A Simple Guide to Formulate the Proper Approach to SEO
The following is a post from Nikki Johnson, Vice President of Copywriting for TIG Global.
Granted, there are a ton of things that I respect and admire about search engine optimization, as one of the most effective forms of marketing in existence today. But here’s my favorite: At the end of the day, the underlying objective is simple and logical. Find ways to demonstrate to the search engines that you offer exactly what their users are looking for. The goal of the engines, after all, is to display sites with the greatest relevance to any given search term, as a means of maintaining loyal usage by Web users. Subsequently, your mission – as a marketer interested in ranking for a particular keyword – is to show that you justifiably belong in the top results for this phrase, as a source of credible information for this topic, with legitimate value to offer users searching for it. Let this straightforward principle be the guide to everything you do from an SEO standpoint, and you’re well on your way to success.
Poke around in any SEO forum for long enough, and you’ll inevitably find an argument about whether or not the old adage that “content is king” still reigns, given the increasing shift of power to “off-the-page” factors in today’s search-engine algorithms. There is no doubt that the environment has changed considerably since TIG Global was first founded – and it will continue this steady evolution indefinitely, as the search engines uncover more effective ways to cut through the clutter and identify the best sources of information for any particular keyword. But here’s what I find comforting, despite the never-ending stream of changes in this field: Ultimately, the end goal remains exactly the same. The key to success has always been a matter of demonstrating solid relevancy.
In recent years, the terms white hat and black hat have been applied to the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) industry. Black hat SEO tactics such as spamdexing, attempt to redirect search results to particular target pages in a fashion that is against the search engines' terms of service, whereas white hat methods are generally approved by the search engines. White hats tend to produce results that last a long time, whereas black hats anticipate that their sites may eventually be banned either temporarily or permanently once the search engines discover what they are doing.
Thus, in formulating an SEO strategy, it helps to think beyond your own marketing objectives for a moment, and reflect upon your website and associated efforts from the following viewpoints:
1. Consider your campaign from a search engine’s perspective. How does your website compare against other sites that rank well for the keywords you’re looking to target? Why are the highest-ranked sites in your field so successful – in terms of demonstrating relevancy to targeted keywords – and how can you incorporate these elements and / or improve their integration into your own campaign? When viewed against other sites vying for placement for these terms, do you have a realistic shot at showing up within the top-ten results? If you find yourself at a significant disadvantage against larger, more well-established competitors, you may want to consider an adjusted set of keywords – by focusing either on “longer-tail” phrases or terms that are a little less competitive, but significantly more targeted – where you have a better chance of appearing on the first page of results consistently. Once you’ve achieved solid traction for this alternate set of keywords, you can start to add more competitive terms to the mix, and build your campaign in stages.
2. Consider your efforts from a user’s perspective. In targeting any given keyword, think about the type of information that an online user will be looking for when typing it into a search engine. Does your site offer legitimately helpful content associated with this term? If not, think about the type of info you need to add to demonstrate your site’s clear relevancy to this phrase. Give careful consideration to your competition, from the perspective of a consumer. How does your site stack up against other sites positioned for these same keywords, in terms of providing the relevant information that they’re looking for? What can you add to your website to ensure that they find what they need – and ultimately follow through on your call to action?
At times, it can be very easy to get caught up in the seemingly endless list of keywords that could potentially be targeted to drive traffic to your site. But in order to achieve desired results for these terms, it helps to consider them from the perspective of both the search engines and the users ultimately inputting these phrases. Are they likely to find what they’re looking for through your website? If not, action is required, either to: (1) add a considerable amount of information with high relevance to these phrases to your site, or (2) shift focus to alternate keywords with greater relevancy, which are more likely to rank on the first page and convert successfully. In many cases, PPC results can be used as a test platform – to see which terms are the most effective targets for your SEO efforts, based on the level of conversion observed.
Admittedly, the specific tactics involved in search engine optimization continue to increase in complexity – as more players enter the scene, existing contenders learn to compete more effectively, and new dimensions are added to the list of ranking factors that require attention. However, as a marketer, you can find some reassurance in the fact that the overall objective will always remain perfectly straightforward. Think about the types of keywords that will drive qualified customers to your site, and look for ways to demonstrate relevancy to these terms. In an industry defined by continuous evolution, this is one source of guiding light that you can count on to illuminate the way.
Found your own secrets to success with SEO? Drop us a line in the comment box below to let us know your thoughts!
Interested in learning more about search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, or the other Internet marketing solutions available from TIG Global? Click here to learn more, or give us a call at 301-841-4700.
