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Is Your SEO up to the Task? 
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A lot has changed in the Search Engine Optimization business since mid 2000. What once was a relatively easy task of optimizing web pages for top ranking among the most popular search engines has turned out to be a complex process requiring research, analysis and lots of skill.
The Good Old Days
When Search Engine Optimization (SEO) started in the mid 90s, it was new and high tech. Those who knew what the search engines were looking for could name their price, and big companies were willing to pay to get results. In those days, SEO work was relatively easy. Keywords hidden in the HTML metatags were the most influential portion of a web site. Then, adding some "doorway" pages to enhance the site so it looked bigger; flooding these pages with keywords (spam) and submittng the site to the search engines and the job would be done - with money to spare.
The task was so simple that software programs were created. The first product to market and still the most popular is Web Position Gold. The product sold thousands of copies for $149 and seeded a cottage industry.
Changing Times
But the game changed quickly. Sites with objectionable material could fool the search engines with legitimate keywords to lure unsuspecting users. Search engines realized that keywords and spam-rich doorway pages alone would were not a good measure of the true content of a website.
The search engines found ways to block sites that are submitted automatically, analyze word count to check for spamming, and check for hidden words. They even started checking the link structure. At first, the link criterion was simple: the more links, the better the site. Again, SEO companies sprang into action by creating "free-link" sites. These sites allowed anyone to link for any reason. It did not matter if the linking site had anything to do with each other - it was a link. For a while this tactic worked, but the search engines improved their algorithms again.
Today's Challenges
Today, all of the popular search engines are in their 2nd or 3rd generation. These newer search engines read a portion or all the pages to determine the site "theme". Plus, most search engines are smart enough to determine the quality of in and out-bound links. And the best engines are evaluating the number of visitors and how long they stay at a site. What once was a relatively simple SEO task is now a complex process.
Before site optimization can begin, today SEO providers must start with research to analyze the target and competitors' websites, evaluate phrase popularity, synonyms and related words and consider market variables to determine four to six optimal keywords that represent the target site's true purpose or theme. Research continues with an analysis of the link structure for the top ranked sites for each keyword across the most popular search engines. This research will determine the number of relevant links that are required to qualify for top ranking. Typically, there is a direct relationship between the site theme popularity to the number of links.
With keywords in hand and a link strategy defined, the SEO campaign can begin. Each page to be optimized undergoes a transformation. Title and header tags are modified to include keywords, related words and their synonyms. Body tags are adjusted to optimize HTML style sheets. Hidden text is removed so search engines will not discard or skip pages. And most importantly, the visible text is enriched with keywords, related words and synonyms to a word-density that is acceptable to the search engines while maintaining readability.
Meanwhile, the link campaign can begin. Armed with hundreds of potential link sites from earlier research, an email campaign to each relevant site begins. The campaign involves a 4-step process:
- First an email is sent to the prospective linking site asking permission to send more detailed information.
- If the response is positive, the URL is sent for their further consideration.
- If accepted, the inbound linking site is sent the link with a description that includes keywords.
- Lastly, the inbound linking site is monitored to make sure the link is posted properly.
When is the Job Done?
The SEO campaign may be in full swing, but the reporting and fine-tuning is just beginning. Every day, ranking data is gathered and recorded for each keyword for every major search engine, and these online reports are made available to the client. Ranking movements are tracked and automatic alerts are generated.
Every month SEO work continues as the search engines modify their algorithms and competitive market factors change.
An SEO Analyst job is never done. As soon as the search engines start ranking a website, the Analyst's job begins again.
- Researching to test hypothesis
- Correlating site changes with search engine ranking results
- Expanding the link campaign
- Monitoring insider newsletters for search engine algorithm changes
- Modifying code as required to attain top ranking
The Tools of the Trade
In order to conduct a full-on SEO campaign a skilled SEO analyst needs more than knowledge and a computer. In order to be efficient, the analyst needs specialized tools to conduct detailed analysis quickly, repeatedly and accurately. Some of these tools are available on the Internet, others are special software programs available for a fee, and some tools must be created. Among the last group are:
- Link extractors
Defines link structure and relevancy for: in-bound / out-bound and internal /external links
- Link Optimizers
Extracts e-mails from target sites and manages the link campaign
- On-line Rank Reporting
Updates every 24 hours; logs results in a database for trend analysis; automatic notification of rank movement
The Future of SEO
Search engines are dedicated to providing high quality service for their users. That means search engines will continue to get smarter and be better able to determine the true theme of a site. Quality SEO companies are on the forefront of this technology blending the methods search engines use to analyze site with the desires of site owners and the popularity of specific phrases.
Even as SEO efforts are becoming more and more sophisticated requiring higher price premiums, they continue to provide real value for clients who recognize the importance of a web-based marketing campaign.
| SEO company resources / qualities |
Position
Research |
| Strategic Keyword
Analysis |
Qualitative measures and
quantitative information are analyzed together to determine a comprehensive
keyword strategy |
| Strategic Link Analysis |
Link structures of the top
ranked sites for all keywords are cataloged and analyzed to determine the
optimal number of links required to attain top ranking |
| Contributes to insider
newsletters |
Authoring of several
technical papers and distributed to insider editors for inclusion in their
newsletters. |
| Data driven relevant link
campaign |
Extracts e-mails from
potential link sites; catalogs and rates relevancy, and manages an e-mail
campaign |
| Catalogs all page
optimization efforts |
All changes to a site are
data logged for archiving and cross correlation to ranking results |
| On-line rank reporting |
Web enabled reporting of
the rank of each keyword on every popular search engine. |
| Data store of rank history |
Rank history is maintained
for each keyword for every top search engine |
| Automatic
notification of rank movement |
Automatic e-mails are
generated and sent to our SEO analysts and clients when a ranking
changes. This added visibility
improves our reaction time and quality of service. |
| Engages in leading edge
technology |
Click optimization
research continues to boost ranking among popular directories (in beta now). |
| Develops
proprietary tools |
Link Extractor: Defines
link structure and relevancy for: in-bound / out-bound and internal /external
links |
| Link
Optimizer: See Data driven relevant link campaign |
| Reporting system: Updated every 24 hours;
logs results in a database for trend analysis; automatic notification of rank
movement |
| Attends industry
conferences |
Regular attendance at
industry tradeshows and technical conferences maintains high technology
awareness and market changes |
| Certified SEO engineers |
All SEO analysts trained
by Academy of Web Specialists (ACWS) and advanced in-house training support
higher skill and competency |
| Experience |
Combined 11 years of SEO
experience · Currently serving and maintaining a total of 225,000+ URLs and
keywords across the 13 most popular search engines. |
| Ancillary services |
Dynamic website design ·
Website hosting · SEO consultation · Domain name registration |
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