multiple payment options, offer information that is valuable to the reader and not just written for the search engines, visit other competitors sites to see what their sites are set up as, offer special bonuses and discounts, and at least have an opt in box above the fold so that people can leave their name and email address for future promotions. Finally, if a site doesn’t seem to be converting well, consider making some changes to it and start tracking the mechanisms and analyzing the conversion rates on an ongoing basis!
Nice article! I agree – to me quality SEO and search marketing is as much “Art” as it is “Science.”
Hi Christy Taylor,
Thanks for the additional tips and thoughts!
Math has never been my forte. But writing solid web content to motivate readers that has been properly optimized for the engines is. It’s not really any more complicated than that.
Hi Louise,
Thanks for the comment…you are 100% correct!
Interesting point! Many people who are kind of potential clients contact SEO companies and experts asking for things that aren’t in the realm of search engine optimization.
I think one major step that needs to be taken is more awareness of the nature of SEO so that site owners learn what to look for when they order SEO packages.
Hi Website Promotion Blog,
Very true in many cases they are indeed not in the realm. And awareness and education is always a good first step!
One thing (I think – aplogies if I missed it) to add to Christy’s comprehensive list of tips – have an unequivocal call to action on product pages. Often I see sites where I think I’d like one of those and am unsure what they want me to do next.
Another thing that drives me nuts is e-commerce sites that don’t have a contact phone number and an inquiry form that delivers a nice confirmation page with a reference number.
Sites that have shopping carts that insist that one complete a detailed registration before letting you proceed are stupid especially when you know that you will only ever buy one widget in a lifetime and who remembers the password six months later any way?
Hi Chris,
Excellent points and I agree with you 100% about ecommerce sites that require a username and password to proceed…this generally provides a very poor user experience.