How to Optimize Your Website for Free - New Article

Do you need to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to optimize your website properly? Of course not. The SEO companies who make their living from optimization would like you to think it's beyond your ability. But this is simply not the case.

In truth, anyone with a basic ability to edit web pages can optimize a website for better search engine rankings. And that's the topic of a new article I've posted to the website:

Website Optimization - The DIY Approach

The purpose of this tutorial is two-fold. First, I want to explain what it means to optimize a website properly, and how that fits into the broader picture of SEO in general. Secondly, I've given you step-by-step instructions on how to optimize your site, with links to related tutorials.

If you've been wondering what it takes to improve the search engine visibility of your website, and whether or not you need to pay somebody for such services, this article is for you! It will help you understand what's involved with optimizing a website for SEO, and then you'll be able to decide if you need help or not. As always, my position is that you can certainly do it yourself. But you can make your own decision after reading this article.

This lesson is part of our SEO Learning Center, which offers hundreds of tips on search engine optimization, web writing, link building and more. Check it out!

Clush Directory - Another Web Directory to Avoid

From time to time, we use the SEO blog to either recommend certain services or to steer you away from them. Web directories often fall into this realm, and that's what I'm writing about today. Specifically, I'd like to share my experiences with the Clush directory and why I feel you should avoid using them at all costs.

My problems can be summed up quite easily. The folks who own the Clush directory do not respond to customer emails, and they have no interest in fixing their own billing errors.

I made the mistake of listing a website in the Clush directory last year. Actually, I listed nearly a dozen websites with them. I began to email them several months ago with billing questions. Nobody responded. So I called the number that is listed (but practically hidden) on their website and got voicemail.

Recently, I was charged for the renewal of a subpage ... for a listing that is no longer included in their directory. I have emailed them about it several times but (as usual) nobody feels the need to respond to my queries, or to correct the erroneous charge. So now I will have to go through the trouble of disputing the charge with my credit card company.

Here's what really blows me away. I had fully intended to renew all of my website listings on an annual basis. And I would have done so, had they simply responded to my emails and resolved this issue. But they chose to throw my business away (and prompt webmaster warnings like this one) because they are too lazy to respond to my emails.

But this isn't about me. This is about you. I hate to see other webmasters experience the same headaches and hassles that I've had. So, based on my own personal experience, I strongly recommend you avoid using the Clush web directory.

An Invitation to Clush - Add a Response

I'm a reasonable guy. So if the people who own this directory would care to respond, I will gladly post that response right here on the blog. Of course, I won't be holding my breath.

SEO Marketing Program for Hard Economic Times

by Brandon Cornett

The U.S. economy is in the worse shape it's been in for many years. Consumers are spending less, banks are lending less, and major financial institutions are falling down like dominoes.

But as a business owner, you can't just throw in the towel. You have to push forward through these troubled times. At the same time, you have to be conservative. You need to find ways to bring in business while spending less on your marketing program each month. This is where I often sing the praises of search engine optimization / SEO marketing programs ... and with good reason.

About 90% of my business comes from people who find my website online, and then go on to contact me. Many of my clients enjoy similar levels of Internet success, because I've educated them on the subject. How do we bring in steady streams of new business through the Internet? Simple. We realize the value of search engine visibility, and we work hard to achieve it through SEO marketing techniques.

I define Internet visibility as the ease with which people can find you online. It directly corresponds to website traffic, which in turn corresponds to web-based leads, inquiries and sales. You can increase your Internet visibility in several ways, but search engine optimization is the brass ring in this department.

Doing More With Less - How SEO Marketing Helps

Now more than ever, it's important to squeeze as much success from your marketing program as possible. You have to be responsible with your budget and focus on techniques that bring maximum results in relation to the investment you make. SEO marketing is the perfect solution for reducing your marketing budget, especially if you handle it yourself. And let me be the first to tell you -- you can handle much of the program yourself, even if you have no Internet marketing experience. I've even created an SEO Learning Center for this very purpose.

An SEO marketing program is like a gift that keeps on giving. With other forms of marketing, your exposure stops as soon as your payments stop. Take magazine ads for example. The moment you stop renewing your ad spot, the publisher will pull your advertisement. Goodbye exposure. The same goes for TV advertising, radio, newspapers, the phone book ... even pay-per-click search marketing.

With SEO, however, the results are long lasting. Yes, it takes a lot of time and energy to achieve top rankings. But those rankings will remain for a long time, and with a minimal amount of program "maintenance."

Recession-Proof Marketing Strategy

Let me give you a prime example of what I'm talking about. One of my past clients worked in the real estate industry. She realized the value of Internet visibility years ago, so she began a concentrated effort to improve her web presence. Naturally, I helped with the SEO marketing side of things. One of her close competitors relied more heavily on direct mail marketing and TV advertising, both of which can be quite expensive over time.

When the housing market began to slow down along with the economy, my client's competitor could no longer afford to spend as much on her paid advertising campaigns. So her marketing program and her exposure basically dried up.

My client, on the other hand, had been working hard on her web presence and her search engine visibility. So when tough economic times hit, she was perfectly positioned to "coast" right along. She didn't have to spend a bunch of money on paid advertising -- she had a steady stream of business leads coming in through her website. Low-cost marketing at its best! But none of this would have been possible without the SEO program she started several years ago.

What Ants Know About SEO

It reminds me of Aesop's fable about the ant and the grasshopper, which is basically a lesson in proper preparation. In that story, the carefree grasshopper played all through the summer, while the industrious ant worked hard to store food for the winter. When the winter came, the grasshopper was ill prepared for it. The lesson is simple. It is best to prepare for the days of necessity before those days come.

If, down the road, you would like to have a perpetual marketing system that requires a minimal investment of time and money, then you must be like the industrious ant here in the present. By starting an SEO marketing program now, you will enjoy a steady stream of business later on.

Search Engine Optimization Consulting

by Brandon Cornett

So you've been researching ways to get more business from web, and you found out about something called search engine optimization consulting services. It's a mouthful, to be sure, but what does it mean? In this post, I'll explain SEO consulting services are, how they can help you, and how to choose a competent search engine optimization company.

In order to understand what these consulting companies do, you must first understand the nature of search engine optimization (SEO). In essence, the goal of these programs is to help you improve your website's ranking in the major search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask. Actually, the ultimate goal of an SEO program is to increase the number of qualified visitors to your website. In this context, "qualified" means people who are most likely to need your products and/or services.

So when you seek search engine optimization consulting services, you are seeking a company who can help you boost your website's visibility and traffic levels. That's the nature of what these companies do. Now let's talk about how they do it. Or at least, how they should do it.

SEO Consulting Tools of the Trade

Essentially, search engine optimization boils down to three main components -- link popularity, website content, and overall website structure. I know that a lot of SEO consulting firms will argue with me on this point, but that's only because it's in their business interest to argue the point.

You see, the last thing a search engine optimization consulting company wants you to know is how fundamentally simple it is to increase your rankings. They want you to think it's a highly technical, overly complex field ... that way you'll be more inclined to hire them for their services.

I never fool my clients into thinking SEO is beyond their ability. My clients come to me not because they can't perform SEO work, but because they don't have the time or desire to do it. But I digress. Back to the subject at hand...

So with those primary components of SEO in mind, it makes sense that a search engine consulting firm should be able to help you with these things. They should be able to increase you link popularity (the quantity and quality of other websites that link to yours), as well as your website content and structure. So when screening these companies, be sure to ask what they will do to help you in these areas.

Search Engine Optimization Consulting - Or Legwork?

You should also find out how much of the actual production work a consulting firm is going to do for you. This is something that varies widely from one firm to another. For example, some search engine optimization consultants provide the direction, but not the actual legwork. They might tell you to expand your content around certain phrases, but they'll leave the actual writing up to you.

Other SEO consultants will provide the direction as well as the production work. This is the category we fall into. We explain to a client what they need to do in order to improve their website rankings ... and then we help them execute that plan. Sometimes it means writing content. Sometimes it means building up their link profile or fixing optimization problems on the website.

I hope this guide to search engine optimization consulting helps you make smart choices when hiring an SEO consultant. Good luck.

India SEO Company - World Capital of Content Thieves

I am well aware that India has been undergoing an Internet boom in recent years. Being in the Internet marketing field myself, I can't help but notice such developments.

As the owner of more than 35 websites, I get a ton of spam emails from SEO companies based in India, and they all seem to make bold promises about search engine rankings that I would never use to attract clients -- the kinds of promises that are a combination of fantasy and deceit.

My favorite claim made by SEO companies in India is the one that goes like this: "We can deliver #1 position in Google or your money back." Anyone who practices search engine optimization for a living knows that you could never guarantee #1 ranking in Google for any competitive phrase. See my article on purple polka-dot widgets for an explanation.

So it's pretty clear to me that most SEO companies in India view the Internet as a get-rick-quick scheme, and not as a communication medium that deserves respect. I know a lot of Indian SEO companies will email me with harsh words for saying this, and I'm willing to accept that. Because never before have I seen so many bad apples in one tree.

I've also noticed a disturbing amount of content theft that seems to be coming from Internet entrepreneurs and SEO "companies" in India. I publish a lot of articles on this website and other websites that I own, and I use tools like Copyscape to detect webmasters who have stolen content from one of my websites. I do my best to trace the offending websites back to their source, and about 90% of the time the source is in India. To be more specific, much of the stolen content is the result of some India SEO company or another.

So based on my direct observations over a period of several years, I can safely assert that India is the world capital of copyright infringement and content theft. How proud they must be to hold the trophy in this arena. It truly is an international accomplishment when India SEO company becomes synonymous with "thief."

To all of those content thieves out there who make a living from stealing the work of others, I say the following:

If you have to steal content in lieu of creating your own, you are a lazy creature of inferior intellect. Lazy creatures never fare well for long.

SEO company India = Machiavellian approach to Internet marketing. SEO company India = content thieves and lazy individuals.

Learn more about online copyright infringement and how to stop it.

SEO Web Design - What is it?

I've worked with a lot of web design folks over the years, and it seems that a lot of them don't understand the fundamentals of building a search-engine-friendly website (SEO web design techniques).

Or else they have the false notion that an "SEO-friendly" website has to be ugly. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's actually quite simple to design an attractive website that is still easy for search engines to crawl.

In fact, you don't even think of this practice as SEO web design -- you can simply think of it as proper web design. What I mean is this. If you design a website properly, with clean coding, good organization and logical navigation, then you've already created if a search-engine-friendly website.

Here are some more good practices of SEO web design that I apply to my client websites:

Tips on Good SEO Web Design

1. Whenever possible, use good HTML structure on all pages. This is a must for SEO web design success. Use one H1 header per page, H2 sub-headers as necessary, etc. This will help later on, especially with Yahoo and MSN. Also, valid HTML is easier for search engines to crawl. The closer you can get to 100% validation (using W3C standards) the better.

2. If using JavaScript to create dynamic menus, create an alternate text-based menu for the bottom / footer area. Yahoo and MSN tend to struggle with complex JavaScript menus, so the text menu gives them an alternate path. This SEO web design technique will help the search engines find and crawl as much of the website as possible.

Example: Home | About | Services | Sitemap | Contact | Etc...

3. Be careful with the use of Flash design. In particular, avoid building an entire website within a Flash file. This is the exact opposite of effective SEO web design and will hamper your SEO success. If you are going to use Flash, contain it within its own "box" and let the navigation and content flow around it. Visit the Adobe.com home page for an example of this.

4. Be sure to include Meta elements (title, description and keywords) and title elements within the HTML structure of each page. The title element in particular is important for SEO web design purposes, so it should include descriptive keywords. The actual "keywords" meta element is not as important as it once was, but some search engines still consider the words found within that tag. So it's good SEO web design practice to include them.

5. Avoid the use of graphical text (text rendered as an image) within the body of each page. It's fine to do it for the logo and other graphical areas like that. But I've seen a lot of websites with page headers as graphics (instead of using H1 and H2 tags). This is not good SEO web design practice because it makes the page headers invisible to search engines, and it's a missed opportunity to increase the relevance of pages.

6. Wherever it makes sense to readers, feel free to interlink pages from within the body content of each page. This should be done in moderation and with usability in mind first, but it can help "usher" search engines around while informing them as to the website's theme. Thus, it's a great SEO web design technique. For instance, instead of using a link that says "learn more," I might create one that says: "More about SEO web design." Better for people, and better for search engines.

This article only scratches the surface of SEO web design but I hope it helps you think about design from a more search-engine-friendly perspective.

Over 300 Pages of SEO Advice - In One Resource

I've just finished reading the SEO Book by Aaron Wall, and I am happy to recommend the book to you without hesitation. It's full of up-to-date SEO advice and resources, but that's only the beginning.

If you want to skip past me raving about the book and download it for yourself, you can do so at Aaron's website here.

I've been working with Internet marketing and search engine optimization for several years now, and I like to think I'm pretty well read on the subject. I try to read at least one article per day, on subjects such as blogging, Internet marketing, web development, SEO advice and more. Just when I think I've "seen and heard it all," I download and read Aaron's SEO book.

SEO Advice - Plus a Lot More

The book provides over 300 pages of SEO advice from somebody who truly lives and breathes all things web-related. Aaron is knowledgeable on SEO topics (obviously), but more than that he helps you see the bigger picture of online success in general.

I would have liked a bit more organization within the book, as far as the progression of topics and SEO advice. But the topics are "modular" in nature, so you can really just jump in anywhere. It's not something you have to read cover to cover. For example, if you want to brush up on your knowledge of social networking as it pertains to SEO advice ... you can dive right into that chapter.

Aaron also keeps the book current by updating it once in a while, so you know you're always getting the most current SEO advice available. And in the fast-moving, ever-changing world of Internet marketing and search engine optimization, current SEO advice is the only kind that's worth reading.

I truly hope you download this vast collection of SEO advice today, and I hope it benefits you as much as it has me.

Check out Aaron's book here

SEO Campaign Management - Explained

I often tell people that proper search engine optimization (SEO) is not complicated. But it does take a lot of time and effort. SEO campaign management is the ongoing act of improving a website's search engine ranking through various SEO techniques.

And while it may not be overly complicated or technical, SEO campaign management requires dedication and persistence. So what does it take to manage an SEO campaign?

In my experience, there are several key factors involved in SEO campaign management -- research, publishing, networking, patience, persistence and progressive learning. If you'd like to learn about these components in greater detail, check out the new section of this website, dedicated to SEO questions and answers.

More about SEO campaign management.

-Brandon

SEO and the Beauty of Passive Leads

Passive leads can be a blessing for most businesses. By "passive leads," I'm referring to inquiries you receive from prospective customers without actively seeking them. For example, if somebody finds your website while conducting an Internet search for some topic related to your business, and they contact you ... that's a passive lead.

Okay. So technically there's no such thing as a 100% passive lead. You still have to actively develop a website, and you have to actively grow your website's presence and visibility. But once these things are established, you can enjoy a constant supply of new leads, without actively seeking them out.

To me, this relieves a big part of the marketing burden. When people are able to find you online when researching the type of business you provide, and if your website does a good job of converting visitors into leads, then you don't have to work as hard on direct marketing, cold calling, etc. Wouldn't that be nice?

These days, Internet usage has reached such a level that any business can benefit from search engine optimization (SEO). The services I provide can increase your online visibility ... which can make your website a lot easier for people to "stumble across" ... which can give you a steady stream of passive leads.

Learn More
Would you like to increase your website's search engine ranking to get more passive leads from the Web? If so, I can help. I specialize in helping Austin businesses grow their web presence and increase their search engine ranking. This can help even the most modest startup compete with the "big dogs" -- from an Internet standpoint at least. Please contact me to learn more.

How Usage Data Affects Your Search Engine Ranking

There has been a lot of talk lately (or should I say argument) about a website's usage data, and how it affects the website's search engine ranking. I think usage data is an important concept to understand for SEO purposes. But more importantly, it's an important tool in measuring your website's overall usefulness -- which in part will determine your website's success.

So just what the heck is usage data, and what does it have to do with you? I've just added a new tutorial to the SEO Learning Center to explain the who, what, when, where and why of usage data as it pertains to website success and search engine success.

Read the article:
How Usage Data Affects Your Search Engine Rankings

Enjoy! ~Brandon

An SEO Case Study

Baby's all grown up!

There is nothing better than seeing a website get the search engine ranking it deserves, after weeks, months and years of hard work. That's what is happening with one of my educational websites, Home Buying Institute.

I launched this website in January of 2006, and in that short time it has become one of the Web's largest libraries of home buying advice. Now, after a lot of hard work, it ranks up there with HUD, CNN and Realtor.com for such competitive search phrases as "buying a home." Not bad for a website that began as a hobby!

How did I accomplish this? Well, I'm still in the process of accomplishing it. After all ... search engine optimization is never finished (just like marketing in general). Here are some of the things I continue to do for this website's success:

1. I create quality articles about the home buying process and distribute them online. These articles get republished often on other websites, and always with a link back to Home Buying Institute. (Strategy: Link Building)

2. I strive to create the kind of information-rich website that people will stay on for a while. Search engines can measure the bounce-rates from a website (after someone has found it through a search engine). By reducing the number of people who "bounce" upon reaching my site, I can improve the perception of quality ... and my long-term search engine ranking. (Strategy: Resource Building)

3. I submit the website to well-established directories, particularly those that have to do with real estate. This increase the number of trusted, quality links coming in to the site, while also increasing its relevance for real estate search terms. (Strategy: Directory Submission)

4. I pay attention to how I am acquiring links. Specifically, I want links from relevant websites with relevant phrases in the link text, and I point them at specific pages of the site (not just the home page). For instance, I would find a mortgage-themed website and place a link for online mortgage loans that goes to a page about that topic. Or I might get a link from a "house flipping" website and point it to this page on flipping houses. See how it works?

Can you duplicate these strategies? Sure you can, down to the last one. Can I help you duplicate these strategies? Yes, and I can save you a lot of time and energy in the process!

~Brandon

On Vacation - Blog Highlights in the Meantime

I'm off for a week's vacation, so I thought I would leave you with some blog highlights from the last few months. It's a "how to" extravaganza!

• How to use web analytics
• How to use Google AdWords
• How to choose an SEO firm
• How to get a business website in two days
• How to use articles for SEO
• How to label your images for search
• How search engines work
• How to properly handle a spammer!

Tell a Friend!
If you find this blog helpful, why not tell a friend or colleague about it? The above summary of "how to" postings is a great way to introduce people to the blog, because they can see at a glance what kind of information I offer.

Talk to you in a week...

~Brandon

3 Things Search Engine Optimization Can't Do

You might think I'm crazy for making a list of things search engine optimization can't do. After all, search engine optimization (SEO) is a big part of what I do for a living.

But I'm also a sucker for the truth, and I like to be absolutely frank with my clients (and my blog readers) about all things SEO. While search engine optimization can certainly help you grow your business, there are certain things it cannot do. It's important to realize that SEO is one ingredient in your web marketing success. But there are many other ingredients you need to consider.

Despite what other SEO companies might promise you, here are three things SEO cannot do:

1. Motivate People to Act
Search engine optimization can help people find your website. No doubt about that. I combine copywriting, SEO and PR to drive a lot of traffic to my clients' websites. But SEO has little to no effect on how people react once they reach your site. Your website's professionalism, usability, content and marketing capability can motivate people to respond, but SEO cannot. Search engine optimization can deliver traffic ... but you still have to convert it into business.

2. Build Your Reputation
A company that ranks high in search engines is not always the best company within its industry. Search engine position is determined by a website's age, link popularity and other search engine ranking factors. It's not determined by customer satisfaction. So while SEO will make people aware of your website, it will not convince them of your quality, dependability, professionalism, etc. You'll have to do that yourself.

3. Generate Leads and Sales
This is an offshoot of item #1, but it's worth reiterating. Day after day, I see SEO companies sing the praises of search engine optimization from a sales standpoint. Generate leads and sales with search engine optimization. Let me be the first to tell you that SEO is not a sales tool. It never has been, and it never will be. SEO is a traffic generator. If you triple the traffic to a website with no lead-generation tactics in place, you will have three times the amount of unconverted web traffic. Or to put it more simply:

• SEO + good lead generation = leads
• SEO + poor lead generation = no leads

This is why I take a "big picture" approach to search engine optimization. I handle the SEO side of things for my clients, but I also advice them on such critical things as lead generation, website conversion, product positioning, content development, etc.

If this is the kind of advisor you'd like in your camp, please feel free to give me a call.

Organic Search Increases Web Traffic by 337%

I always tell clients how significant it is to show up within the first couple pages of Google search results. I've always collected case studies and tidbits of data to support the claim.

Now there's even more data to back it up, thanks to a company called Oneupweb. Like any good SEO company should do, Oneupweb conducted some data-based research to show the traffic gains for websites entering the top of Google search results.

One notable metric -- a 337 percent increase in traffic once a website reached the first page of Google for its key phrases. [View chart]

Read more about it

Food for thought (and justification for professional SEO services)!

Until next time,

~Brandon

How Do Search Engines Rank Websites?

Some SEO folks spend a lot of time and effort worrying about the latest tweaks to search engine algorithms.

Not me. I take a different approach to search engine optimization. I don't even think about search engines until I've built a quality website with plenty of great content.

Why?

Because a search engine will never sign up for your newsletter, purchase your products or services, or participate in your online community. Product first. People second. Search engines third. That's my mantra for Internet marketing.

Search engines are a path to your audience ... but they are not your audience.

Of course, once you've built that fabulous website, it certainly helps if search engines can find it, crawl through, and evaluate it. So here's some information to help you understand the technical side of search engine ranking.

• How search engines work
• How search engines rank websites
• Professional SEO training

Questions or comments?
If you have questions about this topic, or would like to know more about Internet marketing and SEO, feel free to contact me.

Brandon Cornett
Austin SEO Consultant

Duplicate Content - Setting the Record Straight

Duplicate content is one of the most misunderstood concepts in search engine optimization.

So let me clarify it in a nutshell. If you repeat / duplicate large blocks of text on your website, you run the risk of incurring a duplicate content penalty from Google and suffering lower search engine ranking as a result.

Thankfully, Adam Lasnik of Google recently explained how their software handles duplicate content. Surely this will clear up some of the confusion (and silence some of the panic pushers). One can hope anyway.

Read Adam's blog post

Happy Holidays!

~Brandon

P.S. - If you need additional content for your website. Don't resort to duplicating or rehashing the same old material. Let me create content for you.

Naming & Labeling Your Images for Search

Chances are, you've noticed a new development when using Google. The big 'G' is now incorporating results from Google Images on their regular search results page.

The image below shows a Google search I did for "foam fingers" on behalf of a client. Notice how they display thumbnails from Google Images at the top of the page. Now I ask you, if you were looking for this kind of product, what would you be more inclined to click on ... an actual photo of the product, or text describing the product?



So how can you get your images to appear in Google Images, and by extension in regular Google searches? Simple. You name your images descriptively and label them with the ALT tag. That's how the images above got to where they are. Their file names and ALT tags all include the phrase "foam fingers."

Ask yourself — how many images do I have on my website? How many of them are optimized and labeled for search engine visibility?

Until next time,

Brandon, Austin SEO Guy

New SEO Article You Might Like

I just published a new article on ISEDB.com that you might enjoy ... especially if you're the owner of a relatively older website (say, 5 years old or more).

The article is a mini case study on my experiences with older websites, and how you can significantly increase your search engine visibility by making small changes on-site.

Hope you find it useful:

Case Study: How Title Adjustments Doubled Search Traffic
Much has been written about the importance of the title element for search engine visibility. But I'm going to revisit the topic, because there's one point I don't feel has been given sufficient coverage.

SEO Tidbits From Around the Web

Some days, I just don't feel like blogging. You can relate to that, right?

But even on the "lazy" days, I like to provide value through this blog. So today I'm going to offer up a list of helpful resources from around the Web. I hope you like it. And if you like it more than my regular posts, please keep that to yourself. My ego couldn't take it. :-)

An excellent comparison of search ad programs (Google, Yahoo and MSN):
http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/006842.html

An interesting article about Site Advisor popping up in search results:
http://www.seomoz.org/blogdetail.php?ID=1566

Further advancements with Google News Search:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/staying-informed-with-google-news.html

"10 Signs That Your SEO is a Quack" (Jill and I agree on this one!)
http://isedb.com/db/articles/1571/

AdSense Preview Tool (See what kind of Google ads your site would generate)
http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/google-adsense-preview/

The Ultimate Keyword Primer
http://www.wordtracker.com/articles/index.php/academy/the_ultimate_keyword_primer/

What do you think?
Do you like this kind of summary of SEO articles, tools and resources? If so, comment on it and let me know.

Until next time,

-Austin SEO Guy

How Do Search Engines Work?

To make your website more visible to search engines, it helps to have a basic understanding of how search engines find and evaluate websites.

With that in mind, I've written this article to help you learn the basics of search engine function. Once you've read the article, the fundamental techniques of search engine optimization techniques will begin to make a lot more sense.

Read the article:
How Do Search Engines Work?

Until next time,

-Austin SEO Guy

Article - How Do Search Engines Work

A new article on the Austin SEO Guy website answers the question, how do search engines work?

To create a website that ranks well in the search engines and attracts qualified visitors, you first need to understand how search engines work. All too often, I see people rush into an SEO program without a solid understanding of the basics covered in this article.

Article excerpt:
When search engine crawlers find a particular website, they then crawl through the various pages of that site to determine what it's about. If the site has a good navigation system in place, crawlers can follow the hyperlinks from page to page, much the same way as a person would.
Read the full article

Austin SEO Learning Center - It's Alive

What is search engine optimization? How do search engines rank websites? Why does that website outrank mine? How can I improve my search engine visibility? Do I need to hire an Austin SEO consultant?

These are just some of the questions answered in the brand-spankin'-new Austin SEO Learning Center.

I plan to add a lot more information in the coming weeks, including plenty of links to related resources. But even in it's infantile state, the learning center will help you better understand the process of SEO. If there's something I haven't covered that you'd like to added to the Learning Center, just post a comment below!

Until next time...

-ASG

Link-Building Guide -- What a Great Idea?

In my weekly (okay, daily) prowl of SEO websites, I stumbled across an RSS feed that led me to a blog post that led me to an SEO guide for real estate folks.

But what really leaped out at me was the idea of a link-building manual, which the author has apparently created for real estate folks. Hey, what about the rest of us? I, for one, would pay good money for a time-saver in what is my most time-consuming tasks (link-building).

Just my thoughts on a rainy Tuesday morning in Austin.

Okay, I'm off to post something on my Statesman blog now.

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

Search Engine Spiders - An Eight-Eyed Perspective

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

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I'm always happy to show you new SEO tools and resources as I find them online. And today's tool, is extra neat-o.

It's called a spider simulator, and it gives you an idea of how search engine spiders are "seeing" your website.

I use the tool for educational purposes. A lot of people insist on graphic heavy home pages with little to no regular text. When you combine this with weak title tags and dynamic navigation, you end up with a page that gives search engines no idea what the page is all about.

The spider simulator helps me get that point across.

Here's how it works:

1. Visit http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/spider-simulator/

(There are actually dozens of spider simulators online, but this is one of my favorites.)

2. Enter your blog or website's full URL (including http://) into the "valid URL" box.

3. Click the "Spider" button.

The tool shows you several revealing things about your site. Basically, it will go through the page and read all the things a search engine spider would be able to read (title tags, meta descriptions, page copy of the plain text variety, links, etc.).

If you have a Flash site, for example, you might have a bunch of empty or near-empty boxes, because search engines can't read Flash. Read the text in each of the boxes and ask yourself, does this information give a good indication of what my site is about?

Oh, and be sure to read the helpful explanation at the top of the page.

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

Linking Within Your Blog for People and Spiders

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

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Linking within your blog to other relevant posts can benefit you in two ways:

Linking for People
Internal linknig increases your blog's usability because reader's click on a particular phrase or topic for related information. This makes your blog more usable, more enjoyable, and more "sticky."

Linking for Search Engines
Internal linking also improves your search engine visibility. When a search engine indexes your blog, it will begin to crawl through as many pages as possible.

By default, most blogs are designed in a way that allows search engine spiders to easily crawl from post to post / page to page. But by providing some inline text links from one post to a related post, you're making your blog even more "crawlable."

SEO Tip: When deciding what words and phrases to link, use the following two criteria:

1. Choose phrases directly related to the post pages you're linking to. If you hyperlink the words "Austin Symphony," the link should go to a page about the Austin Symphony.

2. Choose phrases your readers might genuinely want to learn more about.

3. Choose phrases related to your blog's overall topic or theme. This will help search engines understand what your blog is all about.

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

Can the Wrong Outbound Links Hurt You?

A recent forum post over at Webmaster World offered some insight as to whether outbound links to shady websites can hurt your rankings:

It's unlikely that your outbound linking is causing your pages to be listed in the supplemental, rather than main index.

Also, be assured that we're not looking to penalize folks for a "bad" link here and there. Rather, our algorithms are tuned to look for patterns of "egregious" linking behavior... both on individual sites and in the aggregate.

"With that said, it's certainly in your users' interest that you regularly audit outgoing links on your site (especially prominent ones) to ensure that you're not losing folks' trust by sending them to inappropriate places or 404 pages. Sure, it's great to keep Google happy, but it's usually more important (long term) to have your users be return visitors.

This comes from Adam Lasnik of Google. I'm glad he points out that you should put your readers before search engines. Some people forget that in the grand scheme of things. I call it "SEO tunnel vision"!

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

Dear Sirs and Madams: Please Link to Me!

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

Here's an email I received today. Spelling errors, bad punctuation and weird grammar have been left intact.

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Hi,

I have just visited your site and I wonder if we could exchange links with each other?

Link exchange with similar websites like us would promote both websites.I believe my website will have a very good pageview soon.

I'm sorry for that if you are not interested in this request.You can give us a mail to: sellerkey@gmail.com,so you will not recieve this request again.

With your permission,I will post your link on my website,and I hope you post a link to my site as well. If you are interested in this, Please do not reply this mail.Would you please contact us to this email for link exchanging affair: sellerkey@gmail.com and tell us your site's info or exact HTML code and which category do you want to add.

Here is our sites info:

Title: Dropship Wholesaler
Title Url: [Removed by Austin SEO Guy]
Description : Worldwide Wholesale art,ipod shuffle,car alarm,dvd players,ink cartridge,dropship wholesaler from China in small quantity

The exact HTML code is:
[Link removed by Austin SEO Guy] - Worldwide Wholesale art,ipod shuffle,car alarm,dvd players,ink cartridge,dropship wholesaler from China in small quantity

I would be glad to create a link partner relationship with you,and perform future links exchange with other sites I manage.

PS:We are a young company full of vigor.If you are interested in our wholesale business or if you want us to help you to find a product or a manufacturer in China. Please don't hesitate to give us a email to: sellerkey@gmail.com.

All cooperation or inquiry are welcome!

Best Regards
Hellen White
[Website name removed by Austin SEO Guy]

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Here are my problems with this email:

1. It's spam. Judging by the email's header (not shown) it was blasted to hundreds of webmasters. Am I to believe that Hellen really spent time on my site and thinks it's a quality operation.

2. This person does not want a partnership. She wants to leech off my high-ranking website (this particular email came in through a top-ranked home buying website that I run). What partnership is there between a home buying resource and a drop-shipper of Chinese wholesale products?

3. And here's my caution to you. The higher ranking your website becomes, the more of these emails you will get. I get about six per week, and they are nearly identical in message and format. They are form letters blasted to hundreds or thousands of webmasters by somebody using a software program. They are a desperate attempt to acquire links from high-ranking websites.

99% of the time, these emails should go straight to your trash folder. 99% of the time, these emails come from sites that are (A) broken, (B) shady, (C) brand new and poorly ranked, or (D) operating on the fringes of acceptability (think online gambling sites).

Sure, inbound links to a website are important for SEO. But to scour the Internet looking for any and every high-ranking website for a linking opportunity ... it's just a huge waste of time.

So if you get emails like this, delete them. But what if you need links of your own? How do you get those?

Here's how:

1. Publish articles online through EzineArticles.com and SearchWarp.com.

2. Find well-established niche websites relevant to your topic and offer your articles to them.

3. Publish press releases online through PRWeb.com.

4. Submit your site to high-quality paid directories like Best of the Web, Microsoft Small Business Directory and more.

5. Submit your site to high-quality FREE directories like Jayde.com, Elib.org, Stpt.com and others.

6. Start a blog separate from your website and link to your website.

7. Participate in forums and use your signature to link to your site.

8. (And here's the powerhouse tip) Make something worth linking to in the first place. If people have no reason to link to your site and recommend you to their audience, they won't do it unless you pay them. But if your site contains helpful information, resources and tools, people will often link to you without even being asked. That's where SEO battles are lost or won.

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

Search Engines Won't Buy What You're Selling

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

Whenever I coach copywriters on how to write for search engines, my lessons are pretty short. They usually go something like this:

Writer: How do I write for search engines?

Me: By forgetting about the search engines.

Writer: How is that possible?

Me: It's possible by pretending search engines don't exist.

Writer: But they do exist.

Me: But you shouldn't write for them, you should write for people.

Writer: Aren't you an SEO expert?

Me: Yes, that's why I'm telling you not to write for search engines.

Writer: This is exhausting.

Me: [Letting writer off the hook] Here's what I mean...

Search engines won't ever buy your products, so why bother writing for them? Instead, write about your topic in specific, detailed and helpful way. Explain the value of your product or service for people, since they're the ones who will (or won't) give you their business.

Write for people first. And then, when you're done writing for people, go back through and make sure you have the right phrases in your copy. Then have the webmaster add those key phrases to the title tag and description of each page. Then see what you can do about getting people to link to your pages and your site.

Write for people. Optimize for search engines. Take a passionate approach to your writing, and a technical approach to SEO.

Until next time...

-Austin SEO Guy

Marketers Don't Speak Like Consumers

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


Pop Quiz -- Which would you rather have, a luxury estate or a custom home?

If you work in the marketing department of a prominent home builder, you might favor the luxury estate. But if you're an average consumer, you'd be more familiar with a custom home.

What's my point?
Well, both phrases describe the same thing -- a damn nice house! But one phrase gets a lot more search volume than the other. Many home builders talk about their luxury estates, in their brochures and on their websites. But most consumers use the phrase "custom home."

How do I know this?
Because we have the technology to find out. Look at the SEO Toolkit section of my website and see for yourself. In most cities, a lot of people are searching for custom homes online. But very few, if any, are looking for luxury estates. Same product ... totally different SEO value.

Conclusion
Don't assume that your prospective customers use the same language as you do. They probably don't. Avoid making SEO hunches. Do the proper research to find out how your target audience is using search engines to find companies like yours.

Or to state it differently:
If you were a home builder, would you rather have luxury estates that nobody could find, or custom homes that everyone could find?

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

Choosing an Austin SEO Company

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

Many Austin, Texas companies feel helpless when choosing a search engine optimization company. There's so much uncertainty around this industry, and there are a lot of unethical SEO companies out there.

But while these things make it difficult to find a good SEO company, they are also reasons why you need to take the screening process seriously.

When you choose the wrong SEO consultant, lackluster performance is the least of your worries. Getting banned from Google is the real concern. And believe me, it happens all the time. Do a Google search for the phrase "banned from Google" and see what I mean.

Here are some pre-screening questions you should ask:

1. How do you go about choosing the right phrases?

If they hesitate to answer, of if they say their clients usually handle that process, tell them goodbye. A good SEO will get to know your company, your product or service, and your audience. Then they will help you find the right phrases to focus your SEO efforts on.

2. What kind of "black hat" techniques do you use?

If they run down a list, tell them goodbye. Black hat SEO techniques (like doorway pages, domain masking, hidden text, etc.) can get you banned from Google. That can take months to recover from. Worth the risk? Hardly.

3. What techniques do you use in general?

If an SEO tries to keep secrets, there's probably a reason. The Austin SEO Guy, for instance, is proud to talk about his SEO techniques, because they are effective, safe and holistic!

4. Can you give me some references who've been using you for a while?

This question is key. If you can find a reference who has been using the Austin SEO company for a while, and that person is happy with them, you've just removed a big cloud of mystery. Best case scenario is that they give you several long-term clients who offer rave reviews!

Until next time...

-The Austin SEO Guy

SEO shortcuts can lead to a dead end

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

"I don't care what we have to do, we need first-page ranking ASAP."

This attitude exists among many Austin companies regarding SEO, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a dangerous attitude to have. But before we get into the perils of SEO shortcuts, let's talk business models...

If you're ever in a situation where your business survival depends on "instant ranking" in the search engines, then you're already doomed. SEO is a long-term process. You should build it into your weekly activities just like training or any other repetitive task. But it's not an immediate process by any stretch of the imagination.

As for the perils of SEO shortcuts, just know that they're very real. Check out this SEO horror story to see what I mean.

Want to show up on page 1 of Google tomorrow? Try their pay-per-click program, Google AdWords. Want to show up on page 1 through natural SEO? Start a long-term SEO campaign ... and stay away from the shortcuts!

-The Austin SEO Guy

Your SEO Plan - The Nitty Gritty of Persistence

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

Recently, a friend asked me to look over his website from an SEO perspective. He wanted me to "get in there and make a few tweaks" to help improve his search engine visibility.

I laughed.

But then I did what I could, because that's what friends do.

More importantly, I went on to explain the SEO is not a "get in and get out" operation, but a persistent program that should be managed like any other daily task.

Two of the most important factors in search engine visibility:

1. Overall website quality and usefulness
2. Persistence and growth

Make SEO and website improvement part of your daily work schedule. Seek links from quality websites. Publish new content. Distribute articles and press releases online. Start a blog or forum. Give people a reason to use your site and link to it. Read an SEO article or sign up for a newsletter.

Good luck!

-The Austin SEO Guy

In Search Engine Optimization, Content Matters

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


Get ready. Get set. Scramble!

It seems every time I turn around, someone is clamoring about the latest and greatest SEO strategy. Some of these strategies have their merits. Others are a waste of time. And some do more harm than good.

Some website owners constantly scramble to follow what they believe is the latest Holy Grail of search engine visibility.

I say let them spin their wheels. Because in truth, the more things change, the more they stay the same. For example, there's one thing search engines have always favored and will always favor -- websites with plenty of original, quality content.

Quality Content Matters
Your website needs quality content. Even if you do everything else right, your website will perform poorly if it lacks quality content. It will perform poorly in the search engines, and it will perform poorly with visitors.

Search Engines Love Topical Content
When you have a lot of content on your site, you give search engine spiders plenty of material with which to evaluate your site. And if that material centers around a particular topic, or topics, the search engines will have no trouble connecting your site with corresponding search phrases.

People Love Quality Content
Know who else likes quality content? The reader. You know, that person you want to buy your product or service. Kind of important, wouldn't you say?

Content Matters
Content tells search engines what your site is about. Content helps people find your site. Content keeps readers on your site. Content turns readers into customers, believers and promoters of your company.

Content matters.

-The Austin SEO Guy

SEO and the Sound of One Hand Clapping

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

A Zen master once spoke of the "sound of one hand clapping." Here's how I would equate that famous expression to search engine optimization:

An SEO program that lacks onsite conversion is like one hand clapping ... sure there's motion taking place, but there's nothing being produced.

In other words, when you use SEO to drive traffic to a website that does not convert visitors into customers, you are clapping with one hand. But to produce something, you must also use the other hand. You must focus on your website conversion tactics.

"That's obvious," you say. "Why waste my with such a no-brainer?"

Here's why.

I can't tell you the number of times I've heard somebody say something like: "Our SEO program is not producing any leads." ... Or ... "We get good search engine ranking, but it's not producing sales."

These people are clapping with one hand and trying to produce a sound. They are overlooking something significant. Search engine visibility does not generate leads or sales. Search engine visibility can generate website traffic, but then it's up to the website (and the people behind it) to generate the leads and sales.

In other words, SEO is the start of something ... not the end of it. It is one hand clapping.

Avoid search engine blindness. Don't focus on SEO to the point of ignoring your onsite lead generation. Keep the big picture in mind. Always consider how things work together in synergy. Clap with two hands.

That is the lesson for today, Grasshopper. Go in peace.

-The Austin SEO Guy

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