| The answer to the first question is simple, the | | | | sure you've noticed the same trends I did. Virtually |
| difference between spiders and visitors is dollars. | | | | everyone, not all but close, has taken the Lemming |
| Good old fashion sales, cha ching! ring the cash | | | | approach to there SEO work, "Follow Google". First |
| register. Without quality visitors all of your SEO, | | | | its "we need to fill your meta tags with crap" then its |
| website analysis, and keyword ranking nightmares, | | | | "you need a Reciprocal links index" no wait "now you |
| not to mention the 1000's of hours you spent | | | | need only one way links" Enough already. That's fine |
| changing and tweaking the look of you website, | | | | for the big corporations, they have huge advertising |
| everything, was a waste of your precious time.Don't | | | | budgets and enough bank to finance $10,000 per |
| get me wrong, you do want the spiders to visit your | | | | month, go in every direction optimization projects. |
| website and without all the work mentioned above | | | | That's fine for those SEO firms that currently have |
| they wouldn't stay very long or come back. But | | | | these big bucks corporate clients under contract. |
| remember search spiders are very, very small and | | | | What about you and me? How do we get our fair |
| hopped up on caffeine go pills. They are faster than | | | | share of the visitors and give us a fighting chance to |
| an F-16 and make more stops in one hour than Santa | | | | make a living?The answer is "Forget everything |
| does on Christmas Eve. They have no time to stop | | | | you've read and go back to what you know!"The |
| and shop. Even if they did where would they carry | | | | reason you got into your business in the first place |
| the plastic? They don't have any pockets or purses | | | | was because you had a product that you knew a lot |
| to carry a wallet. Their only job is to take a quick | | | | about and had good success selling it to the |
| look at your site and split to the next URL in the | | | | neighborhood. In fact, before you mortgaged your |
| queue. They are mindless robots with one | | | | house and spent your kids' first year of college tuition |
| mission.Secondly, Even if you do your SEO job as | | | | to get involved in the WWW you knew |
| good or better than 95% of the webmasters out | | | | EVERYTHING about that product. You were the |
| there you still aren't going to make the first page! | | | | Guru, the expert. I've got news for you friend, you |
| Figure it out, do the math. Between Google, MSN & | | | | still are. No matter what Google says.Now all we have |
| Yahoo there are only 30 first page spots per given | | | | to do is prove it. I say we because from this point |
| keyword or phrase. That's out of what? 6 quad | | | | forward we're partners. You're still in charge, you still |
| trillion pages! The shear size of the web spun by | | | | pay all the bills and spend all the profits, but together |
| these spiders is staggering! MSN alone reported today | | | | we are going to get the word out about your great |
| it has 6 billion pages of data in there "three month | | | | website.That's great Michael, but how?With a great |
| old" search index. Add to that Google, Yahoo and | | | | overall marketing plan using today's SEO techniques |
| AOL and, well you get the picture. For you or me to | | | | coupled with the old school marketing that you used |
| get to the first page is almost impossible. Can you | | | | for so many years. Add that together with a few |
| change the way things are? No Way baby, it isn't a | | | | new ideas and we will be back on top in a few short |
| reflection on your optimization work it's just the way | | | | months.First off you need Content! Anyone who has |
| it is.To quote a true expert in the field, Dean Philips". . | | | | known me for long knows that I believe Content is |
| . Because when you stop to consider that Google, | | | | King. Even if you are a product sales website with |
| DMOZ and Yahoo! have millions and millions of pages | | | | 1000's of sku's you still need good solid content to |
| in their directories, you'd really have a better chance | | | | bring your customers in and keep them on your site. |
| of winning the lottery, than getting high enough in | | | | Long enough to hear about your products and see |
| the results pages where it's going to make a | | | | your great prices. In fact if you have half that many |
| significant difference in your traffic."The answer to | | | | products the content articles are the most important |
| the second question, "How do I get more visitors to | | | | part of the equation. Content holds the key to |
| my website?" is a little harder to give a definitive | | | | breaking free of the cocoon and making the spiders |
| answer to. There are as many opinions available as | | | | pay attention to your website again. So many good |
| there are SEO websites and so called "Experts". But | | | | things can be said about content that I hardly know |
| the bottom line is there are ways.You have the tools, | | | | where to start.Well written product articles, featured |
| use themIf you are a website owner and/or you | | | | reviews, test drives, product comparisons, almost |
| have a good webmaster you have the tools at your | | | | any written content will give you untold opportunities |
| disposal already. Most people would think that link | | | | to flood the spiders data bank with keywords and |
| exchanging is one way but it's as old and worn out | | | | phrases. Not just 10 words or 30 words but hundreds |
| as that pair tennis shoes you have stuffed under | | | | of keywords and phrases. Articles will help educate |
| your bed that your wife has been telling you to | | | | your customers before they buy saving your |
| throw away. Paying for banner ads on other "same | | | | customer service reps countless hours. These |
| type content" websites will work to some extent but | | | | educated customers will come back and tell their |
| the best website choices are usually your direct | | | | friends about your great site. Other webmasters will |
| competitors and giving them your hard earned | | | | hear about your website resulting in links and possible |
| money makes no sense at all. Google AdSense blocks | | | | affiliates. The benefits are endless.Discussion boards |
| seem to be on everyone website maybe that will | | | | used to be the big thing. Now, unless you have a |
| work to bring in some income. Maybe, but it doesn't | | | | tremendous amount of traffic they aren't worth the |
| move your stock off the shelves and it won't pay | | | | time it takes to maintain. Blogs or weblogs on the |
| your employees or truck payment. Lastly, you could | | | | other hand are reasonably new and easy to maintain |
| try Google AdWords advertising, I know first hand | | | | and a great way to pass on information to your |
| that it works to bring in traffic. But watch out, if you | | | | prospective customers and the search engines love |
| don't manage it right it will get expensive quick.Heard | | | | them. In fact if you start one, your product weblog |
| enough? All of those ideas at one time or another | | | | may be the first of its kind, I don't think I have ever |
| were very good and a couple still work if used | | | | seen a blog about widgets?The point is you have the |
| sparingly in conjunction with a good overall marketing | | | | knowledge to make this work. You don't need |
| plan. The spiders have spun this web so big and so | | | | someone to do all the work you. Like Santa you just |
| tight that if you don't have a good marketing plan | | | | need a good helper. If you are not a good writer |
| you will get stuck and lost. You simply just have to | | | | then practice or hire someone who is. If you need |
| have a plan and find alternative ways to attract real | | | | help getting this project started give me a call. Just |
| traffic to your website. More traffic will turn into | | | | do it!Michael Klasno is an Assisted SEO Marketing |
| more sales and that is what we all need.If you have | | | | Specialist and CEO of Net Performance Group Inc. |
| been looking around the web for an SEO expert to | | | | Net Performance specializes in fishing and outdoor |
| help you bail the water out of your leaky dingy I am | | | | website design and marketing. |