The “Secrets” to Search Engine Optimization-ummm..relationships and authenticity
By Eric Blackwell on Sep 21, 2007 in Life, Online Reputation Management, Search Engine Optimization
I have about had it with people looking for SEO techniques and e-commerce gimmicks. When you don’t know them, you tend to think that there are some magical potions that you can drink to take you to the top. Much like every other venture in life, these fables of gimmicks often lead people to die of old age searching for the fountain of youth…
Everyone wants the “easy way” when the “right way” is, well, right in front of our noses…
IT (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION) IS NOT ABOUT LINKS! It is about the relationships behind those links. To TRULY succeed on the net, you need to be willing to be creative, develop long lasting relationships in your industry, and to work HARD to protect your online reputation–or pay someone to do it for you. It is that simple. Really.
SEO guys can teach you principles in doing that effectively and efficiently, but I swear that is how it works.
IT is ALSO NOT ABOUT GIMMICKS ! It is about you being authentically YOU. If your online persona and your offline persona are in synch, (and assuming that you do quality work), it will show and you will drive business. If people think you are a poser in real life then they will think you are a poser online.
Good search engine marketing doesn’t change who you are. It just promotes it in a very efficient and near real time manner.
Here’s to being who you are, working hard, being creative and getting ahead! (Some things never change…even with new media!)
5 Comment(s)
By Eric Bramlett on Sep 24, 2007 | Reply
My favorite quote regarding SEO Guys is Newsweek’s on Rand Fishkin:
“…search-engine optimizers like Fishkin are the Web’s lobbyists.”
It really is all about relationships.
By admin on Sep 26, 2007 | Reply
Pretty good quote! I think Rand is WAY more than a lobbyist!! It is TOTALLY true that you NEED long lasting friends in this business to keep your site conforming to the wants of the search engines, which are constantly changing.
By Malok on Oct 4, 2007 | Reply
Great points, Eric! The people looking for a “quick trip to the top of google” - are just as likely to get a “quick trip OUT of google”.
Long term, and rock solid relationships are what its about for long term staying power in the search engines.
And if you are fake, it comes across in your website’s content - and defeats the purpose of getting to the top of the search engines in the first place.
By Ryan Ward on Oct 12, 2007 | Reply
Isn’t this the truth. It really is not any different than life in the real world. There are tricks, gimmicks, con men and the like on and offline. When you get down to it, authenticity is what we should have at the heart of our motivation. All of us who utlize the internet as part of our overall marketing strategy to produce income for our livelihood want to “get links” - that’s not really a secret. Building friendships and meaningful relationships that you would want to have even without the link pay much greater dividends in the long run. If we treat our online presence like we are actually here and in person, we can achieve much more than a link from a good website. I try to follow that premise and it really works. Breaking free of the anonymity of the internet and treating conversations with the same respect you would a phone call or meeting in person makes a big difference in how we act online.
I like the new look of the blog. Haven’t been here in a while.
By admin on Oct 12, 2007 | Reply
Thanks for the kind words. Coming from a guy that puts the effort you do into a site, that means something.
I agree, it does boil down to your motivation. Hope life is good in Atlanta!
Eric