12/23/2004- Business West
A hot topic among
Web site owners is how to get a great ranking on search engines through
Search Engine Optimization and Positioning (SEOP). Unfortunately, much
of what is written about SEOP is based on a limited understanding of
how search engines actually work. Here are 10 common myths about search
engines. By understanding why these widely held beliefs are false, you
will be better prepared to undertake a productive SEOP effort.
Myth #1: Being #1 in Google is the most important thing.
Reality:
You can spend a lot of time and money gaining the top position in
Google, but being #1 with the wrong search phrases won't help your
company at all. You need to be tops with the right key words - the ones
that will drive more potential customers to your site.
Myth #2: Keyword research isn't that important.
Reality: Keyword research is the cornerstone of SEOP. We've worked with
clients who have proudly stated, "We're #1 on Google when you search
for 'X'." The problem is they didn't research how many people
search for that keyword per day or how many competitors exist for that
keyword. Your research should take you through hundreds of potential
keywords to focus on those phrases that will give you the best ROI for
your business.
Myth #3: Metatags matter.
Reality: In the
late '90s, when search engines first came into prominence, they used
the meta data to discover what sort of information was on the Web page.
Unfortunately, unscrupulous companies began trying to steal market
share by putting competitors' names in their meta keywords. Search
engines quickly realized this and no longer use meta data to index
sites.
Myth #4: I don't need to do SEOP; I'll just do paid adwords.
Reality: SEOP is a fraction of the cost of paid adwords when
compared on a per-visit basis. Let's say you allocate $2,400 for a year
of adwords that bring 1,000 visitors per month to your site (20 cents
per visitor). Spending that same $2,400 up front on SEOP could produce
as many as 5,000 or 10,000 visitors per month, or up to 10 times more
traffic for the same money. In addition, at the end of the year, if
you've done your SEOP correctly, you'll continue to get thousands of
visitors every month without spending any more money.
Myth #5: At 20-30 cents per click, adwords are a steal!
Reality:
Sure, this is much cheaper than some of the older "pay-per-view" banner
ads, but even at 20-30 cents per visit to your Web site, adwords can
get fairly expensive. Work with an expert to determine how much each
visitor actually costs. When you do the math, you may find that you're
spending as much as $300 to acquire a customer worth $150 to $200 - not
a very good ROI.
Myth #6: Great programming is all you need for SEOP.
Reality:
Even if you've got a tech-savvy developer, your site won't perform well
in search engines unless you have several key ingredients, including
good copywriting linked to your keywords, lots of pages of text, links
from other Web sites, and frequent site updates to name a few. A good
search engine expert will work with you to ensure that your site is
doing everything it can to be indexed well with search engines.
Myth #7: Search engines want to help your business.
Reality:
Search engines want to make money. Both MSN and Yahoo!, which together
control more than 65% of all searches, heavily bias their results for
paying customers. So if you want to do well on those sites, you'll have
to give them money. The more you give, the better you'll do. Google,
which controls about a third of all searches, is the only search engine
that keeps its search results separate from its paid services. While
you may see "Google Adwords" on top of your search, rest assured that
Google results are unbiased by ad dollars.
Myth #8: It's worth spending $19.95 to get listed in 2,000 search engines.
Reality: Just being listed in some of the 'link farms' can actually
hurt your chances of doing well on popular search engines. In fact, the
top search engines blacklist some of the less-reputable directories.
You DO want to be listed in the top Web directories, however. A Web
directory is like the Internet's phone book. The major directories are
Yahoo! and DMOZ. Your Web site will receive more exposure by listing in
these directories, and search engines tend to rank directory-listed
sites higher. Their rationale is that businesses that pay to be listed
are serious companies that are worth showing to users. Make sure the
short description used for these directories includes the keyword
phrases that you researched earlier in the process!
Myth #9: SEOP is something your Web developer can do once & then forget about.
Reality:
Search engines are constantly being "tuned up" to give better results.
Google might change how it works as many as a few times a day. While
most of these changes are small, larger changes happen periodically
that affect the rankings of specific sites. All of these changes to
search engines, combined with changes in your company's competitive
landscape, make an impact over time. You need to respond by giving your
Web site an SEOP tune up every year or two.
Myth #10: You can do SEOP on your own.
Reality:
While it's true that you can do most of this on your own, you'll
probably want to consult with a professional to get started. Web sites
such as www.searchenginewatch.com will keep you updated on the latest
search engine strategies, but for someone with no experience to jump
into this endeavor will take many hours of work. Having a professional
guide your efforts will save you money in the long run, and free up
your time for other marketing endeavors.
Jason Mark is
president and co-founder of Gravity Switch; Gravity
Switch is an experienced web/multimedia design firm with a
knowledgeable and friendly staff. For information about working with
Gravity Switch please call [413] 586-9596 or.