It's a proven fact that blogs are magnets for search engines, particularly Google. That being said, you can increase your ranking even more by focusing on keyword optimization within your blog posts. I'm not talking about keyword stuffing, but being sensitive to tactful use of relevant keywords that target the desired traffic and audience you want to reach.

There is an excellent article written by Amanda G. Watlington, entitled Even Blogs Need Keyword Research that goes into great detail about the advantages of keyword optimization for blogs.

Here's a quote to whet your appetite. . .

"[T]he technology underlying blogs and blogging is search friendly, and blog content is both fresh and rich in topical relevance. Aren't these attributes just what search engines have told search marketers they want - fresh, relevant content? Blogs are like candy to spiders - not necessarily good for them but snatched up as eagerly as Halloween trick-or-treats by kids."

While I respect the work of credible SEO experts, I believe a routinely written, keyword optimized, topically targeted blog can give you higher and more frequent returns at a lower cost than any other form of search engine marketing. For that reason alone, blogs are worth the time and investment.

This post should fall under the category of "Advice I Need to Take." It's from a post by Paul Boutin, writer for Slate, Wired, The New York Times, Reader's Digest, Condé Nast, and more. He says. . .

"[A]lways think about what headline would make a reader click on an entry as opposed to passing it by. Usually it's a matter of making clear what the entry is about, and what the relevant new info or commentary in the post is."

It's that "think" part that always gets me! :-) Couple Mr. Boutin's idea with a focus on what keywords can be included in the headline that would attract search engines.

Here's a tip I picked up from Nick Usborne's Excess Voice email newsletter on optimizing your blog for Google and other search engines. . .

Google loves blogs. Now think a step further...use Wordtracker or equivalent...optimize your blog titles and content.

I admit I don't get that intense about keywords, though I should. I do pay attention to keywords in titles of posts and in body copy. Using this type of strategy is a definite best practice though.

Top25Web.com offers a suite of three search engine optimization tools worth checking out: PageRank Value, Ranking Report, and Link Popularity.

This nifty no-cost tool allows you to type one list of action words (such as buy, click, purchase) and another list of descriptions (such as your product categories) and then it combines them into one long list of keyword phrases for your AdWords bidding pleasure. Those who have set up an AdWords P-P-C account will appreciate just how useful this simple tool could be for keyword/phrase preparation on AdWords -- or with any other P-P-C program, for that matter.

I found this info in Larry Chase's Search Engine for Marketers email newsletter.

Marketers with listings ranked at the top of search results pages receive much more traffic to their sites than those just a spot below, according to a new study.

The research found that Internet traffic decreases as keyword rankings drop. Overall, a top ranking generates 10 times the traffic as a spot at No. 10, according to the study. Traffic was found to drop 10 percent for each drop in rank.

Like my father is fond of saying, "Second place is just the first one to lose!"

Search engine optimization (SEO) is both art and science. You can spend lots of money and end up with minimal returns if you don't know what your doing. Here are some answers to questions you might not have asked, but need to.

There are site submission services that promise to submit your site to thousands of search engines. Is that a good tactic?

First, there aren't thousands of search engines on the Internet. There are many free-for-all link sites, and many special interest sites, but not thousands of search engines. Second, it won't do you any good to submit your site to directories that have nothing to do with your business.

Which search engines should you submit to?

Currently, there are only three major players: Google, Yahoo and MSN Search. They are responsible for the bigger part of the search engine traffic you can get because they also power other search engines.

What about directories?

Directories are different from search engines because all web site submissions are reviewed by humans. The most important one is The Open Directory Project at www.dmoz.org.

You should also submit to topic specific search engines. If your web site sells garden equipment, you should submit your web site to specific garden directories. Even if they don't send you some visitors, they could improve the link popularity of your web site which helps your ranking in other search engines.

Of course, none of it means anything if your web site is not optimized for search engines. Search engines see your web pages with different eyes than web surfers. Search engines crawl your site looking for text. If your site doesn't have keyword and description metatags, if the title tags aren't keyword optimized, and if the content in the body of your pages is either not keyword optimized or of sufficient quantity, then it is simply not ready to be submitted.

As I said at the outset, SEO is both art and science. To do it well, you need to be armed with some knowledge and the right tools. Let me recommend two resources to you that can help.

The first is an ebook called the SEO Book. This book, written by SEO expert Aaron Wall, has wide acclaim, and is kept current with the latest, most relevant information. It will give you the knowledge you need, and comes with a money-back guarantee.

The second resource is an SEO software program called IBP. It's a suite of 10 professional web promotion tools that help you with all aspects of web site promotion and search engine optimization. You can download a trial version at no cost.

Search Engine Optimization is not an option these days. If you want to compete either locally or on a global scale, it's a necessary component.

Apparently Seth Godin reads his own books. In his latest, Free Prize Inside, Seth talks about Edgecrafting, taking an idea to the edge, to make it remarkable, a Purple Cow, something worth talking about.

In his post on Search Engine Optimization he did just that. He proposed that most SEO wasn't "worth the money," calling it "black art," "blind faith," and "superstition." I'd say that was taking an idea to the edge.

Well, guess what happened. . .people did start talking about it. That post generated 17 trackbacks and, had comments been turned on (darn comment spammers), probably would have generated untold amounts of them as well.

Seth masterfully used hyperbole - intentionally, so he says - to change people's thinking, to challenge their preconceived notions about an accepted Internet marketing technique. Perhaps his role in life is to turn "sacred cows" into purple ones.

There's a lesson in that for all of us boys and girls. And, maybe that was his point in the first place. That, and selling his book!

Seth Godin's recent post called The Problem with Search Engine Optimization has sparked a small swirl of controversy over the value of using SEO as a marketing strategy.

Seth's argument is substantive. (After all, it is Seth Godin making the argument!). Basically, he asserts that SEO is "not worth the money" for two reasons:

1. SEO is "black art." It's hard to know who is good at it and who is not.
and
2. It's "blind faith." (Read the analogy he uses.)

Now, for some other POVs. . .

Search Engine "Optimist" Aaron Wall asserts that Godin is completely wrong. Of course, he makes his living doing SEO and wrote an ebook on the subject.

In his article SEO vs. PPC: Seth is Completely Wrong! Wall states,

"As long as people who know little about SEO continue to mislead people about it then the SEO market will remain cloudy. Many people doing SEO are crooks, but if you find the right person you can achieve solid returns at an exceptionally low cost."

The viewpoint that makes the most sense to me comes from ConversionRater.com. His is a middle-of-the-road opinion that assents to Seth's declaration, but at the same time, balances the argument with a testimonial of his own success using SEO.

A fellow with experience always trumps one with an argument. Being the gentleman that he is, Seth even acknowledges this in the comments section of the post.

Now, for my opinion. . .

1. I believe having a site that is optimized for the major search engines is a key element in your overall marketing mix. Search engines are woven into the "warf-and-woof" of the Internet. They are it's circulatory system in many respects. Search engines are, in the 21st century, what the Yellow Pages were in the last. There is great likelyhood that most of your traffic will come from search engines. To suggest you don't need to use SEO is sheer arrogance at best, and sheer stupidity at worst.
2. You need to use Paid-Per-Click advertising. SEO alone won't cut it, not for small businesses anyway. Google Adwords and Overture have proven themselves as extremely viable marketing venues. My own experience with them has been largely positive, and I recommend their use to all my clients.
3. You need to add a blog to your small business website. I've pontificated on here more than once how this little blog has gotten me front page returns on keyword searches that really do have something to do with my business!

I would say any small business that optimizes its site for search engines, incorporates pay-per-click advertising, and blogs routinely about the business will experience success in driving traffic its way.

If you're a small businessperson who needs help with your online marketing efforts, please feel free to contact me. I'd be happy to discuss the matter with you.

Here's a handy tip from Axandra.com. . .

Do you want to be automatically informed by email when Google's spider visits your web site? A search engine spider is an automated software program that locates and collects data from web pages for inclusion in a search engine's database. The name of Google's spider is "Googlebot".

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