"The New SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - For Dummies"
by Manny Sarmiento – President / CEO of New Media, New Marketing, Inc.
The New World of SEO means that you can optimize your own website and blog, resulting in high search results rankings at zero or minimal cost. You can get to the top of Google without extensive experience or expensive investments!
Old school SEO meant having to pay a bunch of money to “SEO Experts” who promised high rankings on Google, Bing and Yahoo. Sadly, they didn’t necessarily fulfill these promises. What made it possible for these so-called “SEO Experts” to charge you a bunch of money was the ignorance of business owners, CEOs and the like.
This ignorance and lack of knowledge is currently widespread. Most business owners are bombarded by ads for SEO. Some of these SEO firms can get you results by making suggestions and changes to your website. So, don’t discard all those emails you receive.
Personally, I don’t like paying for SEO. Especially, when there is no need to do so. The following information on SEO will make it possible (with no guarantees – sorry!) to get to the top of the search engines by optimizing your websites on your own.
First, here is the history of SEO in a brief manner. When Al Gore invented the internet, (haha) Yahoo dominated the SEO and Search engine universe. For $299 Yahoo would consider looking at your website and indexing it on their search engine. Since then the “SEO Experts” started appearing with all the illustrious promises of Search Engine domination. But recently Google changed the playing field. It is now possible for you to get incredible search engine rankings and appear at the top of the search engines without paying for it. Here’s how.
The SEO “Secret”
The “secret” to SEO domination on Google is… that there is no secret! Google only wants one thing. That you provide a real content, keyword-rich, target market, relevant website! If you provide a website that contains these four elements you will most likely appear high on the search engines, maybe even on the first page, in the first few listings.
As a matter of fact Google provides all the dos and don’ts for SEO on several Google produced resources. Here are a few:
• Google Search Engine Guidelines
• Google SEO Starter Guide
• Google SEO Videos
• Google Search-based Keyword Tool
These free SEO tools from Google can be found on www.nmx2,com/resources
The most important one of these tools is the Google Search-based Keyword Tool. The tool helps you determine keywords or keyword phrases that your target market searches for to find your type of business. Simply enter the keywords you believe your target market searches for and Google gives you “Keyword Ideas” that are relevant, actual searches per month.
With this Google keyword tool you will be able to create a master list of target market keywords. You will then use these keywords in all of your website content, social media profiles and updates, blog contents, pictures, usernames, and any other online tools.
If your content is real and relevant to the search terms typed into the Google search box, Google will return the most relevant results in the search engine results page (SERP). This is the “secret” to appearing high in a Google search result. Not much of a secret, is it?
If you’ve been paying attention to the web, you’ve most likely heard that Google “has a new update”. Google is creative with the names it gives it’s algorithm changes. Algorithm is a fancy name for the mathematical calculations and choices it’s servers use to determine relevant terms. If you are listening to what I am saying in this article, then you know to ignore and stop panicking about these updates.
This ignorance and lack of knowledge is currently widespread. Most business owners are bombarded by ads for SEO. Some of these SEO firms can get you results by making suggestions and changes to your website. So, don’t discard all those emails you receive.
Personally, I don’t like paying for SEO. Especially, when there is no need to do so. The following information on SEO will make it possible (with no guarantees – sorry!) to get to the top of the search engines by optimizing your websites on your own.
First, here is the history of SEO in a brief manner. When Al Gore invented the internet, (haha) Yahoo dominated the SEO and Search engine universe. For $299 Yahoo would consider looking at your website and indexing it on their search engine. Since then the “SEO Experts” started appearing with all the illustrious promises of Search Engine domination. But recently Google changed the playing field. It is now possible for you to get incredible search engine rankings and appear at the top of the search engines without paying for it. Here’s how.
The SEO “Secret”
The “secret” to SEO domination on Google is… that there is no secret! Google only wants one thing. That you provide a real content, keyword-rich, target market, relevant website! If you provide a website that contains these four elements you will most likely appear high on the search engines, maybe even on the first page, in the first few listings.
As a matter of fact Google provides all the dos and don’ts for SEO on several Google produced resources. Here are a few:
• Google Search Engine Guidelines
• Google SEO Starter Guide
• Google SEO Videos
• Google Search-based Keyword Tool
These free SEO tools from Google can be found on www.nmx2,com/resources
The most important one of these tools is the Google Search-based Keyword Tool. The tool helps you determine keywords or keyword phrases that your target market searches for to find your type of business. Simply enter the keywords you believe your target market searches for and Google gives you “Keyword Ideas” that are relevant, actual searches per month.
With this Google keyword tool you will be able to create a master list of target market keywords. You will then use these keywords in all of your website content, social media profiles and updates, blog contents, pictures, usernames, and any other online tools.
If your content is real and relevant to the search terms typed into the Google search box, Google will return the most relevant results in the search engine results page (SERP). This is the “secret” to appearing high in a Google search result. Not much of a secret, is it?
If you’ve been paying attention to the web, you’ve most likely heard that Google “has a new update”. Google is creative with the names it gives it’s algorithm changes. Algorithm is a fancy name for the mathematical calculations and choices it’s servers use to determine relevant terms. If you are listening to what I am saying in this article, then you know to ignore and stop panicking about these updates.
As long as you are providing real, keyword-rich, target market, relevant content and the user types in the correct keywords that your website is optimized for, your website will appear on a search result.
Another secret of SEO and Google’s search engine is: You may appear at the top of Google for one set of keywords and nowhere to be found for another set of keywords. This means that you must make a choice about which keywords you wish to use in order to have your website appear at the top of Google.
Search Engine Optimization SEO Mechanics and Website Structure Requirements
Another secret of SEO and Google’s search engine is: You may appear at the top of Google for one set of keywords and nowhere to be found for another set of keywords. This means that you must make a choice about which keywords you wish to use in order to have your website appear at the top of Google.
Search Engine Optimization SEO Mechanics and Website Structure Requirements
Search Engine Optimization is not just about writing real, keyword-rich, target market relevant content. Although this is the most important thing Google looks for, it is not the only thing. Here is a list of the most important mechanical things your website must have in order to appear high on the search engines. Keep in mind that even if the mechanics are good, Google gives no guarantees.
• Keyword Rich Title Tag
• Keyword Rich Description Meta Tag
• Keyword Meta Tag
• <H1> & <H2> with Keywords
• Keyword Image Files Names
• Keyword Image Alt-Tags
• Internal Links & External Links with Keywords
Along with the mechanics of the website there are other important, off-website things you must do to improve your website rankings on Google and other search engines.
1. Acquire backlinks to your website. Google will give your website “Google Love” for links back to your website from other, external websites. The more relevant the site is, the more Google “Love” you will receive and the greater the chance of getting ranked higher on Google. Links from irrelevant sites will not get you Google “Love”.
2. Create and submit two types of sitemaps, an .html sitemap and an .xml sitemap. Google lets you do this at their Webmaster Tools website.
3. Submit your website manually to Google, Bing and Yahoo. Yahoo is submitted on the same website as Bing, at the same time.
4. Get traffic to your website and engage them when they land on your website. Do everything possible, online and offline, to get visitors to your website. You can acquire lots of Google Love by increasing the number of unique visitors and getting them to take actions on your website. The “Call to Action” is one of the most important engagement tools for your site. Ask your visitors to do something, such as, watch a video, fill in a form, visit another page on your site.
Other than optimization, the paradigm I teach my SEO students is that social media is an important tool for getting ranked on Google. Many social media sites, if properly keyword optimized, may appear on a search on the search engines. Below is a list of some of the best sites (currently) for SEO:
1. Merchant Circle
2. YouTube
3. Yelp
4. YellowPages.com
5. SuperYellowPages
6. Foursquare
7. LinkedIn
8. Blogger & WordPress
9. Facebook Business Pages
10. Google Plus
11. Twitter
12. PRLog
I’ve studied Search Engine Optimization extensively. I am confident that when you optimize your pages with the tools that I have given you, your website will appear when specific target market keywords are typed into the search box.
It is easier than ever to appear at the top of Google and the other search engine. A good social media strategy and campaign and play a major role in your Search Engine Marketing SEM results. There is no need to spend a bunch of money on SEO. Research your target market keywords. Use the master list of keywords you created in all your content and in the elements of your website outlined here. Create and run a strategic social media marketing campaign.
DIY-SEO Checklist
• Relevant, Keyword-rich Content
• Unique Visitors
• Relevant Backlinks
• Keyword Rich Title
• Keyword Rich Description
• Keyword Meta Tag
• <H1> <H2>
• Keyword Image Files Names
• Keyword Image Alt-Tags
• Internal Links / External Links
• Submit .htm & .xml Sitemaps
• Submit to DMOZ
• Submit to Google, Bing (Yahoo)
Manny Sarmiento – President / CEO
New Media, New Marketing, Inc.
www.nmx2.com
Manny Sarmiento is President / CEO of New Media, New Marketing, Inc.
Manny has taught over 500 Social Media, SEO, Internet Marketing courses and Social Media University.
Contact Information:
Carmen Lopez
New Media, New Marketing, Inc.
www.LinkedIn.com/in/mannysarmiento
www.nmx2.com / carmen@nmx2.com
