Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) may be the hottest concepts in marketing right now. For good reason — smart, ongoing SEO/SEM, integrated with larger strategic sales and marketing processes, can deliver measurable boosts in lead generation and conversion rates, increase brand recognition, extend market reach, and more.
But given the newness of the field and its esoteric technology, it's not surprising that hype is racing ahead of understanding. Kolbrener's in-house SEO/SEM team prioritizes educating clients, setting realistic goals, and doing the roll-up-your-sleeves, long-term work that genuinely impacts sales. But be aware that some practitioners have more of a Wizard of Oz model — exploiting the belief that their powerful SEO/SEM magic can instantly improve a business, adept at flashy appearances (10,000 web hits in one day!), but rather impotent when you get to the bottom line.
To understand why the most effective SEO/SEM is more like evolution than magic, let's "throw back the curtain" and look at a few important factors influencing search engine rankings:
Age of Links — Rankings depend on links, but that doesn' t mean simply quantity. Quality matters. Google combats mere link-binging with an algorithm that detects link building and ranks links using over 100 factors. Like good wine, quality links get better with age. Conversely, be wary of SEO/SEM "wizards" who boast about the number of links they'll add but shrug off your questions about quality.
Authenticity of Links — Link-building is the cornerstone of any SEO campaign, but it is most effective if it looks "natural." Google evaluates link activity — if your website adds few links for months then suddenly adds 100 in a week, you won't be rewarded with a big ranking boost. A good linking campaign is a long-term commitment — links must be added constantly.
Overall Trust of Your Domain — Google wants to provide high-quality search results, so sites they "trust" top their search lists. How do you earn Google's trust? Your site's age and your links from already trusted sources are key. When Google implemented a 2005 algorithm update (dubbed "Jagger" in some circles), it is said it began by assigning "trust" to approximately 200 websites. Trust then "trickles down" to sites linked from the 200, sites linked from those sites, and so on. You build Google-trust by linking to this chain, the higher the better — but it takes time, especially for newer websites.
Content, Content, Content — CNN doesn't need a linking campaign. Why not? Because people want to link to its content. The quantity and quality of content attracts links organically, keeping it at the top of search engine rankings. Similarly, Wikipedia dominates Google search results because 1) it's a trusted domain, and 2) it provides excellent information for end users. Remember that, as Google spokesperson Nate Tyler is quoted in Winning Results with Google Adwords: "Google search was never intended as a service whose sole purpose was to generate traffic for commercial sites." Bottom line? There is no substitute for valuable, authentic, regularly updated content. Companies often enter an SEO campaign with a list of search words and phrases they want to rank for — but substantive content related to those words and phrases must appear on the website for a campaign to succeed.
Change Is a Constant — Search engines constantly update algorithms, so last month's SEO/SEM magic may be ineffective today. SEO/SEM professionals must stay on top of industry developments and be forward-looking. Similarly, companies who hope to gain a competitive edge from SEO/SEM must be flexible, quick to adapt new tactics. With Google's Universal Search starting to roll out, this is more true than ever — you will need to evolve or perish.
Note that all of the factors above involve time — and often a fair amount of work. Are there shortcuts? Yes. But will they deliver the tangible results you want? No. When it comes to SEO/SEM, patience is crucial — even the most aggressive campaigns will take three to six months, or longer, to show their real value. Don't think of SEO/SEM as some magic to instantly boost sales — commit to it as an important, ongoing part of evolving your business.
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