Healthy Basics of Search Engine Optimization

How Much Google Can You Kiss?

Anyone who has ever had a website that hasn't reached its projected, or idealistic goal is sooner or later going to start wondering about search engine optimization (in short seo). Chances are you have already received at least one stylish spam e-mail from some SEO 'pro' telling you how they can make you the number one on all major search engines.

Tip #1: Forget about the spam using 'professionals'

These e-mails were not written for you, nor with your website in mind. Believe it or not, but even Google gets these SEO spam e-mails:

Nobody can guarantee any positioning with search engines. What is important is that the pages are constructed properly and that the site has something interesting to share or offer. Even ugly websites rank well. Even sites that are not optimized for search engines rank well. That is because it's all about the buzz that a web site creates. And the buzz develops naturally when there is something to buzz about. It really is that simple.

What the web designer needs to do is create a healthy site to give it the best possible conditions to thrive. The optimal start.

What the site owner needs to understand is that this is in no way a guarantee that the site will indeed rank well for the specified keywords. Is your site interesting? Do you have something unique to offer? If most of your pages are about what you do and what you offer, consider adding something else. Something to make your visitors say, or at least think, 'wow!'

Tip #2: Forget about search engines

It's really not as ridiculous as it sounds. Think about it. If you focus on your visitors, instead of the machines, chances are you will have better results overall: more visitors and a better ranking web site. So, the advice to forget about search engines basically means as much as 'forget about kissing up to search engines'.

By giving the search engines what you think they need you are fulfilling only a small portion of what is actually needed, therefore your results will never be quite as good.
By giving the visitors, the people what they need and/or are looking for, you'll get them to buzz about your website. They will talk about it, write about it, link to it - without being asked to. That is, ultimately, what you want.