SEOSEOWhat is it, and why What is it, and why

do I Need it?do I Need it?

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Get in the RaceGet in the Race

A famous coach once said “Get in the A famous coach once said “Get in the Race or Fall Behind.” Race or Fall Behind.” This applies to This applies to SEO in particular. SEO in particular.

Why SEO MattersWhy SEO Matters

Each year, more websites enter the Each year, more websites enter the fray known as the internet market, fray known as the internet market, and most of them get eaten alive and most of them get eaten alive within a year, ending up in debt. within a year, ending up in debt. Why? Complete underestimation of Why? Complete underestimation of SEO.SEO.

So, What IS SEO?So, What IS SEO?

SEO stands for SEO stands for

SSearch earch EEngine ngine OOptimization. ptimization.

It refers to the act of making websites It refers to the act of making websites easier to find by search engines like easier to find by search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, and most any Google, Yahoo, MSN, and most any other engine you have ever used.other engine you have ever used.

SEO:SEO:Why Do I Need It?Why Do I Need It?

Why do I need Search Engine Why do I need Search Engine Optimization?Optimization?

Without search engine optimization, Without search engine optimization, your site cannot be found on organic your site cannot be found on organic (“free”) search engine results on the (“free”) search engine results on the major search engines like Google, major search engines like Google, Yahoo and others.Yahoo and others.

SEOSEOIs Optimization Enough?Is Optimization Enough?

Is it enough to optimize the pages on your site?Is it enough to optimize the pages on your site?The answer is No…The answer is No…unless you don’t care to have unless you don’t care to have

people ever see your site on Google’s 1people ever see your site on Google’s 1stst page of page of results.results.

Search Engine OptimizationSearch Engine Optimization involves more than just involves more than just optimizing a few pages on your website. There are…optimizing a few pages on your website. There are…– Inbound LinkingInbound Linking – Google determines importance – Google determines importance

of your optimized content by how many quality of your optimized content by how many quality links are linking to your sitelinks are linking to your site

– Quality of Inbound LinksQuality of Inbound Links – Link farms won’t help. – Link farms won’t help. Your friends’ sites probably won’t help. Mainly, Your friends’ sites probably won’t help. Mainly, only sites dedicated to your industry will, only sites dedicated to your industry will, including, more recently, social media.including, more recently, social media.

SEOSEOIs Optimization Enough?Is Optimization Enough?

[CONTINUED…][CONTINUED…]

– Directory Submissions Directory Submissions – The hardest submission to – The hardest submission to make properly.make properly.

– Search Engine Submissions Search Engine Submissions – Some count, others – Some count, others just don’t.just don’t.

– PortalsPortals – These are sites that deal with your industry – These are sites that deal with your industry and its top keywords and key phrases.and its top keywords and key phrases.

– Cross-LinkingCross-Linking – This is when you link from one page – This is when you link from one page to another among pages on your own site.to another among pages on your own site.

Without Without ALLALL of these in place in the proper proportions for your of these in place in the proper proportions for your specific site type and industry, it is unlikely your site will ever specific site type and industry, it is unlikely your site will ever reach Google’s Top10 –unless your keyword phrase is “rubber reach Google’s Top10 –unless your keyword phrase is “rubber baby buggy bumper stickers in blue”. baby buggy bumper stickers in blue”.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO Issues

Inbound LinkingInbound LinkingThere are many frequently shifting rules for There are many frequently shifting rules for

inbound links these days. Google has inbound links these days. Google has encoded these rules in its algorithm it uses encoded these rules in its algorithm it uses to rank the keyword relevance of websites. to rank the keyword relevance of websites. SEO professionals must watch Google and SEO professionals must watch Google and adjust over the course of time to learn adjust over the course of time to learn what these rules are and how to maximize what these rules are and how to maximize them to advantage.them to advantage.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesCross-Linking Cross-Linking – It helps to cross-link – It helps to cross-link on your site, but to what degree is it on your site, but to what degree is it safe? Google allows a good deal of safe? Google allows a good deal of this, but how much is enough or too this, but how much is enough or too much? You probably don’t know, but much? You probably don’t know, but a professional SEO company will.a professional SEO company will.

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesDirectoriesDirectories – They count higher than – They count higher than a thousand minor engines in the eyes a thousand minor engines in the eyes of Google. of Google. – Problems: Problems:

Operated by Finicky Human EditorsOperated by Finicky Human Editors

Usually difficult to get acceptedUsually difficult to get accepted

Difficult to submit a site properlyDifficult to submit a site properly

Only SEO pros typically know how to get a Only SEO pros typically know how to get a submission accepted most quicklysubmission accepted most quickly

Key SEO MythsKey SEO MythsMeta Tags are 90% of SEO Meta Tags are 90% of SEO - Google cares - Google cares more about optimized site structure, more about optimized site structure, navigation and content than about meta navigation and content than about meta tags. tags.

Content Is IrrelevantContent Is Irrelevant – Without good – Without good content, not only is a site less likely to content, not only is a site less likely to influence social media bookmarking and influence social media bookmarking and viral promotion habits by users, it may be viral promotion habits by users, it may be penalized by a human editor at Google!penalized by a human editor at Google!

Key SEO IssuesKey SEO IssuesBlack Hat TechniquesBlack Hat Techniques

As the name implies, these are “illegal” As the name implies, these are “illegal” or frowned upon from the standpoint or frowned upon from the standpoint of most search engines and in of most search engines and in particular in the eyes of Google. If particular in the eyes of Google. If your site’s code raises the red flag your site’s code raises the red flag and a human monitor finds you are and a human monitor finds you are flouting the rules, your site could flouting the rules, your site could disappear from view indefinitely.disappear from view indefinitely.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

And now for some SEO…And now for some SEO…

Q & AQ & A

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

Q:Q: If Google cares more about content than If Google cares more about content than meta tags, meta tags, why can’t I do it myselfwhy can’t I do it myself??

A:A: The likelihood of not getting it right The likelihood of not getting it right when DIYing your way through SEO are when DIYing your way through SEO are immense, and to be expected. That immense, and to be expected. That means: penalties, lost time, lost revenue means: penalties, lost time, lost revenue opportunities.opportunities.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

Q:Q: Can’t I just go around SEO and Can’t I just go around SEO and use AdWords?use AdWords?

A:A: Yes, but by putting off SEO, Yes, but by putting off SEO, AdWords becomes a crutch that AdWords becomes a crutch that prevents a site from learning to walk. prevents a site from learning to walk. Customers also trust a site they can Customers also trust a site they can research instantly. research instantly.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

The Time FactorThe Time FactorQ:Q: How much time does it take to take a How much time does it take to take a

site from 50+ position to Google’s prized site from 50+ position to Google’s prized Top 10, or even the Top 5?Top 10, or even the Top 5?

A:A: For an already skilled SEO technician, For an already skilled SEO technician, about 2-4 hours per day, 5 days a week, about 2-4 hours per day, 5 days a week, for up to 6 months or more. Got some for up to 6 months or more. Got some spare time on your hands?spare time on your hands?

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

If you said YES to that last question, here’s If you said YES to that last question, here’s a follow-up:a follow-up:

Q:Q: Do you have another 6-12 months to Do you have another 6-12 months to master SEO before moving forward with master SEO before moving forward with SEO objectives? SEO objectives?

A: A: We’ll let you answer that one yourself.We’ll let you answer that one yourself.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

Q:Q: “What if I use a ‘Black Hat’ optimizing “What if I use a ‘Black Hat’ optimizing technique without realizing it?”technique without realizing it?”

A: A: Google and most other engines Google and most other engines assume culpability and penalize or even assume culpability and penalize or even ban an offending site. Appeals are given ban an offending site. Appeals are given less weight than is the process of policing less weight than is the process of policing results for AdSense and Adwords uses.results for AdSense and Adwords uses.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

Q:Q: “If Google bans my site, what then?” “If Google bans my site, what then?”

A: A: Either you get a new site, or you’d Either you get a new site, or you’d better saddle up to pay for AdWords. better saddle up to pay for AdWords. Either way, you’re never going to get a Either way, you’re never going to get a decent position on Search Engine Results decent position on Search Engine Results Pages anytime soon.Pages anytime soon.

SEO SEO Q & AQ & A

In ClosingIn Closing

To those with the 6-12 month To those with the 6-12 month learning curve timeframe to spend learning curve timeframe to spend learning white hat versus black hat learning white hat versus black hat techniques, and the 6 months or techniques, and the 6 months or more required to take a site from more required to take a site from nowhere to Top10 on Google, we nowhere to Top10 on Google, we salute you. To all the rest, check out salute you. To all the rest, check out our eContentManager packages our eContentManager packages today.today.

Thank You!Thank You!

Need professional proven SEO assistance with Need professional proven SEO assistance with YOUR site? Check out our eContentManager YOUR site? Check out our eContentManager SEO Subscription packages today. We SEO Subscription packages today. We guaranteeguarantee Google progress on your monthly Google progress on your monthly progress report for any and every month after progress report for any and every month after the 2the 2ndnd month or we halt your payments until month or we halt your payments until the progress IS there.the progress IS there.

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