Austin SEO Tip - Beware of "Submission Services"

This search engine optimization tip is brought to you by the Austin SEO Guy -- search engine wisdom for Austin, Texas companies.

Stop me when this sounds familiar:

"We will submit your website to hundreds of search engines for only $199"

If you've been around websites long enough, you've probably seen an "offer" like this. Here's the truth of the matter -- such services are a waste of money better spent elsewhere. There are actually two things wrong with this picture.

First of all...
Once you get beyond the "big three" search engines (Google, Yahoo and MSN, in that order) , do the other 97 really matter?

Secondly...
Anyone with Internet connection can submit a website to a search engine. It doesn't take any special talent, so why pay for it? On top of that, you really don't even need to submit your site to the search engines. If a website is properly optimized, the search engines will find it and index it within a matter of days.

What's more...
The search engines report that the majority of submissions they get (up to 95%) come from automated scripting programs designed by unethical search engine marketers. These tools bombard the search engines with multiple, repeat submissions in the vain hope of improving a website's ranking.

Many search engine experts (myself included) agree that it's better for web pages to be found by search engine spiders during their normal crawling process. Build a well-structured website with plenty of content around a topic (like your local real estate scene), and the search engines will find you on their own.

What to take away from this...
Beware of search engine submission services.

-The Austin SEO Guy

Avoiding the SEO "Hunch"

This search engine optimization tip is brought to you by the Austin SEO Guy -- search engine wisdom for Austin, Texas companies.

It will never cease to amaze me how some website owners spend hours, weeks and months optimizing a website for search phrases nobody is searching.

An example:
I know an Austin-based company that sells graphic design services. Their company name and tagline make frequent use of the word "Awesome." So they optimized their website for the phrase "awesome design services."

They were so ecstatic when they began to appear on page 1 of MSN for "awesome design services" ... until I pointed out a harsh truth. Nobody is searching for the phrase "awesome design services" because it's entirely too vague and opens up a can of irrelevant worms.

In other words, they based their entire SEO strategy on one phrase -- and a useless phrase at that. Awesome design services could pertain to anything from interior design to flower arrangement. Not to mention the fact that you never build a website around a single key phrase.

There is no excuse for guessing at your key search phrases. There are a number of services you can use to research what key phrases people are searching. WordTracker (www.wordtracker.com) is one of the most popular.

A Happy SEO Ending
I taught the graphic design company how to identify relevant *local* key phrases and build a website around them the proper way. Now they appear for the right search engine phrases and get the right kind of inquiries ... local inquiries from qualified prospects!

Until next time,

Austin SEO Guy
AustinSEOguy.com