The ZEN of SEO

How to achieve high ranking for any Keyword?

2009-09-29T06:43:41.120-07:00

We know that each keyword we rank high in search engine listings means additional potential customers and business for the website. So let’s explore the strategies and processes to achieve higher ranking for any of your selected keywords.I am assuming that you already have a list of winning keywords in hand, and that you have optimized each page of your website around these selected keywords. A good thumb rule to follow is to optimize each page around one or max two keywords, and focus the page name, title, description, other relevant Meta tags, and the body content around that specific keyword.The next step is to make your well optimized keyword centric page visible to the search engines by building links from various relevant social, web and user communities. I have broken the strategy into tasks to be accomplished each week for the next one month.Week 1Create unique, compelling and entertaining content. This could be in the form of articles, blog posts, How To’s, FAQ’s, case studies and videos etc. The content is focused around a keyword you want to target, and will act as a supporting page to the primary keyword page.Eg If the keyword you are targeting is “seo expert”, then you can create a blog post “How to hire a SEO expert”, or “10 Top Ranking Strategies from SEO expert”. Notice that the title contains the keyword we want to target.Create a link from the supporting content page to the primary keyword page with relevant anchor text (the text that links to another page). Eg. If your primary keyword page is focused around a keyword “seo expert india”, then you can create a link from the supporting content page with anchor text “seo expert india” or “expert seo india” pointing to the primary content page. Variation in the anchor text is advised.Syndicate your content page to 15 article submissions sites. Build links from the article sites to your home page, primary keyword page and content page. Generally article sites allow one or two links in the body content, and two out links in the author resource box.Promote your content page across 15 Social Bookmarking (SB) sites. Create innovative title and description and link back from SB sites to your content page.Get 2 to 3 thumbs up/votes/reviews/comments for the content posted across the 15 Social Bookmarking sites. Each thumbs-up from another user is a quality link back to your content page.Identify two relevant external blogs that are related to the business/industry you are in and make intelligent comments on posts where you feel you can add some value to the readers. If the comment is accepted by the blogger, it’s a quality link back to your website. You can also post comments in industry forums that are related to your business.Week 2Repeat the efforts of Week 1 by creating another page of content around the same keyword you are targeting. This will be supporting content page two. Continue as directed above in Week 1 to syndicate and promote the new content page.Week 3Repeat the efforts of Week 1 by creating another page of content around the same keyword you are targeting. This will be supporting content page three. Continue as directed in Week 1 to syndicate and promote the content page.Note: To make the syndication diverse you can create a “how to” article around your primary keyword. How to articles can be syndicated across specific sites that promote “how to” articles.In addition, in Week 3 you will start your first SB (Social Bookmarking) campaign. In the campaign based strategy, you will select one content page and try and build maximum visibility and links back in “one” of the top social bookmarking sites (you can select one site from sites like digg, mixxx, reddit, stumble upon etc) each month.To build maximum visibility and links, you will try and achieve 10 to 15 thumbs up/votes/reviews/comments for the content page you selected. The more the number of thumbs up, the more link reputation is passed on to your keyword page. The campaign runs for a week.Week 4Repeat the efforts of Week 1 by creating another page[...]

SEO Training Mumbai (Enrol Today)

2009-08-20T04:38:32.117-07:00

The understanding of the online business world and Search Engine Optimization is no more an option, but an imperative for b-school students and professionals in the field of marketing, business development, content and design, mass communications etc.

Marketing agencies, advertising agencies, PR agencies, future entrepreneurs, and anyone with a vision to create anything in the online world will benefit from this specialized SEO training course.

Such a course is not available in India today that focuses on the branding, strategy and marketing side of SEO.

Introducing the SEO Training Academy

The "SEO Training Academy" is a unique conglomerate established in collaboration with Nevil Darukhanawala of SEO Expert India (A SEO Consulting Firm), and Blisstering Solutions (Specializing in Open Source Training and Development).

What will you learn? -- An Overview

· Winning keyword strategies
· On page optimization strategies
· Content, blogging and syndication strategies
· Natural link building strategies
· Social Media Marketing
· Online Reputation Management
· Various internet marketing methods - SEO for traffic and search rankings, PPC for targeted sales, internet Banner advertising, email marketing, and viral marketing buzz

For more information on SEO Training Courses starting in October, please contact Nevil Darukhanawala on 9967779360.

Batches starting in October! Enroll today!

The Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2)

2009-07-31T19:53:28.224-07:00

In my earlier posts we learnt that “relevancy”, “consistency”, “progression” and “diversity” in your Link Landscape forms a big part of your Link Profile, and these variables are important metrics in the calculation of the link reputation, social reputation and web reputation of your online business.

Last week, I explored 2 advanced link building strategies that I have included in all my future SEO campaigns.

>> Turbo-charge your SEO with “campaign worthy” content ...
>> How “progressive link building” made it to my SEO campaign?

I have come to realize the Right SEO Strategy is a living and breathing strategy that would constantly evolve. The strategies listed in the update (version 2) are the ones I am using successfully to obtain higher rankings for my client’s websites.

So without any further waiting;

The Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2)

How “progressive link building” made it to my SEO campaign?

2009-07-28T21:14:28.210-07:00

We know that “relevancy”, “consistency” and “diversity” in your link landscape forms a big part of your link building profile. In the Right SEO Strategy Ahead, I have focused the SEO Strategies I use around these variables.

I have come to realize the Right SEO Strategy is a living and breathing document that would constantly evolve, and “progressive link building” is one such strategy that I would like to eagerly include in all my SEO campaigns.

Last week I had added another update to the weekly seo strategy Turbo-charge your SEO with “campaign worthy” content ...

Let’s get back to this blog topic …

There are 3 common Link Building Strategies:

1. Consistent Link Building Strategy
2. Campaign Link Building Strategy
3. Progressive Link Building Strategy

In this post we are going to focus on “progressive link building”, and how it can be used to boost your search rankings.

What is “progressive link building”?

Progressive link building is a technique where you start with a small quantity of quality links, and each month you progressively increase the number of quality links back to your site.

Eg. Month 1 we start with 50 links (these should include web directory submissions, social links, PR submissions, industry related links, blog links, comments etc).

Month 2 we build 75 links. Month 3 we build 100 links. Month 4 we build 150 links. Month 5 we build 200 links. Month 6 we build 300 links.

This is a useful strategy especially for new websites that lack the credibility and link reputation, though it can be used to boost a credible site as well.

After 6 months, you can ideally continue with progressive link building, or focus on consistent link building strategy and the campaign link building strategy. In the right combination, these 3 strategies can have a powerful impact on your search rankings.

Monthly SEO strategy (Revised)

Note: These links should be a combination of relevant web directory, social links, PR submissions, industry related links, blog links, comments etc.

• Be consistent in building 50 quality links for Month 1
• Be consistent in building 75 quality links for Month 2
• Be consistent in building 100 quality links for Month 3
• Be consistent in building 150 quality links for Month 4
• Be consistent in building 200 quality links for Month 5
• Be consistent in building 300 quality links for Month 6
• Month 7 Onwards we can continue to build 300 quality links each month
• Focus moves to consistent link building and campaign link building strategies

In my next post I will reveal the “revised version” of the Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2). This will include the exact strategies I use to rank my website and for my clients across the globe.

SEO Games VS SEO Game Plan

2009-07-27T06:07:10.975-07:00

We all like playing games, don’t we? Playing games is great when you are young, but even as adults we continue to play games that adversely affect our lives, work and relationships. Like in life, in the SEO world too, we get many chances to stop playing games, and instead create a game plan for success.In SEO mistakes can be costly, and yet I see people everyday taking such foolish chances that could drastically affect the future of their online business. In SEO, time is money, and yet I see people everyday wasting time chasing a “high”, a “quick fix” or a “quick payout”, rather than working on developing a long term SEO strategy that creates value, builds a strong link, web and social reputation, creates a buzz, and attracts targeted traffic that can lead to conversions. We know this, so why do we still continue playing unnecessary games? IgnoranceThe biggest reason we play games is ignorance. Would you hand over your company, product or service in the hands of a computer geek sitting in a far corner of the world? Then why are the same considerations not given to your online business. SEO experts need an understanding of branding, marketing, content generation and technology, including understanding of search engines, best SEO practices and analyzing user behavior patterns from the past amongst other skills. Many clients have the wrong ideas and perceptions about SEO, and these wrong ideas eventually end up proving costly and a waste of time. ExpectationsWe play games because we expect some ‘payout’ from playing the game. After all it’s about winning, isn’t it? Yes when you are in sports arena, winning is the goal, but wrong expectations from your SEO campaign can lead to frustration and eventual failure. Impatience We play games because we lack the patience to sow and reap at the right time. A farmer knows he has to sow before he can reap. Only with consistent effort can the fruits of labor be enjoyed. If you are looking for short cuts in SEO, then your online business could get cut short. No VisionWe play games because we don’t take the time to understand the bigger picture. We find comfort in the present, by chasing mindless goals of the future. If your online goals focus on “tripling traffic” without creating any value and a strategic roadmap to reaching there, it’s time to talk to a SEO expert who can assist you in creating a realistic road map to online success. A good seo strategy makes common sense, and business sense, otherwise it’s just nonsense. The Games People Play1. I know better!The search engines have given us guidelines to follow. We have heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, and yet everyday we see website owners, webmasters and even SEO professionals flouting the basic foundation principles of search engine optimization. Google SEO GuidelinesGoogle Webmaster Guidelines2. Chasing traffic instead of “creating value”This one is a classic. When you focus on chasing traffic instead of creating real value, whatever you create (even if the rankings and traffic show dramatic increase), like a beautiful dream will fade away when the morning comes. When you focus your energies on creating something of value, that value goes on growing with each passing day. 3. Buy instead of “Earn”Easy right! You have a wallet full of greens, and money can buy anything. True in many instances it can, but when you choose to buy rather than “earn” as the focus of your SEO strategy, be prepared to see the results drop when the money stops. That is not to say that all paid links are bad, but rather that the focus of the SEO should always be towards earning links by creating value. Search engines can identify which links are paid and which have been earned. Natural links are “earned”, and the search engines definitely prefer natural links over paid links. 4. Compete, instead of plan to SucceedCompetition brings out the best in people, the worst in people. True! I beg [...]

Turbo-charge your SEO with “campaign worthy” content

2009-07-24T01:27:40.253-07:00

Thanks to all the readers who participated by commenting on 5“little known” Keys to Succeed at SEO. The strategy outlined below works so well that I have decided to include it in my manifesto, The Right SEO Strategy Ahead. For those who are not familiar with the strategies listed in the manifesto, please read it first as it contains the exact strategies I will use to help you succeed in your online business. Coming back to the topic of this post… Have you heard the phrase “reference worthy” content? From the SEO perspective, it means creating original, informative and engaging content, and then making that content visible across relevant user, web and social communities with the purpose of attracting traffic and natural links.The results of this SEO activity if done consistently week after week can dramatically enhance your web, link and social reputation. This in turn influences the search rankings of your select keywords. In many of my previous posts I have highlighted the importance of creating ‘reference worthy” or “link worthy” content. In this post however, I would like to talk about “turbo charging” your content by making it “campaign worthy”. So what is “campaign worthy” content? It is a blog post, an article story, or a video that has the potential for maximum visibility and popularity across social bookmarking and social media sites. By popularity, I mean getting other users to vote, review or thumbs up your content. Earlier I used to suggest promotion of your content in 10 – 15 social bookmarking sites, and then get 3 to 5 thumbs up from other users for a permanent link. Now this is still a very good SEO strategy you should continue to follow, but how about instead of 3 to 5 thumbs up we try and get 25 to 50 users to vote for your content. By getting more users to vote for your content, the chances of your story going “hot” in the social communities will increase, and so will the traffic to your website. Search engines rank a page based on the number of quality and relevant links (one of the important metrics) to that page. If your story goes hot, then more webmasters will link back to your story, increasing the number of natural links to that story page. Also the more hot stories you syndicate, the better will be your social reputation. This in turn will again influence your search rankings. Ideally you should choose 1 blog post/ article/ video (or create one specifically for this purpose)which you feel has maximum potential to become a “hot story” and then run a campaign across 3 to 4 select social bookmarking sites like Stumble Upon, Digg, YouTube, Mixx for a WEEK. This week long campaign can have a tripling effect on the traffic numbers on your site for the duration of the campaign. The number of visitors will dwindle down once the campaign ends, which is why you need to repeat the campaign with new exciting content every month. The Right SEO Strategy (with Revisions)Natural Link Building, Social Media & Reputation Management1. Be consistent in creating unique, compelling and resourceful content in the form of articles/ blog posts - 3 to 4 a WEEK. 2. Be consistent in syndication of the articles to 10 relevant and popular article submissions sites each WEEK. 3. Be consistent in promotion of the same content links across 10 to 15 relevant and popular social bookmarking sites each WEEK. 4. Be consistent in attracting 3 to 5 user thumbs up/ reviews for content posted each WEEK. 5. Be consistent in submitting one blog post/ article/ video to 3 to 4 selected social bookmarking sites and get 25 to 50 votes, reviews or thumbs up for your content. This should be a “week-long” campaign and ideally done ONCE a MONTH.6. Be consistent in participating in 3 to 4 relevant blogs, by blog commenting and forum postings each WEEK. 7. Every MONTH be consistent in building a few industry specific links, relevant web directory links, 1 or 2 PR re[...]

The 6th Key to Succeed at SEO

2009-07-21T21:56:34.909-07:00

If you have not read 5 “little known” Keys to Succeed at SEO, then I suggest you do that first.

For those whose comments resulted in the inspiration to write this post, I wish to thank you for your participation, and for playing along with my request.

In my last post I had mentioned the 5 Keys that will help you succeed at SEO.

1. Patience
2. Consistency
3. Persistence
4. Creativity
5. Passion

The 6th Key to Succeeding at SEO is “Purpose”

To understand “purpose” let me tell you a story about finding purpose and vision, and somewhere in this story you may stumble upon (pardon the intended pun here) your own story, your own purpose, and your own vision.

Before we embark on this journey, keep in mind before you can unlock the potential of the 6th Key you will have to unlock the first 5 Keys first - You will have to work hard to find your passion and creativity, and learn to be patient and consistent.

Incase you are wondering what “purpose” has to do with succeeding as a SEO expert, then read on …

I Lacked Vision and Purpose in Life

I started my career as an entrepreneur. If you think that is lucky, then hear me out for the remainder of this story.

Enticed with the endless possibilities of the dot com world, I ventured bravely into the unknown with my start up Web Development Company. Just out of college, I had a vision that the Internet would fulfill all my bigger than life ambitions, and desires.

And it did for the next 4 years, I grew from a 3 member team to a team of 70, the office had shifted from a room at my residence into a sprawling 4000 sq foot swanky office, my name was hailed across the national press as the youngest entrepreneur to get venture capital funding, there were clients lining up at the door, and it seemed life could not get any better.

… But is it possible that this is not what I wanted from life anymore?

Read the complete story to finding “purpose”

5 “little known” Keys to Succeed at SEO

2009-07-19T21:33:14.212-07:00

In knowing and understanding these 5 “little known” Keys, could lie the answer to succeed in your online business. 1. PatienceUnlike PPC and SEM where the results are quickly visible, SEO is known to take a long time before you can see any tangible results. We are talking about 4 to 6 months of consistent SEO effort, so “patience” is one of the qualities you must have for long term success of your online business. I have seen too many SEO strategies fail simply because the SEO client got frustrated with the process, and deciding to do something about it spoke to another SEO expert who guaranteed results quickly. A new SEO expert wants to promote their own strategies, and normally downplays the efforts of the past SEO to buy extra time. Don’t waste your time starting from scratch, choose the right SEO strategy, and stick with it!For those in haste to see results or increase sales, please use PPC and other paid forms of advertising. SEO is by no means for the impatient hearted. While the results of the PPC and SEM campaigns normally dwindles down as quickly as the campaign reaches its end, the results of proper SEO optimization and natural link building can be seen for a long time even after you have stopped the SEO activity. Of course that does not imply that the PPC campaign or the SEO campaign needs to be stopped, as we know that “consistency” is the next key to higher search rankings. 2. ConsistencyWhat is consistency? Consistency simply means to take an activity of value, and repeat it again and again at specified time intervals. The reason consistency is so important for SEO is that both the users and search engines eventually know what to expect from you, and when they can expect it. But keep in mind that once you build expectations, its best you stick with it. I advise a weekly SEO strategy that forms the heart of the SEO campaign. So each week you can create exciting content, syndicate that content, and then promote that content across relevant web, user and social communities. Compliment this with a relevant link building activity each month and you have a great SEO strategy that focuses on creating valuable content, and making that content visible.If this seems like hard work, it is. If creating content is not a task that you wish to undertake, or outsource, then I advise not to focus on SEO only, but on other forms of online marketing as well. But if your intention is on creating value, then content is the way to go. There will be times when you feel like giving up, or postponing it to another day. Don’t, for we know now that “persistence” is the next key to online business success.3. Persistence We have been patient, and consistent in our efforts, yet sometimes the results we seek just evade us. Keep in mind search ranking is not a cause and effect, but rather a correlation of many parameters, so predicting search ranking behavior becomes rather impossible, even for the search engines themselves. This brings us to our next key “persistence”. Don’t give up! If you have been creating value consistently, then the results you seek are not far off. Even though search ranking behavior cannot be predicted, by creating value and being persistent, you will achieve your online goals. If you are still not getting the results you seek, then perhaps you need to look (re-evaluate) at your content for “creativity”. 4. CreativityWe are all part of a larger creative force. Perhaps that’s why we feel inspired by anything creative. While creating content for mortgage broking is more boring than creating content for an entertainment website, all the same, the principle of creativity applies. Who says an article about mortgage broking needs to be boring? Don’t think like a dinosaur, we all know what happened to them? Look around on Twitter, Social sites, YouTube, YahooBuzz etc. The stories that make headlin[...]

How to Earn Natural Links with SEO?

2009-07-17T20:57:58.822-07:00

If you read the above title carefully, the answer to building natural links has already been given. In case you still did not get it yet, then you will want to read further.First, what are natural links and why have they become so important?Search engines want to give the users the best possible experience and the most relevant results. In the early SEO days, link building (number of links to your website) was critical to achieving high search rankings. In the future, link building will be just as important, but the way the links are being valued by search engines has evolved. The new metric for “link value” is based on certain qualitative measures that are becoming more and more critical to long term online business success. Link Value = [Relevancy + Credibility + Participation + Diversity + Popularity] Is the site linking to your website?Relevant – Getting a link from a football ecommerce site for a Pets site is not relevant? Getting a link from the website of a Vet doctor is!Credible – Getting a link back from a new domain, or a website which offers little or no value, or a website/webpage that just has outbound links or from link farms is of NO value, even if they have decent page rank. Getting links from industry related sites, blogs, local associations or in the communities you participate in (article sites, social sites etc) is considered credible.Valuing you – Good websites reward users who participate in their community. The more you participate, the better reputation you have and better the link juice passed. Participating in select 10 to 15 article submission sites, and 10 to 15 social bookmarking/ social media sites, and 2 relevant blogs/forums is good. More is not always better. Diverse – Getting 1000 web directory links is NOT as good as getting diverse 200 links from relevant web directories, article sites, social sites, video submissions sites, blogs, industry related sites, forums, PR sites etc. Popular – Getting a link from a website that is popular with good traffic is better. This is just common sense. A relevant and popular site = targeted traffic for your site. I am not sure if there is any “link value” worth mention here. So the number of credible links from relevant and diverse web, user and social communities is one of the important parameters search engines are evaluating while ranking a website/ webpage. For a moment let’s get back to the title of this blog post “How to Earn Natural Links?”The operative word in the title is “Earn”. In the new link playground of the future you will have to ‘Earn” the links, and not buy, exchange, barter or trade for them. While buying, exchanging, bartering for links worked in the past, and your website is not getting penalized for it, sooner or later these links will become obsolete like the dinosaurs. The top search rankings will eventually be dominated by websites that are getting linked-too based on the merit of their content or value they provide. To earn links you have to create “reference worthy links” by creating content of value that the users will find informative, unique and resourceful. Creating 2 to 3 new blog posts a week, and syndicating and promoting that content across relevant social, web and user communities is a good SEO strategy to build natural links based on merit. The biggest bonus with creating great content (and making that content visible) is that webmasters around the world like linking to relevant and informative content as it benefits their users.[...]

What NOT to expect from your SEO expert

2009-07-07T06:05:46.636-07:00

A lot has been written about what to expect from your SEO expert:Identify winning KeywordsOptimize your Website around the chosen KeywordsHigher Search Rankings for your KeywordsIncrease in Targeted Traffic from Search EnginesIncrease in Traffic from other Sources (Stumble Upon, Twitter, Ezinearticles, Reddit, Digg)Increase in Link Reputation, Social Reputation and Website ReputationHigher number of Quality and Relevant Natural Links (By virtue of Merit of Content)Advise on Creation of Content/ Articles/ BlogSyndication and Promotion of the Content across Article sites and Social sitesWeekly & Monthly SEO strategy (Quality, Consistency, Participation and Relevancy) Analyzing (Traffic, Users etc) and Reporting (Links Built)Create a Value-based SEO Strategy that benefits Users/CustomersCreate a long term and sustainable SEO strategy for the success of your online businessBut this post is not about that!I decided to write something for the clients, so they can understand - "What NOT to expect from their SEO expert".This is not an act of rebellion against my clients, or potential clients (as if I will scorn my livelihood :-), but rather an upfront observation based on client interactions over the years.Most of these were relatively harmless questions from innocent clients, but some came from clients with strong expectations of what they thought were the roles and responsibilities of their SEO expert. # Don’t expect the SEO expert will increase your salesWhile SEO will increase the targeted traffic to your website, it cannot ensure that the user will convert to a sale. The sale depends on your product, services, rates, credibility in business, the demand and supply, and also the way they are promoted online.But you can build metrics for calculating conversions (ROI – Return of Investment) like on a user submission of an enquiry form, or a user registration, or signing up for a newsletter etc.# Don’t expect a new site be ranked in 2 to 3 monthsI won’t beat around the bush. A new site will generally take 5 to 6 months before the selected keywords start ranking on page #1 of search results. Yes it helps if you are creating valuable content, syndicating and promoting that content, working on a blog, participate in relevant social communities and building relevant links, but that does not mean that you don’t have to cross the “time threshold”.If you have a domain 3 years or older, it will generally be easier to start seeing results in less than 3 months. If you have already been doing quality link building and following SEO principles, and looking for enhancing your visibility and rank, then the “time threshold” can be greatly reduced.# Don’t expect search rankings to change each weekSEO is not cause and effect. What this means is that if your SEO expert does a, b and c, then the results would be x,y and z. So don’t expect your search ranking to move up 5 places because you have done web directory submissions and social bookmarking last month. It just does not work in this way.What you can expect is that after a period of concentrated effort (generally 3 – 4 months) you will see a quantum jump in your search rankings (sometimes even a few pages), of course depending on the competition for those keywords.# Don’t expect search position #1, #2, #3, #4 …Many clients ask for #1, #2, #3 rankings in search listings with a guarantee. Yes, it’s possible after a year of effort, but even then I will not give the client any guarantee. Page #1 is the ideal target I suggest. There may be times you may have to even settle for page #2 for very competitive keywords.# Don’t expect a GuaranteeThis highlights my point above. There is no guarantee possible. And if you find a company or person ready to give you a guarantee, do check as there may be a catch.Focus on creating v[...]

My keywords are hurting my business!

2009-06-26T21:12:56.882-07:00

Hey, you say, aren’t keywords supposed to be good for me?We know that keywords are the foundation on which any SEO strategy is build. The pages you will create are optimized around the keywords, the content you will create will be focused around those keywords, the links you build will be to those keyword pages, and you will syndicate and promote those same keyword pages across relevant user, web and social communities.So this brings us to the conclusion that choosing the right keywords can make or break your SEO campaign ahead.Some examples of wrong keywords:1. The keyword has very little or no traffic2. The keyword has not been searched for in the past 2 years3. The keyword shows a downward trend over the years4. The keyword has nothing to do with your business, or the services/products you offer5. The keyword is VERY competitive (you don’t want to spend the next few years chasing akeyword)6. The keyword cannot translate into a conversion for your businessHow to choose the right keywords?Choosing keywords has nothing to do with your understanding of your business. While this is a bold statement to make, choosing the right keywords is more about studying statistical, analytical and factual data of the keywords performance and user behavior over years.So let’s see how we can overcome the wrong keyword traps.1. The keyword has very little or no trafficThere are many tools that let can help you understand the traffic potential of the keyword you plan to choose. Google Adword gives a free tool (https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) that can be very useful in understanding the traffic potential (volumes in last month, local volume, and global volume) for your keyword. In addition you can check out the competition you will probably face in targeting that keyword. You will also find various permutations and combinations of your keyword and their traffic potential, and decide to choose a better keyword that is a traffic puller as well as has minimum competition. If the keyword does not show up with traffic numbers (as in case of keyword with very low volume), then it’s time to analyze your keyword again.There are a variety of paid tools as well, but I am mostly an advocate for the free stuff.2. The keyword has not been searched for in the past 2 yearsIf your keyword has not been search for in the past, it’s unlikely that the keyword will suddenly start attracting traffic, unless you have some inside information into a new trend.Using Google Adword tool in point above, and using another tool like Google Insights (http://www.google.com/insights/search/) you will get an idea into the history and performance of those keywords. Google Insights gives you keyword volume percentage, and a graph which shows the trend of keyword usage from 2004 till date. It can also tell you which countries show maximum usage of the keyword, and permutation and combinations of the keyword with traffic volume. I have found many right keywords using this tool.3. The keyword shows a downward trend over the yearsIf the keyword you plan to choose is showing a downward spiraling trend, its best to avoid that keyword. Targeting a keyword takes a long time, effort and patience (not to forget money), and in that time the keyword could become worthless.Using Google Trends (http://www.google.co.in/trends) you can predict rising or falling interest in your keyword, industry, geography, business etc. Used in combination with Google Adword and Google Insights you will be more capable of predicting the traffic potential of a keyword.Another great place for checking the trends is on a site like Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/). There are millions of people talking about everything under the sun. Search for your keyword and see if people are talking about it, and what they [...]

The Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2)

2009-07-30T04:36:35.670-07:00

Why do you need to have an SEO Strategy?What comes to your mind when you think of SEO; Is it link building, Meta tagging, keywords discovery, higher traffic & conversions, social bookmarking, making money online, social media, article submissions, Twitter, reputation management, web directory submissions, Google, optimization of pages, blogging …While the SEO process includes all the elements mentioned above, what’s missing in this puzzle is how they all come together as a “focused strategy” to ensure the success of your online business.Now there are many paths to SEO success, and all may work and show results (some temporarily), so how does one decide what’s the “right strategy” for their business?The Right SEO Strategy for Your Business:- Does your SEO strategy make common sense?- Is it consistent?- Is it immediate? Syndicate and Promote your Content- Is it delivering “constant value” for the users?- Can your SEO strategy be sustained over the lifetime of your business?- Does it reflect the values and ethics of your organization?Winning keyword strategyIdentify winning keywords which users are using to reach your website. Check traffic potential and competition of those keywords.Finalize on 10 to 15 primary keywords with maximum traffic potentialFinalize on 12 to 15 secondary keywords each Month and write articles to target those keywords as well as support the primary keywords pages on the website. These are long tail versions of the keywords.Start with targeting city centric keywords (seo expert mumbai), and after some success, move to the country centric keywords (seo expert india), and finally global keywords (seo expert).On page optimization strategyFocus your pages i.e. page name, title, description, other relevant Meta tags, and the body content around a specific keyword. What this means is that you create ONE PAGE of content themed AROUND one KEYWORD you want to target, and include the keyword in your page name, title, description, and other relevant Meta tags on that page.Identify current site structure, and keyword mapping possibilities.Optimize each page of the website. Create better titles, description and tweak other relevant Meta tags for the existing pages.Set up Google Local account/ Google maps.Set up Google Analytics/ Google Webmaster (if not already done so)I. Consistent Link Building StrategyWeekly strategy (this is the heart of the activity)Natural Link Building, Social Media & Reputation Management Be consistent in creating unique, compelling and resourceful content in the form of articles/ blog posts - 3 to 4 a WEEK. The article topics will be focused around keywords we want to target. Be consistent in building internal links and external links on the article pages. Internal links will be used from within the content to point to (with combinations of anchor text) another page of related information or the primary keyword pages on the website, and external links point out of your domain to other useful sites and resources. In moderation both are useful in determining the PR (Page Rank) of that page. Be consistent in syndication of the articles to 10 relevant and popular article submissions sites each WEEK. (Build Author Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links) Be consistent in promotion of the same content links across 10 – 15 relevant and popular social bookmarking sites each WEEK. (enhance Social Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links) Be consistent in attracting 3 to 5 user thumbs up/ reviews for same content each WEEK. (Enhance Social Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links) Be consistent in submitting content links to Twitter & Stumble Upon each WEEK Be consistent in participating in 3 to 4 relevant blogs, by blog commenting and forum postings each WEEK. (Natural Links, Website r[...]

Be Consistent, Be Immediate, Be Successful at SEO

2009-05-26T21:57:41.929-07:00

The online business model is changing the way we do business in the 20th century. The search engines played a big part in bringing about this change, enabling millions of users to have access to real time information on news, products, services, businesses, entertainment and people. This presented smart entrepreneurs with an opportunity to sell products and services, information and entertainment, in a way that would never have been possible with traditional business models.

SEO too has seen many changes over the decade, and much to my surprise is still veiled in secrecy and confusion as to the standards and values that are applicable for the success of your online business and brand. In my previous posts – What I have learnt about SEO so far, and Seperating SEO Myths and Reality, I had covered some very important misconceptions about SEO and Lessons learnt. It will help you get bigger picture before I delve deeper into the not-so -known “value” attributes that search engines are paying more and more attention too.

What differentiates one SEO professional from another? if both could help you achieve search rankings in the same time, at the same rate? The answer lies in the “value” that’s being created for the users.

Your online business is a reflection of your values and business ethics. And in delivering consistent “value” your online business is on a path of success.

BE CONSISTENT

1. Be consistent in creating unique, compelling and resourceful content in the form of articles/ blog posts - 3 to 4 a WEEK.

2. Be consistent in syndication of the same to 10 – 15 relevant and popular article submissions sites a WEEK (Build Author Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links).

3. Be consistent in promotion of the same content links across 10 – 15 relevant and popular social bookmarking sites a WEEK (enhance Social Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links).

4. Be consistent in attracting 3 to 5 user thumbs up/ reviews for same content each WEEK(enhance Social Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links).

5. Be consistent in participating in 3 to 4 relevant blogs, by blog commenting and forum postings each WEEK.

6. Be consistent in ALL OF THE ABOVE each WEEK

BENEFITS: Enhance Social, Web (Page Rank) and Link (Natural and Diverse links) Reputation by participating in relevant social, user and web communities. Increase Traffic. Higher Ranking for your Keywords.

BE IMMEDIATE

1. Be immediate in syndication of your 3 – 4 articles to the selected and relevant article submision sites.

2. Be immediate in promoting the same articles to select and relevant social bookmarking sites.

3. Be immediate in posting the link to Twitter, and Stumble Upon

BENEFITS: Faster delivery of your content/brand/message across relevant channels. There is no news lie fresh news.

Separating SEO Myths from Reality

2009-05-17T22:29:50.278-07:00

SEO has been around for a decade, and is still somehow lost behind veils of myths and secrecy. I am here to remove the sugar coating that surrounds SEO.The Faith MythIf I build it (a website), they will come? The answer to that is NO. If you create unique content, actively syndicate and promote that content to selected sites, and participate in social, web and user communities – Then they will come.Do I need a SEO guru? The answer to that is NO. Anyone who claims to be a Guru is a normal person with SEO knowledge, but he likes to flaunt it to people who don’t know anything about SEO.Do I need a Technological Wizard? The answer to that is another NO. SEO is based on online branding, marketing and selling strategies, and is not a programming code. Yes, a good website needs a tech wizard for other things, but that will not help with search rankings.Do I need an in-house SEO expert? The answer is YES, if you have the budget to hire the “Best”. But if you don’t have the budget you can outsource to a SEO expert at half the cost (minus the employee benefits).Do I need a top SEO company? Working with a company has its advantages and disadvantages. The main advance is that a team of SEO’s will be working on your project. The main disadvantage is that the team of SEO’s working on your project will probably have just 1 to 2 years of experience. SEO is more about creating constant value for your users, following your intuitions, and keeping a look out for opportunities. Will this company be attentive to these?Do I need a Link Builder? The answer to that is NO. Amazed! The era of paid link building, reciprocal linking, and link building requests is OVER. Natural link building is based on the merit on your content, and syndicating and promoting your content on relevant and popular web, user and social communities.What you need is a SEO expert who is a willing partner with your online success, can assist build a long term SEO / SEM strategy, and take responsibility for the success and failures. It’s a journey to your online success, so partner with someone who is willing to go the distance.The Rate MythAre all SEO services the same? NO they are not. While the foundations principles remain, each SEO expert follows their own process to higher rankings based on their own unique experiences and knowledge. It’s a case of many roads all leading to one. Ask the SEO expert to explain his strategy. If it does not sound like common sense to you, it’s probably nonsense. Hiring a SEO expert is expensive? YES they are expensive, but not as much as the “Losses” you are making right now because your competitors are stealing your business.Cheap SEO services are cheap? NO it’s not necessary. It’s not about the price, it’s about value. A SEO expert who is constantly dedicated to creating value for the users, and actively promoting your products/ services across diverse web, user and social communities is bound to succeed.What you need is to “outsource” to a SEO expert who can “be part” of your core online team. Get the best of both worlds. Find a SEO expert who is ready to work on a fixed monthly remuneration (plus some nice bonus), and if he/she is good, then don’t let go.The Time MythIs 6 months enough for SEO? The answer is NO. Do you plan to be in business for 6 months only? I though not. Then SEO and Internet Marketing needs to be a part of your core marketing activities till the time you plan to be in business.Is 3 to 4 months enough to see results? The answer is NO. The reason is search engines are now valuing consistency and quality over a period of time. In 3 to 4 months you will become a serious contender in the search rankings but emerging a winner (conv[...]

How much time is SEO time?

2009-05-08T22:37:25.757-07:00

This is one question from the clients that almost makes liars of most of us SEO experts. Why? Because we know that SEO takes time, patience and perseverance, and a client with a wallet full of Greens a business full of Dreams (pardon the poetry here) expects to see his money work for him immediately.The pitch “In the next 6 months to a year we will build a strong foundation for your online business using on-page and natural link building strategies, create content and syndicate content that your users will love, cultivate a buzz about your brand, product and services, target keywords that will translate into conversions, and bring in new customers” is loved by most clients except the 6 months part.The problem I feel lies in the misconception that SEO is an easy and fast, money making devise. If that were the case, all us SEO experts would be rich – now wouldn’t we? SEO is not about making money online. That is just the after-effect of executing a well planned and researched SEO/SEM strategy over a period of time. Consistency it seems is soon becoming the most valuable ace card up search engines sleeves.Many clients come to us when they fail to create a successful online business, or are starting a new website, or want to grow their online business further and don’t know how to do it. SEO and SEM then becomes a beacon of hope for the future of their business. While that is good, it also becomes a cause for higher expectations from the clients in terms of time to deliver.Here is how one conversation with an eager client went:Client: It all sounds great, except the time you mentioned. I need results in 2 to 3 months. Can you not put in more efforts and reduce the time, or hire another 2 people to help you. I could even pay you more.SEO expert: I understand your need for speed. But a successful SEO strategy shows results only after a few months of consistent effort, creating value for your users, and participation in relevant web, user and social communities. It’s the search engines way to deter websites that feel that they can walk right in, and become top dogs by using some secret SEO techniques, or spending a whole lot of money.Client: I see what you are saying, but still let’s get the time down to 4 months. Six months is too long a time, and who has seen what happens in six months. I could be out of business by then :)SEO expert: That’s the same reason why search engines are valuing consistent effort, quality content, and websites that are going to be around for a long time. We need to build your online reputation, link reputation and social reputation, and not just speed through to the higher rankings bit.Client: Ok, I get it. You tell me what all is possible in 4 months, and after that we can evaluate and take things further. I am sure there will some results to show for in 4 months.SEO expert: Definitely there will be many measurable results. Let do it for 4 months, and then we can plan ahead…Incidentally, this client is still one of my best customers over the years.So did I lie about the 6 months in the first place, or did I just give-in to the clients demands for doing it in lesser time? It was neither.What I did was start a relationship with the client, teach him about SEO along the way, assist him in creating value for his potential customers, and helped him build a successful ongoing weekly SEO strategy that constantly adds value for his users, increases brand awareness and recall, promotes his products and services, drives in new customers every day, and increases his business profits every quarter.[...]

What I have learnt about SEO so far!

2009-05-05T22:50:48.316-07:00

Hi friends, I run a successful SEO/SEM consultancy with clients across the globe, mentor and share my experiences with Internet marketing strategies in my Zen of SEO Blog, and assist individuals and companies run successful online businesses. I have highlighted my rankings below, not as an example of what a top notch cool SEO guy I am, but rather, as a benchmark of a journey that took a year to accomplish, and the core lessons I learnt.My website (www.seo-optimization-experts.com) ranks in Google:# 1 for the keyword seo expert mumbai (No #1 spot for past 6 months)#4 for the keyword seo experts in india (4 lac competing links)# 7 for the keyword seo expert india (4.5 lac competing links from SEO’s and SEO companies in India)My Blog (www.seo-optimization-experts.com/seoblog.html) ranks in Google:# 2 for the keyword seo expert mumbaiIt’s been an exciting journey since I started my SEO Expert Consultancy Company about a year ago. There were many lessons learnt and strategies that worked that I have been sharing with all my readers in my blog posts over the past year, and I thought I would compile all my posts into one not-too-long neat post which shares - What I have Learnt about SEO So Far.Naturally I can’t cover everything in one blog post, but I have covered the most important aspects of my understanding of SEO.Naming your businessIts best to include your primary keyword in your domain name, but if you have a built brand, or a well known business, you should use the domain for your brand or company.Don’t have too many hyphens in your domain (it’s a mistake I had made by keeping a long domain www.seo-optimization-experts.com, and I guess I will have to live with it), it’s better to keep www.seooptimizationexperts.com, in case a smaller domain name was unavailable.Keep away from using underscore ( _ ) in your domain name or page namesEg. www.xyz.com/seo_services_company.htmlIf you can’t have your keywords in your domain name, another technique is to include your keyword by creating sub domains. Eg. mumbai.seo-optimization-experts.com to target by location, or ppc.seo-optimization-experts.com to target a new pay-per-click service. Use sub domains for 3 – 4 important keywords you want to target, and don’t overdo it by creating sub domains for every keyword in your list.In the beginning there was a word – it was called a Keyword.Keywords are the foundation of your online business. It all begins with selecting the right keywords for your business. The on-page optimization, the content creation and all future link building campaigns will stem from the keywords you select.There are various statistical and analytic tools available on the net for keyword suggestions, and many of them are free, so use them. Keywords discovery is based on hard facts, trends, and history of performance of the keyword; it’s not an estimated guess!Don’t underestimate the competition. Analyzing your competition for keywords they use or don’t use is a step you don’t want to miss. If your competition is on page # 1, they must be doing something right.Don’t fight the big boys. No matter how hard you are willing to work, or pay a SEO expert to do that work for you, it will take time, patience and money to go after the big keywords. Set optimistic goals and start with keywords that have lesser competition, and yet good traffic potential. These types of keywords can be researched into, also called long tail keywords; they can be identified once you understand how your potential customers search for information on a product or service like yours. Eg. Create keyword centric topics – articles, blog posts, how-to guides, FAQ’s[...]

Seo Expert Guide to Search Engine Optimization

2009-03-16T03:34:13.654-07:00

Welcome to the Zen of SEO, a unique meeting place where the Search for who we are, where we are at, and to where we want to go, is an unending passion. It’s the Search of the human spirit that 'motivates us', and what relevance the Search has in our lives that 'drives us'.The Seo Expert Guide to Search Engine Optimization is a culmination of my personal experiences with Internet Marketing Strategies and SEO techniques to get my website and blog ranked no #1 in Google (No 1 position for the last 3 months) for the keyword 'seo expert mumbai'. These seo strategies helped me create a sucessful SEO consultancy with clients in India, US, Canada and Gulf, and it will assist you in getting higher rankings for your online business.Chapter 1 - Keywords Basics & AdvancedMumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 1 Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 2 Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 3Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 4 Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 5 Keyword Placement StrategyAre your keywords attracting window shoppers or prospective buyers? SEO Expert Secrets: Going Beyond Keywords Seo Expert Secret: The Long Tail of Keywords Chapter 2 - Content MattersAre you leveraging your content?Create new Gateways to Targetted TrafficIs Content the King? SEO Guide to Article Writing What's in a Title? Chapter 3 - Link BuildingLink Me Up Scotty! The Link Building Matrix (Reloaded) SEO bad links, good links and great links How to win at SEO amidst strong competition Revisit your Content for Link BuildingChapter 4 - Reputation ManagementYour online brand reputation matter! And how to tackle negative publicity Chapter 5 - SEO Path to SuccessSEO Expert – The Success Path (Part 1) SEO Expert – The Success Path (Part 2) Is your competition beating you with SEO? Fine Tuning SEO for Recession Obsessive Ranking Disorder (My Wakeup Call)Optimizing your Video Content Tag Newsworthy Events for Traffic The Soul of the SEO SpecilaistA SEO Expert thats right for you! Journey of SEOChapter 6 - Blogging for SuccessWhy Search Engines love Blogs? And so should you! My Love and Hate relationship with Blogging Why Blogging for Business is here to Stay!The Bloggers Guide to SurvivalGet your New Blog Noticed (Part 1) Get your New Blog Noticed (Part 2) Get your website reviewed by prominent BloggersLeverage by Commenting on Relevant Blogs (Part 1)Leverage by Commenting on Relevant Blogs (Part 2) Last Blogger Standing Still have questions:Ask the Seo Expert(Ask me any questions related to seo techniques and Internet marketing strategies) [...]

Your online brand reputation matter! And how to tackle negative publicity

2009-03-06T21:20:06.703-08:00

We work hard to run an honest business and build a good brand, but there will be times when even the most sincere brands will face a disgrunted and unsatisfied customer.In the olden days this customer would write angry letters to the CEO, and spread the bad word about your brand and services through his network of friends and peers. The damage they could do as an individual was relatively low.Today, this customer can easily start a negative blog about your company (e.g. yourbrand.blogspot.com), or initiate a new topic on a public forum to trash your brand, and even use the services of online customer complaint websites like http://www.ripoffreport.com/, http://www.complaintsboard.com/ to hit you where it hurts most.Now, not all negative publicity starts with the customer, your brand could easily be a victim of a brand-hijacking or spam attack orchestrated by your competitor to drag your goodwill down the drain.Either way, your brand image and reputation online is at stake here.How does this affect my brand?Today online buyers of products, services or information, often search for your brand name to check for negative reports and previous complaints before deciding to do business with you. So when a potential customer is searching for your brand, other than finding your website, he will find the negative branding and complaints as well listed on the search results page.Search engines give a lot of ranking prominence to complaints, and to sites like ripoffreport.com etc to protect their users from the many fraudulent brands and ill-managed companies online. Since these complaint sites have a high page rank and reputation, they are often misused and can cause damage to your brand reputation.An easy way to check if your brand is under “attack” is to type your brand name, or brand name.com in the search box and see the results. You can also track your brand reputation by setting up a Google Alert for your brand name/s, so when there is any news about your brand, you get the information immediately, and can take corrective action.What to do when facing negative publicity? Is preparation is better than cure1. Assuming you are a sincere company, first always try to talk to the customer and see if you can sort out the problem, even if the customer has already been taking extra effort to spoil your brand reputation. Something it’s as simple as listening to your customer’s complaints and trying to resolve them can make the bad publicity go away like a bad dream. Plus you have a happy customer now, who will be more than eager to retract their negative comments from their personal blog, public forum or complaints sites.2. If the customer is not responding to your requests to make peace, then try and reduce the affect of the negative comments by telling your side of the story, with a little peace offering (discount coupon, gift certificate etc) for the irritate customer. Other users will see this as a positive thing – that your brand is willing to take an extra step to resolve issues with unhappy customers.3. Sometimes you can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try, and it’s time to take corrective measures immediately. “The best way to beat negative publicity is to increase the positive publicity”.4. Get your happy customers to give you a testimonial, and display the testimonials on your website and blog. People always say good things and bad things about any brand; the idea is to get more of the good stuff visible for other potential customers to see.5. Creating great content that can rank highly will surely push the negative stuff further down the sear[...]

What is your SEO Diet?

2009-02-25T01:22:05.120-08:00

I was recently reading a book on fad diets and why they don’t work. The primary reasons the author gave was that all diets are short term, usually done when your body reaches a desperate situation, and once you stop, you end up in the same soup (sometimes worse). The solution lay in creating a suitable diet that works for you, is fun to do, and can be sustained over a lifetime.

Clients generally get a wakeup call after having spent thousands of dollars in building a great website with great content only to find no business coming to it. That’s when they decide it’s time to go on a quick SEO diet.

The SEO recipe goes something like this:

On-page optimization (10 days) + Link building (2 to 3 months) = Top 10 Spot on
Search Engines

Now while the above recipe is not entirely wrong, it’s the shortsightedness of this that bothers me. So what happens after 2 months and 10 days? If I was reciting a fairytale I could have ended this post about now with “And it Ranked No #1 Happily After”, but such is not often the case.

Search engine optimization is about identifying the right keyword combinations (with traffic potential), optimizing your content around those keywords, and syndicating and promoting the content pages to build quality links across relevant, popular and diverse web, user and social communities. You also have the competition to watch who may be trying their own SEO expert strategies to defeat you.

And then targeting some new keywords, and building great content around it, and so on … Does this seem like something that should be done for 2 to 3 months?

So why do clients want to go on a crash SEO diet? I guess it’s more difficult to stick to a diet that works for your business, is fun to do, and can be sustained over the lifetime of your online business with growing returns.

So what is your SEO diet?

Seo Strategy, Revisit your Content for Link Building

2009-02-20T04:58:11.354-08:00

It’s been said many times before, that creating unique and compelling content in the way of articles, FAQ’s, how to guides, eBooks, user testimonials, blog posts and innovative videos, and taking the time to syndicate that content across relevant user, web and social communities, is the best way to get people to link back to your content. This is also termed as “link baiting”.Having said that, if you have been sincere in creating and promoting your content over the last 6 months to a year, and in building quality and diverse links to your website with relevant anchor text, then a neat seo opportunity lies in revisiting your past content archives.Sometimes we SEO experts get so caught up in building external links and battling it out with the competition for our clients, we forget to make ideal use of internal link building to get a boost in rankings.External links tell a search engine that there are other websites and communities (other than you) that think your website to be of some value, in the same way, internal links tell the search engines which pages you think are most important by counting the number of links pointing to that page.While building a link matrix of external links with relevant anchor text is important to search engines, the internal link structure and anchor text also plays a big part in a successful search engine optimization strategy. In addition good internal linking makes it easy for the users and search engines to understand your content better with category and sub category pages that link to the deeper pages of your website.Expert SEO TIP: Tweak your Content for Higher RankingThey say that the answers we seek lie in the past “going back to the roots”. In revisiting your past and looking at it with a new perspective you can begin to understand the mistakes made, the underlying fears and insecurities developed, lessons learnt, and maybe some answers for the present moment.By revisiting your past content, and looking at it with a fresh perspective, you can find innumerous SEO opportunities. I have listed a few of them below:1. The Title - Can the title of the content page, article (or blog post) be improved, or better written to incorporate the keywords you are targeting currently?2. Internal Linking - Many times when we revisit old content pages we find opportunities to include anchor text links to the important pages (focused around our primary keywords) of our website and internal links to relevant newer content pages. This helps in building relevant internal links and gives users a choice to navigate through your content easily by clicking on the link/topic of interest.3. External Linking - Revisiting old content also reveals many opportunities for creating relevant external links. An external can be given if the external link provides some additional value to the topic being discussed. External links should also be given to authoritative sites and to relevant sites in your industry. An external link tells the search engine and your users that you are helpful and not afraid to link out (sometimes even to a competitor’s site). Become a hub for resource links in your industry.4. The Tags - Do you need to tweak those tags (or Meta tags) to make them more focused? Are there some keyword variations you want to add to the list? Remember to keep it simple!5. Improving the Content - Did you find grammatical errors (hopefully not) that need to be corrected? Do you have some new insights into the content that was originally created? You can always add valu[...]

Infinite Power of Search Marketing

2009-02-15T04:02:10.539-08:00

We are all searching for something in life, whether it’s true love, fame and fortune, or money and power. A few people that search for meaning, passion and purpose will be the ones that will be able to give something back to this world, and will become leaders of the new economy.

So The Search plays a pivotal role in human existence, and it’s The Search that drives us, and motivates us to reach newer heights. In the same way Search Marketing can play a pivotal role in the success of your online business.

Other forms of advertising and marketing are now being seen as intrusive and aggressive by the consumers and this trend will continue. Advertisers end up spending a whole lot of money, and consumers have to unnecessarily suffer in-the-face campaigns that tell them what to do, and what to buy. It’s a no win situation for both parties.

In Search Marketing you not only sell what your customers wants, but you also sell it while they are actively looking for it. So it’s the customer that chooses you at their own time, convenience and when they actually need you. Now this is a very powerful marketing tool for an online business if they knew how to make themselves easily available to this customer.

There are billions of consumers who are searching on the Internet. Do you know how many of them are searching for a product or service like yours? Normally once I give the hard numbers to clients, they are often amazed at the number of people that are actually searching for something they are already marketing.

What’s even more amazing is when I tell the clients what keywords people are using to reach a product or service like the ones they are offering. Once I arm the client’s with statistics, trends and numbers, they like any smart individual recognize the potential business (which they are not getting) out there.

So what potential customers are out there searching for your Internet business? What keywords are they using to reach you? What is the traffic potential for those keywords? How much is that traffic worth to your business? How much are you willing to spend to get that business? What conversions are you expecting from your marketing efforts? Are you doing what’s necessary to get that business? Have you shortlsited a SEO expert who will help you achieve your goals?

In finding honest answers to the above questions, you will find solutions to harness the greater power of Internet Search Marketing for your online business. Whether you are a home business, a house wife, an online maverick, a small business, a big brand, or a mega corporate, Search Marketing may be just what you need to get new customers, even in an economy that faces recession.

The customers are out there and they are searching for you, but are you ensuring they find you easily! If this strikes a chord in you, then SEO or search engine marketing may just be the answer you are searching for.

Dedicated to The Search (May we all find what we are searching for)

Are your keywords attracting window shoppers or prospective buyers?

2009-02-13T02:26:32.833-08:00

If you are ready to take an honest look at your traffic and analyze the same, many of you may find that you are attracting more shoppers to your website than prospective buyers. What this means is that even though you are getting good traffic on your website (and assuming your content copy and services have been well presented), a very few are converting to actual sales.If you have a website that’s not selling anything, and traffic is your goal, then there is no problem. But if online sales are the goal of your website, then the problem could lie in the “keywords” you have selected.A shopper - is one who finds you because they are looking for some information, but they may not be ready to buy as of yet. A shopper generally uses generic search terms like ‘cameras’ or ‘new cameras’ because they are not exactly sure of what they want, but are interested in knowing some more information. Now, not all shoppers are bad, because even though they may be just looking now, they could get interested in what you offer or return at a later date as a prospective customer.Eg. Kate is interested in buying a camera, but is not sure which one to buy, or what features she wants. Kate uses a generic search term like ‘cameras’ or ‘new cameras’ and finds thousands of listings right from the definition of camera, to an online shop selling cameras, to a site selling used cameras, to a site offering user camera reviews, to a blog by a photography enthusiast, and even a YouTube video about the best camera one can buy. Kate browses through many websites to find more information so that eventually she can make an informed decision.Now if your website was selling cameras, and you rank well for the keywords Kate used, then Kate would have visited your website, and the website offering user reviews on best cameras, and an eBay link for camera for sale... By the time Kate would have decided on which camera to buy, and what features she likes most, you have lost a customer today.A buyer – is one who reaches your site because they are looking for something specific, and they enter a specific keyword phrase to find the product, service or information they are looking for. A buyer generally uses specific search terms like ‘seo expert india’ or ‘affordable internet marketing services’ or ‘how to hire a seo expert’ or ‘free seo training’ to find something they want. The buyer searches are a lot more specific, often with key modifiers like affordable, cheap, free, best, or location like mumbai, india to narrow the search to find what they are exactly looking for. The need of the buyer is more urgent (it reflects in the specific search phrase they use) and the chances of conversion of this user can be high if the page that opens can resolve the buyers specific query.Eg. Kate wants more traffic on her website that sells designer shoes online. Kate wants to find a seo expert that can help her achieve this. Kate also has a very low budget and wants to read up some information on search engine optimization so that she would be in a better position to choose the right seo expert for her business. Kate’s needs are very specific. Say she enters ‘how to hire a seo expert’ in the search box, and finds a link to an article on your website that offers tips to evaluate the right seo expert. She finds the information very useful, and finds her way to your seo services page and order form. Kate could also have entered ‘seo expert in india’ if she was looking to [...]

How to win at SEO amidst strong competition

2009-02-10T21:35:35.946-08:00

Are you tired of seeing you competitor’s links on the first page of search results, while your website on the other hand is flailing behind somewhere on Page 11 or 18?Are your competitors stealing your traffic? And if they are, are you ready to fight back? Does your SEO expert shy away from targeting keywords which face stiff competition? And offers no viable strategy to combat the same?The reasons for this could be many.A few key ones that came to mind are listed below:1. Yours is a new website (or new domain)Websites with new domains generally have a hard time getting indexed and ranked in search engines. The reason for this is that search engines do consider the age of the domain as an important factor while calculating rankings. Even in the real word if someone has been in the business for a year, they will have more credibility than a startup.What to do about it? Well prove it to the search engine that you are credible (don’t forget on-page optimization) by creating fantastic content (search engine friendly content) and then syndicating that content across popular user, web and social communities. If other websites and users deem your website/ content as of value, eventually so will the search engines.Stat a blog! Yes, it’s an easy way to get noticed by search engines in a short span of time. Search engines love blogs, and so should you! Update your blog frequently with interesting and informative content, and use your blog to create relevant links back (with proper anchor text) to your primary keyword pages. Don’t forget to promote your blog across blog search engines, and blog directories. Write articles! This is a great way to build credibility, popularity and quality link backs without the fear of getting trapped by the duplicate content filter. Write articles that are focused around topics/ keywords you want to target. Write your article to resolve the query of the user who typed in that keyword to find something they were looking for. Promote your articles by posting them on your site or blog first, and then syndicating them to various popular and credible article submission sites.Find long tail keywords! You may think you know your business, products, services and customers dam well, but that still does not ensure you any traffic. There are keywords (and keyword combinations) that people are using right now that you may be unaware off. Spend maximum time in finding the right keywords, tweaking those pages around the keywords (keyword placement), and in analyzing the traffic potential of those keywords. Expert SEO’s use various projection tools, analysis, statistical and research tools to do this.Make a creative video! Wondering how to get a traffic and ranking boost with the least effort? Make a creative and innovative video, post it on your website or blog, and then syndicate to popular video submission sites like YouTube. If this sounds easy, it is, you just need to know how to optimize your video content for search friendliness. Keep in mind this is not an alternative to good on-page optimization, and quality link building.Build those links! This is the most important aspect of getting higher rankings for your select keywords. If you have a new domain, start with building links across popular web directories and announce your new website/product/service using online PR network services. It’s the easiest way to start building some good links. In parallel you can use social networking and bookmarking t[...]

SEO - A Journalist’s Perspective

2009-02-03T02:19:31.164-08:00

Once upon a time to be a good journalist or a good editor all you needed was two simple qualifications – intense curiosity and a good command over the English language. The computer age has, however, changed all that.

Today a journalist or an editor needs to make their presence felt online. A good online article has to have great content, crisp language, and SEO friendliness. This is because the article is not only targeting the net user but also the search engines.

In India SEO is at a nascent stage. Only when a journalist or an editor is writing for a blog or online media the need for better understanding of how SEO works is felt. Journalists / editors working for web media should develop SEO skills. This skill should be developed from both, writing and technology perspective. This is because SEO is the heart of a blog or a website. Companies or organizations having only online presence are totally dependent on SEO to drive traffic or visitors to their site.

Today most large and medium and even some small companies in India have online presence in some way or the other. This has created new opportunities for journalists / editors to exhibit their skills. At the same time it has also increased the need for these people to acquire or brush up their SEO skills.

Thanks to recession companies are competing more intensely than ever for better visibility among the internet users. Only those companies which use SEO efficiently and provide unique content and ideas will be able to hold their interest. Only such companies will survive and tide over the recession.

More and more non-IT professionals are waking up to the potential of online presence. They are also becoming aware of the crucial role of SEO in ensuring visibility of their online assets.
Both amateur and professional websites and blogs need services of SEO consultants or develop in-house SEO experts.

The SEO expert has to understand search engine patterns and user behaviors, and search keywords in detail and customize the site or blog content to suit such patterns. Such SEO exercise is not a one-time process but an ongoing process.

No matter how good your website is in terms of content or features, it is the SEO skills which decide that the world knows and acknowledges what you already know to be true about your website.

About G. Rajesh

G. Rajesh is a blog editor at www.siliconindia.com, a professional networking website. As the editor, he is responsible for developing new strategies to promote blogs, selecting and featuring best blogs and bloggers. He also provides guidance to bloggers having trouble posting the blogs online.

Optimizing your Video Content

2009-01-31T10:05:09.153-08:00

We know that video content has far better prominence in search engine listings, and a couple of good quality videos (with innovative content), if promoted well, can generate traffic and affect your websites ranking for your keywords.The main reason for this is the wide popularity of video sites like YouTube, Meta Café and the likes, and search engines showing preference to video content rather than textual content. And yet, there are some important points to consider before you can go ahead and optimize your videos for search engines and promote them.Since universal search started favoring video content, many SEO experts started using videos as a strategy to get quicker rankings for keywords (some even with strong competition) that otherwise would have taken months to achieve, not to mention the hard work involved in optimizing the site, and building links. Now this is not an alternative to building your regular content and links, but rather an additional boost to the existing seo efforts.A simple method SEO’s use is to publish the video on their client’s websites and then upload it to sites like YouTube. When a search engine would find the same Meta tags in YouTube, as that of a video hosted on the client’s site, it would pass on some link juice immediately, impressing the client to no end to see his video ranked top for his keyword.But keep in mind, video content is treated like any other content as far as search engines go, and things like having your keyword in the Meta tags, Title and the Synopsis is equally important. Since the search engines cannot understand the content of the person speaking in the video, they look into the title, the Meta tags, and synopsis of your video to take clues as to what the video is about. One good idea is to create a text transcript of the conversation of the video on that page as well.The title of the video needs to be given a lot of prominence! Other than ensuring that your keyword/ keyword phrase is included in the title, you have to create a title that is captivating enough so that users come watch it (and recommend it).Now that you have your videos optimized, the next big question is “where to host your videos”? Well that would depend on what do you want to achieve. If you are looking at increasing the traffic to your website, then it’s better to host the video on your website first before submitting to the big video sites. But if your objective is to spread brand awareness and want to create a viral, then you can safely host it on sites like YouTube.Once the optimized video is live, then the next step is to build some links to your video content. You must think the video content you have created is very useful to the users, so why not announce this across social bookmarking sites, and even sites like Twitter. The more users like your video, the more traffic will reach your website.One word of caution; you could find yourself in a situation where you are battling with your own content. What this means is that if you host a video on your site, and then submit the same video on sites like YouTube with the same title, and Meta tags, you could find yourself competing with YouTube for your keyword. Since YouTube has much more credibility than your site, it could happen that your content gets lost somewhere in search listings. To avoid this you can upload the video with the title and Meta tags around your primary keyword on your[...]

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