Search Engine Optimization

How do you stay on top.

[WildAngel]

Hello everyone

This is probaly a question that has been asked a thousand times.

I heard the art of SEO isn't only getting your client to the top of Search Engines, its keeping them there. Iv been trying to find out how to do this and the only options im coming up with is either submitting via paid listings or cloaking. I really don't want cloaking or doorway pages to be a option for me.

Any advice would be great!
WildAngel

[Torben Lundsgaard]

Hi WildAngel

Welcome to wmw

Please tell me if you find the answer to your question ;)

I guess the easy answer analysis, modification, measuremet and then you do it all over. SEO is not an exact science and as you may have noticed here at wmw we all love to speculate. We all learn by trial and error.

If you pay attention to the discussions here at wmw and try out some of the ideas I'm sure that you will be succesful in time.

[Brett_Tabke]

You are right Angel, getting them there is only half the battle. Keeping them there involves building a site so good, the search engines can't ignore. You just have to keep building content, seeking out links, and servicing the visitors you already have in order to build a following.

[WildAngel]

So im really going to have to try be the best of the best! Im already tired!! I think that trial and error is probably by best bet. I guess i can only learn that way.

Thanks you guys i appreciate the optimism:-)
oh and thanks for the warm welcome!

WildAngel

[Weblamer]

I've been working on SEO'ing (is that a word?) a site for several months now. My answer to your question is: Search Engine optimization is Pure Voodoo.

All the search engines have their own special way of indexing things, they only give you vauge hints to the rules, and they seem to change every few months.

On top of following all all the suggestion from this site and others, I also light incense on my computer and chant magical phrases that cause my website to float to the top of these search engines. (one of these chants sounds like the song 'lolipop' but instead i say 'googlebot')

just my 2 cents. prolly worthless.

[JamesR]

The key is to just do it better than your competition. The amount you have to tweak and refine an existing top ranking site is based on what kind of competition you have. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on sites, competition has a nasty way of sneaking up on you.

[nell]

Contents change, the PR of sites linking to you change, algo's change, competitors come and go, etc. - any/all of which will change your rankings. With 48 hr page refreshes (Inktomi) you can experiment to improve them.
NOTHING, however, is worse than taking the time and effort to develop a site with good content, good links, etc. only to make ONE mistake and get banned. It takes a hell of a lot more time and effort to get a ban lifted than to SEO its rankings. It takes a week to get a new site ranked high in MSN. 1 month for Google. In contrast, we have 2 sites that were banned in December of last year. We have tried every trick in the book to bring them back from the grave - including many humble and pleading e-mails to Inktomi. Still bumpkis.

This forum will tell you more what NOT to do than what TO do. But, believe me, that sort of information is worth MUCH, MUCH more.

[deejay]

"(one of these chants sounds like the song 'lolipop' but instead i say 'googlebot')"

dammit Weblamer - you just cost me half a cup of coffee and probably a new keyboard :)

.... not to mention the mental torture I'll undergoing singing this damn thing to myself for the next week.

[JamesR]

Just another point:

The search engines would like you to think that by adding mere content to a site you will improve the site value and that will implicitly cause users to come to your site....sure, maybe via bookmarks but not the SEs. You MUST be optimizing new content in order to rank well. An unoptimized site, no matter how big it is, is not going to rank a fraction as well as it could if it were optimized.

[bigjohnt]

WebLamer, do you merely burn the incense, or inhale it so you can sing the chant in a higher voice?
Personally, I left the incense in the other room (dust kills, ya know..) but I do have my mojo bag hanging off the HD, and the crystal ball on my cable modem.
(Its all in the details.)

Seriously though, you will not find a more comprehensive guide to what to do and what not to do, than right here at WMW. I frequent many forums, and lists, and this is where I find the most definitive opinions.

[Dpeper]

im gonna give credit for most my sucsess to this board and luck :)

[WildAngel]

well i guess i came to the right place then. Knowledge is everything! So in a nutshell, no doorway pages, no spamming of anykind, lots of hard work, competitor analyses and i think i need to go and buy some incense.

Thanks for the replies!
WildAngel:)