SEO & keyword ranking reports

One of the questions we often get asked is: how often do you provide keyword ranking reports? Monthly, we answer. Can you provide it weekly, we get asked in return? Why would you need those weekly, we are tempted to ask, but choose to decline in a more polite manner.

Suffice to say, the obsession with "keyword rankings report" is one of those things a SEO agency has to live with. Not that it is totally bad--- afterall, it is one of the ways clients get an idea of what is happening with their SEO campaign. The problem is when that report is taken as indisputable evidence of the success or failure, or the competence or lack thereof, of the SEO agency.

The evolution of search engines means that position ranking reports need to viewed with a handful of salt. Search results may vary from location to location- why, even computer to computer. We've seen numerous examples where users sitting a couple of metres apart and searching for the same phrase have been shown a different set of results by Google, even when none of these users were logged in. So, how could one rely entirely on the ranking report, typically generated using a software?

The challenge for a SEO agency is to try and get clients (and often, prospects), focused on the right metrics. While Google Adwords says it very powerfully,"It's all about results", for us the focus has to be "It's all about results that matter".

SEO Simplified: 3 'simple' SEO tips for great search engine traffic

Most of us in the SEO business know of the scepticism with which we are viewed---- some 'luminaries' have even branded SEO professionals as glorified snake oil salesmen. SEO is not rocket science, they scream at every given opportunity.

You know what, they may well be right.

There are only 3 things anybody has to do to drive search engine traffic to your website through the roof. So, here are those 3 simple SEO tips.

Content: Create "great" content, "frequently".
Now "great" is very subjective isn't it. So let's qualify that further: Relevant, Topical/Timely.

Accessibility: Make that great content accessible
Accessible to both humans and search engine spiders....

Popularity: Make the great content/website you create "popular"-- Spread the word, make your site known.

Absolutely simple, isn't it? If you said, "Yeah, what the heck, I knew that. I want to know HOW", I'm glad.

That's the 'rocket science' SEO consultants & other SEO professionals get paid for to think and execute.

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SEO 'Quote of the Day':
Plan & prepare for (SEO) success, and you will achieve more (SEO) success by accident as well.

Using "link exchanges" in link building

Recently, I put up a question on LinkedIn on the use of link exchanges for link building purposes.

My main objective of putting up this question was to gauge what other folks in the SEO/ SEM community thought about these exchanges. I wasn't very surprised by the responses received either-- most folks were well meaning and suggested that I stay away from these exchanges. One person termed them as "glorified link farms" and many others advised against apparent artificial means to boost link popularity.

Fair enough. And pretty much in line with conventional wisdom on link building. Now, I haven't used these link exchanges yet to know them in full detail--- and I must admit, ignorance, fear and uncertainty about the potential consequences have prevented me from trying them out.

At the same time, prima facie I am not averse to the concept of these link exchanges, which I personally believe are different from the much abhorred "link farms" [not sure if there is a good definition for a link farm---- as far as I am concerned any page that has a lot of outbound links is a link "farm"; it is what "grows" there that should differentiate a good farm from a bad farm].

The reason why I like the concept is that such an exchange gives an opportunity for a webmaster to "advertise" his/ her website---- and whoever wants to provide a link to that website does so purely of his/her own accord. The choice of whether I want to provide a link to website XYZ rests with me, and I can make that decision based on whatever qualitative criteria I choose to apply to a particular site. From a web master's perspective, I think an opportunity to get in front of other webmasters who are open to evaluating your website and providing a link is an efficient way of creating visibility.

I don't know how many takers there would be for that arguement or perspective---- but I would certainly want to explore and experiment with the link exchanges to form a firm opinion one way or the other on their merits & value in SEO efforts.

Optimization for the Search User (OSU)

Bryan Eisenberg in a recent ClickZ column talks of the new SEO: End Searcher Optimization. I am fully in sync with the End Searcher Optimization bit, but I am not quite sure if the concept is indeed that new.

I used the term OSU (optimization for the search user) about two years ago [not that it is the most popular acronym on earth!]; there was another term that did the rounds about a year ago-- I think it was called VEO [visitor enhanced optimization], and now this one, ESO. I suppose they all mean pretty much the same: focus optimization objectives on the end user; understand the searcher and try to provide the searcher with what they need and what they expect.

In the ideal scenario, there would be a total convergence of what one provides one's target visitors with and how the search engines see the utility of what you provide to your target visitors.

All this again comes down to understanding that SEO is really about marketing---the medium is a search engine, that's all. By all means, SEOs have to understand the medium that we are using to market and have to do everything necessary to ensure that we are getting the most out of that medium, but problem is when the entire focus is on the medium and the market itself is forgotten. It's a disconnect that happens far too often.

Measures for SEO success

SearchEngineWatch columnist Mark Jackson in his article, Defining SEO success, writes about a common problem that some of us encounter quite frequently: convincing clients of the true measure of succcess of a SEO campaign. There are some who simply refuse to accept that it is not just about getting ranked at the top for ANY keyword THEY are OBSESSED with, but about trying to drive relevant traffic.

Surprisingly, it is sometimes people at the very top who have these weird obsessions-- even if they would not be too well-versed with search engine optimization/ search engine marketing, one would expect these senior managers to have a good understanding of their company's marketing objectives and what they are trying to achieve. Somehow, when it comes to SEO, they seem to forget/ ignore marketing basics.

I guess that's the problem--- even while more people are beginning to "get" SEO, they haven't been able to completely relate it to marketing. These seem to be seen as two different activities.

So, I have to write this again (and I don't get bored of saying it time and again): (i) SEO has to be seen in the context of one's marketing objectives and (ii) SEO is only a means to an end-- it is NOT the end in itself.