Rehabilitating SEO
SEARCHING FOR MEANING By Kevin Ryan, Search Engine Watch, Aug 27, 2008
Columns | Contact Kevin | Biography
Love it or hate it, one of the most talked-about sessions at Search Engine Strategies San Jose was the SEO Rehab discussion. Studying the effects of search on society, the Web economy, and the world has been the subject of many an online and offline discussion.
Search marketers are some of the most passionate and dedicated people I've ever encountered. Those seeking to advance their position within search results can easily become obsessed (to the point of addiction) with checking results and positioning.
I caught up with David Naylor after the event to discuss ways of improving behavior and, in effect, rehabilitating SEO obsession. This week and next week's edition of Searching for Meaning will highlight some of the key thoughts and takeaways from the SES session.
The New Age
In 2008, it seems there are more blogs than people. The impact of micro-blogging in places like Twitter has only exacerbated the SEO addiction concept. Instant conversations, link baiting, and the need for better positioning have never been more prevalent.
When considering how your SEO time is spent, what's important and what isn't so important? What kinds of things are OK to obsess over? Are there ways to improve or correct obsessive SEO behavior?
I'm sure that opinions vary when attempting to answer these questions. Time is a precious commodity in a down economy. Demand increases while staffing -- and thereby intellectual capital -- decreases. Search and find is a constant activity. There's no rest for the search.
The First Step
Admit there might be a problem. This should be a no-brainer, but as Naylor points out in his description of his own working environment, even on vacation, he's on his mobile checking e-mail and surfing for knowledge.
Naylor noted that he wasted thousands of hours checking PageRank, backlinks, and anchor text manually in the past. Naturally, with a task like this at hand, one has to think there's a better way.
The solution is thinking forward, not backward, to help move productivity along. In order to compensate for manual processes (arguably, there are tools), Naylor now focuses on what he believes the search engines will do next, as opposed to what they've already done.
PageRank Obsession
If I had a nickel for every time someone called me to complain about PageRank fluctuations, I'd be a wealthy man. Google's dominance of the search market and popularity-based ranking methodologies are at the core of many an SEO addiction.
There are several key points Naylor selects for PageRank addiction help. Because (Toolbar) PageRank is only updated (roughly) quarterly, don't waste time checking it at a higher frequency.
One of the key points to remember here is that time spent checking PageRank won't make you any money. Naylor advises setting up an e-mail alert for "PagRank Update" to avoid wasting more time.
Getting upset over changes in your site's ranking may be a bit overplayed as well. Naylor notes that his site's rank has fluctuated up and down in the last 12 months, yet his traffic has remained the same.
It's more important to evaluate your total market presence. When your PageRank changes, Naylor notes that it's important to evaluate competitive positioning and determine if your overall space in the market has changed before pushing the panic button.
Next week: avoiding more time wasters and tools for the trade.
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Biography
Kevin Ryan is the global content director for Search Engine Strategies and Search Engine Watch. He's a seasoned search and advertising industry veteran. His former roles include VP, Interactive Media for the Interpublic Group agency Wahlstrom Interactive, and CEO of Kinetic Results, a 2006 Advertising Age Top 20 search engine marketing firm. Kevin recently founded strategic consulting firm Motivity Marketing, and has published over 200 articles on search and interactive marketing. His former client roster includes notable brands including Rolex Watch, USA, State Farm Insurance, Farmers Insurance, Minolta Corporation, Samsung Electronics America, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Panasonic Services, and the Hilton Hotels brands. Additionally, Kevin has volunteered his time for the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO), and several regional non-profit organizations.
Article Archives by Kevin Ryan:
» Rehabilitating SEO - August 27, 2008
» The Beginning of the End? Or the End of the Beginning? - August 20, 2008
» Search Ad Tools Help Manage Complexity - August 13, 2008
» Woohoo for Yahoo - August 6, 2008
» What's Wrong With Being Cuil? - July 30, 2008
» The Japanese Search, Why Don't We? - July 23, 2008
» More Articles by Kevin Ryan
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