Since the mid-nineties, search engine marketers have been looking for the “magic bullet” that gets their company (or client) into the coveted top spot in search engine results.
For that same period of time, I’ve been telling everyone that will listen that it’s not about beating the search engine algorithms with black hat tactics; it’s about sound marketing strategies.
In October 2004, The Long Tail by Chris Anderson appeared in Wired Magazine. The innovative concept of targeting thousands of niche communities struck a chord in the SEM industry. Almost immediately, companies restructured their paid and organic search campaigns to target low traffic terms in the hopes of generating a higher conversion. For the most part, the new strategy paid immediate dividends. Unfortunately, it has also fueled a growing problem with the SEM: letting black hat tactics drive SEM campaigns, instead of foundational business and marketing strategies.
In my article, Defining Your Search Philosophy, I discussed the concept of white hat vs. black hat, in terms of search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. White hatters (like Anvil Media) use valuable content, clean code and relevant links to generate top ten visibility for target search terms, while black hatters utilize technology (i.e. cloaking or spoofing) to “trick” the engines into placing their sites in top positions. There are many problems with the black hat approach to SEO, not the least of which is getting blacklisted or kicked out of the engine.
What traffic-hungry marketers are missing in the big picture, however, is that developing Web sites that are highly optimized, yet provide good content and a positive user experience, are ultimately the sites that are successful. Instead, many marketers are chasing their tails by focusing solely on optimization techniques to generate traffic, at the visitor’s expense.
If you are looking for the “magic bullet” in SEO strategies, look no further than my article, The Three Cs of Search Engine Optimization. In that article, I boil down successful SEO into three components: content, code and credibility. Then it comes to devising an SEO campaign, small changes the search engine algorithm has very little to do with long-term success. The “Three C” SEO strategy has worked for my clients for 10 years.
Even a black hatter wouldn’t disagree that content is king. In my article, 5 Steps to Top Performing Content, I outline a simple process to creating valuable content that ALSO ranks well for target searches. The secret is balance: meaningful, relevant content combined with best practice SEO principles. In that article, I cite an example of a site that has maintained a top 3 position in target searches for the past 8 years by following this strategy (even though the site hasn’t been updated or promoted in 7 years).
Why do so many Web sites in the top ten look and behave so poorly? In my article, How to Build a Search Engine-Friendly Web Site, I outline the fundamentals of Web site design, which is often short-circuited by black-hatters and marketers over-eager to hit traffic goals. There are Web site development basics that can aid in search visibility AND enhance the user experience, which is outlined in my article, SEO Compass: Site Map and 404 Error Pages.
Far-and-away the most egregious error of “algorithm junkies” is their lack of vision and business acumen. How often have you done business with a Web site that lacked credibility in some fashion (design, content, navigation, etc.)? If you’ve ever visited a killer sales letter (KSL) single page product Web site, you know what I’m talking about. In the past, I’ve written three articles on this subject:
- The Business End of Search Engine Marketing
- Building Trust Online to Build Sales
- Five Key Elements to Improving Web Site Conversion Rates
In the above articles, I make the connection between a visitor’s experience and a brand. If a Web site (even a big brand name) creates a bad user experience (difficult to navigate, irrelevant content, etc.), then that brand has been injured and sales suffer. It’s almost a guarantee that a black hatter focusing on optimizing for specific algorithmic elements is not focusing on the overall user experience.
Wagging the tail, not the dog
Successful SEM campaigns are based primarily on solid business strategy and marketing principles and not as heavily on the latest trends, tools or techniques. Obsessing over the latest algorithm changes at Google, Yahoo! or MSN will only spell trouble for your company or client. Focus on the fundamentals and you will be successful. If you’re not confident in your own abilities, seek out an expert. If you’re not sure where to start looking, I’d suggest reading my article, Six Requirements for a Value-Added SEM Vendor.
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Kent Lewis is President of Anvil Media, Inc., a search engine marketing firm based on Portland, Oregon. He speaks regularly at industry conferences and covers emarketing-related topics for a variety of industry publications. Lewis is an adjunct professor at Portland State University and received Portland Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Award in 2004.
