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How To Optimize Your Site For The Search Engine Of Tomorrow
hen it comes to ranking long-term success with the search
well in the search engines requires us to understand
engines many of us take a the goals of the major search
“best practices” approach. We engines and how that effects
focus on the best techniques. We their algorithm. It is not
are concerned with what you are sufficient to know what the
suppose to do and how you are search engines do today, we also
suppose to do it. There is, no need to get a sense of where the
doubt, great value to knowing search engines are likely to do
what works (after all it works). tomorrow and to build our
However, there is a down side to optimization campaigns
this approach. If we only focus accordingly. If we can learn to
on techniques and never bother to think like the search engines,
take the time to worry about why then we can start to build and
those techniques are successful, market the type of sites that
then we may very well find they want to rank well. And with
ourselves “surprised” one-day billions of dollars of cash and
when all of the sudden what some of the brightest minds that
worked yesterday no longer seems roam this planet, the search
to work today. This, indeed, is engines are getting rather good
what many people (unhappily) at ranking highly those sites
discovered with Google’s Big which they want to rank well.
Daddy update. Therefore, the prudent, long-term
strategy to ranking well in the
The search engines, it turns out, search engines is to learn how to
are rather dynamic and they are both build and market our sites
constantly changing the way in exactly as the search engines
which they determine which sites want us to.
rank well for any given search
term. What this means is that This leads us to an obvious
question, or rather two obvious ranking success. And while that
questions. The first question is may not sound so easy, it’s not
what types of websites to the so hard either. It basically
search engines like? The second requires you to stay abreast of
questions is how do the search the type of content that people
engines want us to market our are looking for as well as the
sites? The answer to the first types of websites that people
question is that the search find popular (guess what, they
engines like relevant websites. are often times, although not
That is to say, websites which always, the same thing).
their customers (i.e., people who
search online) find relevant for Relevant Content
the search terms that they enter. In terms of creating relevant
The answer to the second question content the key is to figure out
is that the search engines like what sort of information,
popular websites and as such want products or services your
us to make our sites popular. customers need (remember, often
Note, though, that by popular we times your customers started out
mean real world, natural as the search engine customers).
popularity; not contrived Look around at the types of sites
popularity. These are sites that do well, what kind of
people link to because they like content do they provide. Talk to
the site and find it of value. your customers and listen to what
they want. The more information
What this means is that if you you can get about unmet needs the
can create a site which both the greater the chances you have of
search engine’s customers and providing high-quality, relevant
other webmasters and web-users content (the type that search
find valuable then you have a engines like showing and people
winning formula for long-term like linking to). The key is to
constantly be on the lookout for your content. If you excel at
ways to create the best site making connections, then perhaps
possible for your particular you can encourage other people to
field or industry. build your content. Not
everything has to come from you,
Here are a few ideas to get you just something. Figure out what
started: you are best at and act
accordingly.
Stay up-to-date
In any field, there are always Improve upon existing content
new developments, insights,
techniques, etc. By staying Look at what is already
abreast of these you provide successful and see if you can do
yourself with numerous it better. Look around at all of
possibilities for creating the different types of content
meaningful content. You can write online and see what needs
about it, apply it, review it, improving upon and then improve
explain it, etc. The new is upon it.
always interesting. It is also
confusing and (perhaps) not yet Real popularity
known. Take advantage of these In terms of creating real
facts to create interesting, popularity for your site (and all
exciting, relevant content. the links that come with that)
the key today is finding those
Play to your strengths people with the power to
Know your area of expertise and influence popularity and then
take advantage of that to help giving them what they want.
provide useful, interesting Blogs, forums, del.icio.us,
content. If your strength is digg.com, news sites, etc, all of
money, then hire someone to build these venues are run by real live
people who (if they like your something about your site which
site) have the power to send is newsworthy? If so, then
large numbers of visitors and package it as a story and write a
links to your site. However, press release about it (or
they will only do so if you give contact the press directly if you
them what they want. What that have any connections).
means is that in order to create Alternatively, offer to write a
real popularity online you first column or a special article. At
need to find out what the “powers the same time, ask them what
that be” want and how you can subjects they are interested in
give it to them. and see if you can either write
or hire someone to write an
Here are a few examples of what article about it.
type of content creates
popularity online: Social Media Sites
There are no clear cut rules
Bloggers about what types of content do
Bloggers need something to blog well at sites like Digg.com and
about. After all, each and every del.icio.us. What does well in
day they need to supply their one industry may be of little
readers with new content. So if interest to another. It is best
you can create something that to look at the types of content
they find of interest then they which are popular for your
will gladly write about you and industry on these sites and then
your “creation” (which, of to create similar content on your
course, will include a link). site. With that said, certain
types of styles seem to do well
News sites (such as lists or how to
News sites need stories and/or articles). Figure out which
articles of interest. Is there styles work best for your target
audience and write your content efficiently give each party what
accordingly. they want. What’s nice is that
the same content can often times
Content is king be reworked to appeal to the
So, at the end of the day, high particular needs of different
rankings which last revolve groups . Either way, content is
around one word, content. But now king (indeed, it has been for
take note, not all content is the a while). So go out, create lots
same. The search engines may like of it, make sure that it is
one type of content, bloggers relevant and of the highest
another, and people on digg.com quality, and you and the search
yet another. The key to long term engines can live together happily
success online is becoming aware ever after.
of which content speaks to which
audience and then learning how to
About the Author:
Moshe Morris is president of SEM Basics (www.sembasics.com) - a leading resource center for search engine marketing tutorials and other valuable search marketing products and services.
Read more articles by: Moshe Morris
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