Seo Expert Training Video Series | Link Building 3.0

Welcome to SEO Expert Training Video Series
By SEO Expert, Nevil Darukhanawala

Previously in Seo Expert Training Video Series Link Building 2.0 … The New Link Mantra, and the “New Variables” that add power to your link building campaigns – Relevancy, Consistency, Diversity, Participation and Progression. Do you have a SEO strategy that can synergize with these new variables? If not, let’s start with the first power Variable – Relevancy.

In this video, I talk about …

The New Link Mantra – Consistency ensures that we are “consistent” with our content creation, syndicating that content and in making that content visible across various web, user and social communities. Diversity ensures that we build links from the “diverse” communities online like articles, pr, social bookmarking, social media, web directories etc and not just focus on 1 or 2 select communities. Participation ensures we get active and involved in our online efforts and since we cannot “participate” in everything, it’s important to select the right communities we want (and is possible) to participate in. The last link variable, Progression, ensures that we build links back to important pages on our website in a “progressive” manner, meaning steadily increasing link growth and not sporadic efforts to build links every few months.
In the next video … I will introduce Link Building strategies – The Weekly Syndication & Promotion Strategy. The Campaign Strategy. The Progressive Link Building Strategy.

Seo Expert Training Video Series Link Building 3.0



I will be publishing 1 video each Sunday though the videos may not be in any particular order.

The SEO Training Video Series (Every Sunday)

Over 60 SEO Training videos – covering various fundamental SEO principles, advanced content and link building strategies and ranking techniques for the best routes for higher rankings for any keyword/ any website.

The SEO strategies I teach in these videos are what I am currently using to rank for my website, as well as for my clients from around the Globe. I currently rank in Google; No #1 for “seo expert mumbai”, No #5 for keyword “seo expert india” and No #64 for keyword “seo expert” which competes with hundreds of thousands of seo experts from around the Globe.

[get this widget]

Seo Expert Training Video Series | Link Building 2.0

Welcome to SEO Expert Training Video Series
By SEO Expert, Nevil Darukhanawala

Previously in Seo Expert Training Video Series Link Building 1.0 … I introduced link building and why Search Engines have a New Link Mantra - the movement from link building “Constants” to “Variables”. It will be these “New Variables” that will add power to an otherwise powerless link.

In this video, I talk about …

The New Link Mantra, and the “New Variables” that add power to your link building campaigns – Relevancy, Consistency, Diversity, Participation and Progression. Do you have a SEO strategy that can synergize with these new variables? If not, let’s start with the first power Variable – Relevancy.

In the next video …

I will be talking about the next Variable – Consistency. This means that search engines prefer sites that are consistent in their link building activities over time, rather than sporadic link building every few months.

I will be publishing 1 video each Sunday though the videos will not be in any particular order.
The SEO Training Video Series (Every Sunday)

SEO Training Video - Link Building 2.0



Over 60 SEO Training videos – covering various fundamental SEO principles, advanced content and link building strategies and ranking techniques for the best routes for higher rankings for any keyword/ any website.

The SEO strategies I teach in these videos are what I am currently using to rank for my website, as well as for my clients from around the Globe. I currently rank in Google; No #1 for “seo expert mumbai”, No #5 for keyword “seo expert india” and No #64 for keyword “seo expert” which competes with hundreds of thousands of seo experts from around the Globe.

[get this widget]

Seo Expert Training Video Series | Link Building 1.0

Welcome to SEO Expert Training Video Series
By SEO Expert, Nevil Darukhanawala

In this video, I talk about Link Building …

In the early days link building was about getting maximum number of external websites to link back to your website. Today, the story is very different. In this video I talk about link building basics and introduce the New Link Mantra.

In the next video …

I dive deep into the New Link Mantra and talk about the “New Variables” that add power to the links – Relevancy, Consistency, Diversity, Participation and Progression.

Do you have a SEO strategy that can synergize with these new variables? If not, then watch out for the next video in the Link Building Series.

Seo Expert Training Video Series Link Building 1.0



SEO Training Video Series (Every Sunday)

Over 60 videos – covering various fundamental SEO principles, advanced content and link building strategies and ranking techniques for the best routes for higher rankings for any keyword/ any website.

The SEO strategies I teach in these videos are what I am currently using to rank for my website, as well as for my clients from around the Globe. I currently rank in Google; No #1 for “seo expert mumbai”, No #5 for keyword “seo expert india” and No #64 for keyword “seo expert” which competes with hundreds of thousands of seo experts from around the globe.

[get this widget]

SEO Expert Strategy: Powering external Websites that Power your Website

We all know that it’s good to build quality links to your website, including to all the web pages and blog pages under your domain. However this SEO strategy is focused on building links to external websites or web pages that are linking back to your website.

If a popular website or web page links back to your website or web page, it powers up that page (and keyword) on your website. We now take this a step further by building links or link power to that external website or web page that is linking to you.

Why? Because if the external page that is linking to you gets more links, it will have more power that it can pass on to your website or web page.

However don’t rush away just yet to start building links to all the websites that are linking to your website as you will end up spending a fortune and lots of time on building links for other websites.

So a good place to start would be to figure out which external websites are linking to your important keyword pages. And if these external websites or web pages are worthy of time spent building links to them.

Since link building is time consuming I like to concentrate on a few web communities that are worth the time spent.

1. Blog review pages – Getting good Page Rank bloggers to write a review about your website, product or service is a well known SEO expert strategy. However, by building additional links to the blog review pages you can power your keyword pages even more. A tip here is to post the external blog link across a few select social bookmarking sites, and get a few users to up vote that content making it a permanent link.

2. Profile Pages – So you have created your company or personal profile pages in sites like Silicon India, LinkedIn, Ezine Articles, Twitter and other such business and social networking/bookmarking communities. In the profile pages, you are allowed to link out to your website and blog. These are good power links. But, by building additional links to your external profile pages you can add the extra boost of link power back to your website.

3. News publisher websites – Were you covered in the news lately? Or your press release was picked by online news publishers? News publisher sites have a lot of authority, and getting a link back from an authoritative source is definitely a touch cookie to crack. But if you managed to get in the news then go ahead and power up the news page that is linking back to you. A point to note is that most news publishers do not give links in their editorials, in that case don’t bother to build links to them. You could however write a neat blog post about your coverage in the news and link out to the news source, and use that blog post for further syndication, promotion, up voting and campaigning. Some gain is better than none.

Are there any more such communities which work well with this expert seo strategy? Most definitely, but a good place to start are in the ones above and like I said don’t take too much time on building links to external web pages – spent that time building links for your own website.

If you have any suggestions please write in your comment.

Till then
Adios Amigos

[get this widget]

Running out of content ideas for your SEO campaign?

Content has always played an important role in any successful SEO strategy, but many times we run out of steam coming up with content ideas that can support the SEO campaigns.

Content serves two purposes in SEO/SMM campaigns. One is for targeting your keywords, improving visibility, awareness, and building back links from diverse and relevant web, user and social communities to your website. And two is for the visitors who find the content useful and become loyal readers, and eventually good customers.

The challenge lies (both for the clients and the SEO expert) in not just creating content, but creating content that is unique, compelling, informative, educational, and at times, entertaining. This is no easy job, even for a team of content writers at times.

After all, how many articles can one write about motor insurance for example? And in SEO, one may have to write many articles at times to support and power a primary keyword. After you have written a few articles around a specific keyword, it’s just a bunch of re-writes after that – same information rehashed. This can be discouraging for the readers of your blog, who if bored with your content will find someplace else to satiate their need.

While most smart clients know that they need to invest in creating new content for SEO success, they may not be aware that they are already sitting on a wealth of content. Most companies are already creating content in their course of day-to-day business – PowerPoint presentations, sales pitches, in-house training material, training videos, FAQ’s, white papers, case studies and collecting client testimonials.

All these are great sources of content that can be used very effectively in a SEO campaign. This is a great tip for all those who are stuck coming up with topic ideas, and re-writing the same content in different forms.

The solution lies in looking out-of-the-box when searching for content ideas, and more importantly, exploring various mediums of delivering content to your potential customers.

1. PowerPoint Presentations - You can put up a PPT explaining types of motor insurance (or a sales presentation) for example. This PPT can be syndicated to sites like SlideShare. This not only helps improve visibility of your content, it’s a cool way to participate in another community and build valuable links back to your website. Also you can convert the PPT into a movie file, give it a background score (or voice-over at times), and voila you have a video that can be syndicated to video submission sites like YouTube.
   
   
2. Press Releases - You recently issued a press release about a new product or service launch. The press release can be published on the blog, and then further syndicated to online PR Syndication sites. This is again good for visibility, and building quality links to your website.
   
   
3. How to Articles – Give a twist to your article, and you can now syndicate to How to Sites (eHow), which are sites that promote “How to” articles. A new community, more links, more traffic.
   
   
4. Video’s – Informative Videos (4-5 minutes) can explain a topic/service/product much better and build visitor confidence. After all who does not like an audio-visual experience? And it’s good for the lazy people who don’t like to read. The videos can be posted on your blog, and then syndicated to Video Submission Sites. Another community, powerful links, more traffic.
   
   
5. Case Studies – Everyone loves a success story. Also case studies and white papers can be used to target specific industries your business focuses on. Eg. A supply chain consultant who is an expert in the automobile sector, or the engineering sector can create case studies that can be used to target keywords like “supply chain consultant for automobiles industry”. In addition many .org and .edu sites don’t mind linking to case studies/white paper if it can be of interest to their members. Keep in mind it is very tough to get (.edu) sites and (.org) sites to link back to you. Why would they? But a good case study or white paper could get linked by these sites. These links of course are invaluable.
   
   
6. Client Testimonials – Every had a client send you a thank you for your great service, or an email of appreciation. What your customers say about you is not just good content, but the best word-of-mouth publicity as well. Don’t shy from putting up some little less than positive comments as well. Shows maturity, as well as willingness to rectify the customer issues and implement good suggestions.
   
   
7. Ground Events - You participated in a recent event or a seminar, and voila you have access to pictures, a press release on event, maybe a video, an article, what people said at the event - all new fresh content for your SEO campaigns.
   
   
8. Photographs – Photographs of an event or seminar can also make good content and be further syndicated to photo sharing sites (Flicker).

The advantages of exploring various mediums of delivering content are two-fold. Its great mix of interesting content for the users, and you can syndicate that content to various communities like SlideShare (PowerPoint presentations), YouTube (Videos), Flicker (Pictures), Digg (Social Bookmarking) etc, enhancing the visibility of your content and building quality and a diverse mix (by participating in different web, user and social communities) of links back to your website.

Any other ideas for great content? Do write in with your ideas!

[get this widget]

Do Page Rank 0 sites have any place in link building today?

As we see search engines focusing more of their attention on quality and relevant links, many clients (and SEO experts) have developed cold feet as to the usefulness and ROI from targeting PR 0 sites in the link building campaigns.

Link building as we know is tedious, and the effort to source links is time consuming, so should one take time going after the PR 0 website’s, which may or may not pass on any link power back to us. So is this time wasted, or well spent?

A fact - All websites start with PR 0, and eventually some grow to become authoritative sources with PR 6 and above. Is it easier to get a link from a PR 0 site or a PR 8 site? You don’t need a SEO Expert to answer that question.

Another fact is that 80 percent of the PR 0 sites may close down in near future. But the remaining sites if they can survive would get some Page Rank (PR) over time, whether they do SEO or not.

So the challenge is in finding PR 0 websites that are relevant to your business/industry and which have the potential to grow into PR 4 above sites in the future.

It is something like buying shares of a company when it got incubated. Imagine if you had brought some Google stocks when they had just started. What would they be worth right now?
In the same way some PR 0 links could become invaluable in the future, and these links will be impossible for your competitor to replicate at that time.

To target such links one needs a long term vision and commitment as the value of this activity appreciates over time and it’s advised that impatient people should avoid this strategy.

With life or with SEO, a long term vision and a fine balance is what works best for me! It’s up to you to decide what works best for you.

[get this widget]

How to achieve high ranking for any Keyword?

We know that each keyword we rank high in search engine listings means additional potential customers and business for the website. So let’s explore the strategies and processes to achieve higher ranking for any of your selected keywords.

I am assuming that you already have a list of winning keywords in hand, and that you have optimized each page of your website around these selected keywords. A good thumb rule to follow is to optimize each page around one or max two keywords, and focus the page name, title, description, other relevant Meta tags, and the body content around that specific keyword.

The next step is to make your well optimized keyword centric page visible to the search engines by building links from various relevant social, web and user communities. I have broken the strategy into tasks to be accomplished each week for the next one month.

Week 1

Create unique, compelling and entertaining content. This could be in the form of articles, blog posts, How To’s, FAQ’s, case studies and videos etc. The content is focused around a keyword you want to target, and will act as a supporting page to the primary keyword page.
Eg If the keyword you are targeting is “seo expert”, then you can create a blog post “How to hire a SEO expert”, or “10 Top Ranking Strategies from SEO expert”. Notice that the title contains the keyword we want to target.

Create a link from the supporting content page to the primary keyword page with relevant anchor text (the text that links to another page). Eg. If your primary keyword page is focused around a keyword “seo expert india”, then you can create a link from the supporting content page with anchor text “seo expert india” or “expert seo india” pointing to the primary content page. Variation in the anchor text is advised.

Syndicate your content page to 15 article submissions sites. Build links from the article sites to your home page, primary keyword page and content page. Generally article sites allow one or two links in the body content, and two out links in the author resource box.

Promote your content page across 15 Social Bookmarking (SB) sites. Create innovative title and description and link back from SB sites to your content page.

Get 2 to 3 thumbs up/votes/reviews/comments for the content posted across the 15 Social Bookmarking sites. Each thumbs-up from another user is a quality link back to your content page.

Identify two relevant external blogs that are related to the business/industry you are in and make intelligent comments on posts where you feel you can add some value to the readers. If the comment is accepted by the blogger, it’s a quality link back to your website. You can also post comments in industry forums that are related to your business.

Week 2

Repeat the efforts of Week 1 by creating another page of content around the same keyword you are targeting. This will be supporting content page two. Continue as directed above in Week 1 to syndicate and promote the new content page.

Week 3

Repeat the efforts of Week 1 by creating another page of content around the same keyword you are targeting. This will be supporting content page three. Continue as directed in Week 1 to syndicate and promote the content page.

Note: To make the syndication diverse you can create a “how to” article around your primary keyword. How to articles can be syndicated across specific sites that promote “how to” articles.

In addition, in Week 3 you will start your first SB (Social Bookmarking) campaign. In the campaign based strategy, you will select one content page and try and build maximum visibility and links back in “one” of the top social bookmarking sites (you can select one site from sites like digg, mixxx, reddit, stumble upon etc) each month.

To build maximum visibility and links, you will try and achieve 10 to 15 thumbs up/votes/reviews/comments for the content page you selected. The more the number of thumbs up, the more link reputation is passed on to your keyword page. The campaign runs for a week.

Week 4

Repeat the efforts of Week 1 by creating another page of content around the same keyword you are targeting. This will be supporting content page four. Continue as directed in Week 1 to syndicate and promote the content page.

Note: Again for diversity you can create a video that’s focused around the primary keyword and syndicate to video submissions sites like YouTube.

In addition, in Week 4 you will build 40 to 50 relevant links to your home page and primary keyword page using web directory submissions, Press release submissions, and build links from relevant industry related sites. Industry related sites are business community sites, edu and org sites, and any other authoritative sources/websites around your business/industry.

After the end of Week 4, you can continue building content each week, and syndicating and promoting that content to target the keyword you want to rank well for. It takes upto 4 to 6 months to start ranking for your keywords depending on the competition for that keyword, so this process needs to be repeated each week, each month for the next 4 to 6 months.

By repeating Week 1 to Week 4 for all your selected keywords, you will have built natural links from various article, social and web communities, enhancing your link reputation, author reputation and web reputation. All these in turn will improve your web ranking for that keyword.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead, become the seo expert, start ranking well for your keywords and see the traffic and business grow.

[get this widget]

The Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2)

In my earlier posts we learnt that “relevancy”, “consistency”, “progression” and “diversity” in your Link Landscape forms a big part of your Link Profile, and these variables are important metrics in the calculation of the link reputation, social reputation and web reputation of your online business.

Last week, I explored 2 advanced link building strategies that I have included in all my future SEO campaigns.

>> Turbo-charge your SEO with “campaign worthy” content ...
>> How “progressive link building” made it to my SEO campaign?

I have come to realize the Right SEO Strategy is a living and breathing strategy that would constantly evolve. The strategies listed in the update (version 2) are the ones I am using successfully to obtain higher rankings for my client’s websites.

So without any further waiting;

The Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2)

[get this widget]

How “progressive link building” made it to my SEO campaign?

We know that “relevancy”, “consistency” and “diversity” in your link landscape forms a big part of your link building profile. In the Right SEO Strategy Ahead, I have focused the SEO Strategies I use around these variables.

I have come to realize the Right SEO Strategy is a living and breathing document that would constantly evolve, and “progressive link building” is one such strategy that I would like to eagerly include in all my SEO campaigns.

Last week I had added another update to the weekly seo strategy Turbo-charge your SEO with “campaign worthy” content ...

Let’s get back to this blog topic …

There are 3 common Link Building Strategies:

1. Consistent Link Building Strategy
2. Campaign Link Building Strategy
3. Progressive Link Building Strategy

In this post we are going to focus on “progressive link building”, and how it can be used to boost your search rankings.

What is “progressive link building”?

Progressive link building is a technique where you start with a small quantity of quality links, and each month you progressively increase the number of quality links back to your site.

Eg. Month 1 we start with 50 links (these should include web directory submissions, social links, PR submissions, industry related links, blog links, comments etc).

Month 2 we build 75 links. Month 3 we build 100 links. Month 4 we build 150 links. Month 5 we build 200 links. Month 6 we build 300 links.

This is a useful strategy especially for new websites that lack the credibility and link reputation, though it can be used to boost a credible site as well.

After 6 months, you can ideally continue with progressive link building, or focus on consistent link building strategy and the campaign link building strategy. In the right combination, these 3 strategies can have a powerful impact on your search rankings.

Monthly SEO strategy (Revised)

Note: These links should be a combination of relevant web directory, social links, PR submissions, industry related links, blog links, comments etc.

• Be consistent in building 50 quality links for Month 1
• Be consistent in building 75 quality links for Month 2
• Be consistent in building 100 quality links for Month 3
• Be consistent in building 150 quality links for Month 4
• Be consistent in building 200 quality links for Month 5
• Be consistent in building 300 quality links for Month 6
• Month 7 Onwards we can continue to build 300 quality links each month
• Focus moves to consistent link building and campaign link building strategies

In my next post I will reveal the “revised version” of the Right SEO Strategy Ahead (V2). This will include the exact strategies I use to rank my website and for my clients across the globe.

[get this widget]

SEO Games VS SEO Game Plan

We all like playing games, don’t we? Playing games is great when you are young, but even as adults we continue to play games that adversely affect our lives, work and relationships. Like in life, in the SEO world too, we get many chances to stop playing games, and instead create a game plan for success.

In SEO mistakes can be costly, and yet I see people everyday taking such foolish chances that could drastically affect the future of their online business.
In SEO, time is money, and yet I see people everyday wasting time chasing a “high”, a “quick fix” or a “quick payout”, rather than working on developing a long term SEO strategy that creates value, builds a strong link, web and social reputation, creates a buzz, and attracts targeted traffic that can lead to conversions.

We know this, so why do we still continue playing unnecessary games?

Ignorance

The biggest reason we play games is ignorance. Would you hand over your company, product or service in the hands of a computer geek sitting in a far corner of the world? Then why are the same considerations not given to your online business.

SEO experts need an understanding of branding, marketing, content generation and technology, including understanding of search engines, best SEO practices and analyzing user behavior patterns from the past amongst other skills. Many clients have the wrong ideas and perceptions about SEO, and these wrong ideas eventually end up proving costly and a waste of time.

Expectations

We play games because we expect some ‘payout’ from playing the game. After all it’s about winning, isn’t it? Yes when you are in sports arena, winning is the goal, but wrong expectations from your SEO campaign can lead to frustration and eventual failure.

Impatience

We play games because we lack the patience to sow and reap at the right time. A farmer knows he has to sow before he can reap. Only with consistent effort can the fruits of labor be enjoyed. If you are looking for short cuts in SEO, then your online business could get cut short.

No Vision

We play games because we don’t take the time to understand the bigger picture. We find comfort in the present, by chasing mindless goals of the future. If your online goals focus on “tripling traffic” without creating any value and a strategic roadmap to reaching there, it’s time to talk to a SEO expert who can assist you in creating a realistic road map to online success. A good seo strategy makes common sense, and business sense, otherwise it’s just nonsense.

The Games People Play

1. I know better!

The search engines have given us guidelines to follow. We have heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, and yet everyday we see website owners, webmasters and even SEO professionals flouting the basic foundation principles of search engine optimization.

Google SEO Guidelines
Google Webmaster Guidelines

2. Chasing traffic instead of “creating value”

This one is a classic. When you focus on chasing traffic instead of creating real value, whatever you create (even if the rankings and traffic show dramatic increase), like a beautiful dream will fade away when the morning comes. When you focus your energies on creating something of value, that value goes on growing with each passing day.

3. Buy instead of “Earn”

Easy right! You have a wallet full of greens, and money can buy anything. True in many instances it can, but when you choose to buy rather than “earn” as the focus of your SEO strategy, be prepared to see the results drop when the money stops. That is not to say that all paid links are bad, but rather that the focus of the SEO should always be towards earning links by creating value. Search engines can identify which links are paid and which have been earned. Natural links are “earned”, and the search engines definitely prefer natural links over paid links.

4. Compete, instead of plan to Succeed

Competition brings out the best in people, the worst in people. True! I beg to differ. If your SEO strategy is focused on beating the competitors, a lot of time is focused around what your competitors are doing or not-doing. Is not success based on enhancing your brand, products, services and value offering? Don’t get bogged down with search rankings of your competitors, rather focus on what you can do differently, and enhance the value you provide every single day.

How to stop playing Games?

You can stop playing games by creating a SEO game plan. A SEO game plan is founded on principles of creating value with intent of making it visible across relevant web, user and social communities for higher search rankings, traffic and conversions on your website.

The Right SEO Strategy Ahead covers weekly and monthly strategies you need to be implementing for long term success of your online business. So stop wasting time playing games, and start work on your SEO game plan.

[get this widget]

5 “little known” Keys to Succeed at SEO

In knowing and understanding these 5 “little known” Keys, could lie the answer to succeed in your online business.

1. Patience

Unlike PPC and SEM where the results are quickly visible, SEO is known to take a long time before you can see any tangible results. We are talking about 4 to 6 months of consistent SEO effort, so “patience” is one of the qualities you must have for long term success of your online business.

I have seen too many SEO strategies fail simply because the SEO client got frustrated with the process, and deciding to do something about it spoke to another SEO expert who guaranteed results quickly. A new SEO expert wants to promote their own strategies, and normally downplays the efforts of the past SEO to buy extra time.

Don’t waste your time starting from scratch, choose the right SEO strategy, and stick with it!

For those in haste to see results or increase sales, please use PPC and other paid forms of advertising. SEO is by no means for the impatient hearted.

While the results of the PPC and SEM campaigns normally dwindles down as quickly as the campaign reaches its end, the results of proper SEO optimization and natural link building can be seen for a long time even after you have stopped the SEO activity.

Of course that does not imply that the PPC campaign or the SEO campaign needs to be stopped, as we know that “consistency” is the next key to higher search rankings.

2. Consistency

What is consistency? Consistency simply means to take an activity of value, and repeat it again and again at specified time intervals. The reason consistency is so important for SEO is that both the users and search engines eventually know what to expect from you, and when they can expect it. But keep in mind that once you build expectations, its best you stick with it.

I advise a weekly SEO strategy that forms the heart of the SEO campaign. So each week you can create exciting content, syndicate that content, and then promote that content across relevant web, user and social communities. Compliment this with a relevant link building activity each month and you have a great SEO strategy that focuses on creating valuable content, and making that content visible.

If this seems like hard work, it is. If creating content is not a task that you wish to undertake, or outsource, then I advise not to focus on SEO only, but on other forms of online marketing as well. But if your intention is on creating value, then content is the way to go.

There will be times when you feel like giving up, or postponing it to another day. Don’t, for we know now that “persistence” is the next key to online business success.

3. Persistence

We have been patient, and consistent in our efforts, yet sometimes the results we seek just evade us. Keep in mind search ranking is not a cause and effect, but rather a correlation of many parameters, so predicting search ranking behavior becomes rather impossible, even for the search engines themselves.

This brings us to our next key “persistence”. Don’t give up! If you have been creating value consistently, then the results you seek are not far off. Even though search ranking behavior cannot be predicted, by creating value and being persistent, you will achieve your online goals.

If you are still not getting the results you seek, then perhaps you need to look (re-evaluate) at your content for “creativity”.

4. Creativity

We are all part of a larger creative force. Perhaps that’s why we feel inspired by anything creative. While creating content for mortgage broking is more boring than creating content for an entertainment website, all the same, the principle of creativity applies.

Who says an article about mortgage broking needs to be boring? Don’t think like a dinosaur, we all know what happened to them?

Look around on Twitter, Social sites, YouTube, YahooBuzz etc. The stories that make headlines (voted by users) are the stories that are unique, have an interesting twist, or just presented in a creative way, and not necessarily the biggest story or best writing.

So what makes creativity tick? It’s “passion” that’s the next key to everlasting online success.

5. Passion

While its creativity that drives your online business and search rankings, its “passion” that will fuel your efforts to leave behind a lasting legacy. No matter what business you are in, if you don’t find the passion in doing it every single day, you will eventually fail.

They say that “hell” is our own making. Knowing and understanding the 5 “little known” keys will pave the way to online success.

If you can’t find the “passion” in your existing business, then maybe you need to look within for your reasons to pursue this business. If you have found your passion, then finding a SEO expert who is as passionate about SEO will act as the catalyst to success for your online business.

6. The Last Key

I know the title says “5 Keys", but I could not resist telling you about the final key for your success. The final key will open the doors which you had not imagined possible. This key is by far the most important, and yet this key lies within all of us.

But I will not give this key out so easily. You will have to work hard to find your passion and creativity, and learn to be patient and consistent. You will have to learn to act now.

If 10 people leave a comment on this page asking for the last key, I will share the last key, but that’s up to you guys and gals out there.

[get this widget]

My keywords are hurting my business!

Hey, you say, aren’t keywords supposed to be good for me?

We know that keywords are the foundation on which any SEO strategy is build. The pages you will create are optimized around the keywords, the content you will create will be focused around those keywords, the links you build will be to those keyword pages, and you will syndicate and promote those same keyword pages across relevant user, web and social communities.

So this brings us to the conclusion that choosing the right keywords can make or break your SEO campaign ahead.

Some examples of wrong keywords:

1. The keyword has very little or no traffic
2. The keyword has not been searched for in the past 2 years
3. The keyword shows a downward trend over the years
4. The keyword has nothing to do with your business, or the services/products you offer
5. The keyword is VERY competitive (you don’t want to spend the next few years chasing a
keyword)
6. The keyword cannot translate into a conversion for your business

How to choose the right keywords?

Choosing keywords has nothing to do with your understanding of your business. While this is a bold statement to make, choosing the right keywords is more about studying statistical, analytical and factual data of the keywords performance and user behavior over years.

So let’s see how we can overcome the wrong keyword traps.

1. The keyword has very little or no traffic

There are many tools that let can help you understand the traffic potential of the keyword you plan to choose. Google Adword gives a free tool (https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) that can be very useful in understanding the traffic potential (volumes in last month, local volume, and global volume) for your keyword. In addition you can check out the competition you will probably face in targeting that keyword. You will also find various permutations and combinations of your keyword and their traffic potential, and decide to choose a better keyword that is a traffic puller as well as has minimum competition. If the keyword does not show up with traffic numbers (as in case of keyword with very low volume), then it’s time to analyze your keyword again.
There are a variety of paid tools as well, but I am mostly an advocate for the free stuff.

2. The keyword has not been searched for in the past 2 years

If your keyword has not been search for in the past, it’s unlikely that the keyword will suddenly start attracting traffic, unless you have some inside information into a new trend.
Using Google Adword tool in point above, and using another tool like Google Insights (http://www.google.com/insights/search/) you will get an idea into the history and performance of those keywords. Google Insights gives you keyword volume percentage, and a graph which shows the trend of keyword usage from 2004 till date. It can also tell you which countries show maximum usage of the keyword, and permutation and combinations of the keyword with traffic volume. I have found many right keywords using this tool.

3. The keyword shows a downward trend over the years

If the keyword you plan to choose is showing a downward spiraling trend, its best to avoid that keyword. Targeting a keyword takes a long time, effort and patience (not to forget money), and in that time the keyword could become worthless.
Using Google Trends (http://www.google.co.in/trends) you can predict rising or falling interest in your keyword, industry, geography, business etc. Used in combination with Google Adword and Google Insights you will be more capable of predicting the traffic potential of a keyword.

Another great place for checking the trends is on a site like Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/). There are millions of people talking about everything under the sun. Search for your keyword and see if people are talking about it, and what they are saying. Some very useful keyword hints can come out this effort, not to mention some good contacts.

Enter your keyword in the search box. Check if there are any Blogs, Lenses, and Forums etc about the topic. Spending some time on these sites can give you insightful information into keyword usage, variations and possible trends. Even better, invest some time and participate in these sites.

4. The keyword has nothing to do with your business, or the services/products you offer
This seems silly, but you will be surprised with the number of keywords that lead to a page that has nothing to do with the information you are searching for. Before we blame the search engines, look deep into your own list of keywords. Do all of them relate to your business, products and services? Or are some just attractive as they pull lots of traffic?

5. The keyword is VERY competitive (you don’t want to spend the next few years chasing a keyword)

Personally I stay away from very competitive keywords unless your business depends on it or your pride. In my case I want to rank #1 for the keyword “seo expert”. It’s very competitive, but very relevant so I don’t mind spending a year or so chasing it. But would I spend my time trying to rank for the keyword “seo”? You get it.

6. The keyword cannot translate into a conversion for your business

There is a lot of time that needs to be invested in choosing the right keywords, analyzing their traffic potential, studying their competition, following their trends and usage. Now what if you manage to rank well for those keywords, only to realize the traffic from certain keywords just does not convert into business. Check to see if the keywords you are targeting will attract buyers or window shoppers.

Avoiding these pit falls will help you target the right keywords, and then the next step is to build a SEO strategy around those winning keywords.

[get this widget]

Only Genuine Sites Top Search Ranking by Vijay Dalwani

Create your website by keeping your user or customer in mind. Do not create a website by keeping the search engine in mind. Search engine says more keywords give better weightage to your page. However, if you put more keywords and your content is not accurate or not readable then the customer will go away unsatisfied. In this case, even a good ranking by the search engine does not help your business.

Successful companies mostly rely on SEO experts to increase traffic to their sites. The company’s SEO expert first understand the search engines. They study how successful companies manage their listings. They figure out how search algorithms work by studying the sites listed in top 5 thoroughly.

SEO / SEM has a single objective. Their purpose is to provide more visibility to your website on the net. This can be achieved by getting higher ranking on the search engines by executing smart SEO activities for a long period of time.

Blogging can be a very useful SEO tool if used effectively. Blogs help business stake holders talk about their area of interest or areas of interest beneficial to the business. Blogs are a subtle attempt to influence the readers by convincing them about your point of view instead of directly telling them to come and buy your product.

Social networking too is a formidable SEO device. It helps you rally a group of people around a common idea. Now instead of you talking about your product, you have a large group of people talking about your product and expand the visibility of your product and your organization on the net.

Affiliate marketing is a pure SEM device. It uses a straight approach of telling the customer to come to your site and buy your product. However, in this case, not only you but all your affiliate partners are selling the product for you and sharing the profit. This is an effective way to increase your online sale.

Using genuine devices like blogging and social networking to increase traffic to your site helps you beat search algorithm changes in the long run since the basic criteria for top ranking remains the same. Algorithms change not to keep out genuine sites from the top but to filter out sites using unethical means to reach the top.

About the Author:

Vijay Dalwani is the Director (Operations) of a UK based healthcare and wellness organization.

In his previous assignments he has been working as:
- VP Operations with TVC Sky Shop Ltd
- Head of Operations with Wonderfulbuys.com (US Based Internet company)
- Director Operations with Cyberdyne Solutions IndiaLimited (A software company with a US tie up).

Vijay has been working on SEO / SEM for the last 7 years. He is a people's person who likes to develop people as they are the assets of today and tomorrow. Vijay conducts training programs in SEO / SEM and other topics for budding profesionals. Vijay has a passion for learning new things and can go to any extent to get even 5 minutes of new learning.

[get this widget]

Giving Direction to the Power of Networking

There are hundreds of social & professional networking websites. The most popular ones also happen to be the ones that are most effective in terms of building a real network on a local and global level. Professional networking sites appeal not only to the budding professional but also to those having years of experience in their respective field of expertise.

Good professional networks provide many features which help professionals fine-tune or update their skills and stay in synchrony with the current market demands. India’s Bangalore-based www.silionindia.com is one such website I frequently visit. Now there are many reason for this and I would like to share them with the readers.

Career growth means different things to different people. For some professionals, it means reading about the latest developments in their industry or sector in the form of news. For some, it means finding out the current expertise or skill sets in demand and developing them for better prospects. This information can be obtained through job and career as well as educational content.

For yet another group of people, career growth means connecting with peers as well as industry experts. This is made possible by communities, blogs or Q & As on specific or niche topics.
SiliconIndia not only allows budding professionals to get tips about how to get manage their career better but also helps them assess their knowledge in different areas from programming to communication skills by taking well tailored online tests.

Another feature of SiliconIndia is the mentorship programme. Here a fresh graduate from any field or new employees of an organization can enroll themselves as apprentice. CXOs of various fields working in reputed organizations register as mentors to help out the apprentice online and shape their career. This method allows for querying and resolutions of very specific issues. SiliconIndia communities too are of a wide range from computers and internet to business and finance as well as entrepreneurship . The featured communities in each section too cater to niche or specialized sectors.

The overall model of siliconIndia looks sound. It caters to the mass in the form of online magazines, blogs and newsfeeds. It caters to individual and specialized needs through communities and Q & As. Professional education and skill sets are imparted with well designed educational articles and training videos. All this as they have earned the trust of hundreds of CXOs who have registered themselves on the site.

[get this widget]

Recession will force innovation in SEO industry by Shashank Sathe

It is a well known fact that the entire IT industry including the web / portal business is heavily affected by recession. However, we can take inspiration from industry leaders like Hulu and Veoh which are making a profit inspite of such turbulent times.

A closer look at these sites reveals that their content is truly the king. It ensures that their customer come out satisfied in terms of content, quality and freshness. They use cutting edge technology to provide a rich multimedia experience. And of course they weave all this around well designed and intelligent SEO / SEM activities.

Recession will introduce and many good practices in SEO / SEM business domain and force businesses to aggressively adapt them. Online businesses already realize that occasional SEO / SEM activities do not give immediate or long lasting results. Businesses today are look within themselves in order to develop SEO expertise or are form strategic partnerships with good SEO / SEM firms or consultants. This helps them design and implement prolonged SEO / SEM activities which can be measured.

To reduce cost organizations today are readily accepting “Do it yourself” SEO toolkits. This trend is making professional software companies look for ways to build more intelligent and efficient automated SEO / SEM solutions.

Web portals are already integrating SEO friendly logic in their system architecture itself. The moment the content goes online, SEO related information is automatically generated. The SEO specific information gets auto updated every time the content of the page changes. This totally removes the need of SEO / SEM expert and automatically monitors and measures the results in real time.

New exciting fields are emerging in SEO / SEM domain. They help the business identify and understand its customer, products and services in a better way. They also help the business gain a better insight as to what is the best way to convert the customer visit to sale. The emerging fields includes keyword researching, conversion rate optimization, handling of international and multi-language issues from SEO / SEM perspective, link building social media and identifying emerging traffic sources.

Innovation in SEO / SEM will not only help organizations and business tide over recession but also help them develop sustained growth for years to come.

About the Author:

Shashank Sathe is the VP - IT and CTO of Rajshri and is currently dveloping DAM, Ad Server, Mobile + Web + IPTV + PVR, STB compiant web, API's to interact seamlessly with all the top video delivery domain leaders. He is known as "Mister Solutions" as he firmly believes in the motto "If you can think it - I can make it". He also holds patents on face finding, recognition, matching algorithms.

Shashank has 15+ years of experience in core information technology management. He has been a pioneer in the development and deployment of internet and e-banking applications in India. He possesses extensive specialized knowledge of core e-banking, finance, e-trading, ERP, E-CRM, CAD, CAM and cross platform technology architecture planning and deployment.

In addition he has hosted corporate workshops and discussion forums on a number of cutting edge technology issues. Shashank holds multiple masters degrees in computer applications, information systems, management, statistics and operations research and business management from IIM - Ahmedabad, Wellingkars, Narsee Monjee Institue of Management Studies and NCC - UK. He also holds a degree in Para-Psychology and Human Psychology.

He is currently pursuing Ph.D. in Advanced Holographic Storage technologies from LSFB and is a visiting Technology lecturer at a few of India's renowned education institutes.

Other Related Articles:

1. Deepak Chauhan, CIO

>> SEO is your best friend in recession by Deepak Chauhan
>> Paradox of SEO / SEM in India

2. Shashank Sathe, VP IT & CFO
>> How to become a SEO expert

3. Vijay Dalwani, Director (Operations)
>> SEO/SEM is more Marketing less Technology

[get this widget]

Seo expert predicts the future of your online business

I had a dream…

Suppose the search engines change their entire algorithms overnight, how would that affect the future of your website and online business?

While some seo experts have mastered the art to avoid this topic like a plague, some think of it as a myth, or an X-files episode, but many know of us know that the possibility of this happening is more real today than ever before.

The truth is out there

With personalized user search preferences are the search engines giving in their powers to the users? If this were to happen then search rankings would soon be obsolete, as each user would get a different personalized view of the search page depending on preferences and history etc.
All the smart gimmicks, link exchanges, and magic seo strategies from Gurus could eventually fail! So why do we still keep optimizing?

For ONE, the seo or search marketing is not about applying the magical arts to appease search gods who will start flooding your website with high value traffic.

I will survive … in a world with no search engines

I am not being egoistical out here, nor do I have some secret knowledge. Allow me to explain why…

1. I want to run a successful online business
2. I will keep building unique, resourceful and informative content
3. I will make this content accessible to the users
4. I will promote this content across web, user and social communities
5. I will syndicate my content to article or video submissions sites

Well this may very well be a dream I am having, but when I awake, the search engines still rule the online world. Either way I will survive :-)

[get this widget]

Experts Speak on SEO/SEM in India

Well I hope you have enjoyed reading what the experts have to say about SEO/ SEM in India.

For those who have missed the series of expert interviews, here goes...

1. Deepak Chauhan, CIO

>> SEO is your best friend in recession by Deepak Chauhan
>> Paradox of SEO / SEM in India

2. Shashank Sathe, Visiting Technology Lecturer

>> How to become a SEO expert
>> Recession will force innovation in SEO industry

3. Vijay Dalwani, Director (Operations)

>> SEO/SEM is more Marketing less Technology
>> Only Genuine Sites Top Search Ranking

Did you get a chance to have a look at the free seo training guide? If not, do so, as there is valuable information in there based on my personal experiences working with seo strategies for my websites, my blog, and for other clients, and will help you in understanding what factors influence your online business. Best of all it’s for free!

[get this widget]

How to become a SEO expert by Shashank Sathe

SEO / SEM plays the role of a bread winner for portals and websites. It is even more crucial for organizations that do not have brick and mortar presence in the real world. The performance and visibility of your site is totally dependent on the hard work done on the SEO front.

A good SEO / SEM professional has an in-depth knowledge of both, marketing and technology. On technology front, one has to understand how to make friends with the search engine crawlers. The crawler is the heart of the search engine. It is always on the lookout for good quality content. It identifies and isolates such content and then ranks it for accuracy and readability. It also identifies the context or USP of a particular portal at page level and also determines the repute of the source of the content as well as its freshness. A good SEO activity helps the crawler get positive information from all your web pages.

An SEO expert is well conversant with at least one programming language not because he is expected to code, but because it helps him understand how the search engine handles programming code and logic. Knowledge of SEO /SEM industry is also a must.

Helping the webcrawlers takes care of more than 80 percent of your SEO activity. The remaining tasks like SEM, blogging, social networking and other activities can be undertaken at alongside to make your site 100 percent SEO friendly.

Do not forget to submit your website to prominent directories because it guarantees sure links to those directories. It is always prudent to submit your website to niche directories as they carry more weightage and help you get better ranking on the basis of content relevancy.

Increase the number of back links to your competitor websites and also try to get your link on their site. This, too, helps improve the ranking on search engines.

From marketing perspective, the SEO expert is expected to have the ability to draft search friendly and creative website content which appeals to both the user and the webcrawler. It is preferable if a SEO person develops advertising or mass communication skill sets. He also needs to understand where the customer is coming from and what he will be looking for on the website.
In troubled times, an SEO expert is the person most equipped to justify the work he’s doing by providing measurable results that may make all the difference between running a successful business and bankruptcy.

About the Author:

He is currently pursuing Ph.D. in Advanced Holographic Storage technologies from LSFB and is a visiting Technology lecturer at a few of India's renowned education institutes.

[get this widget]

SEO/SEM is more Marketing less Technology by Vijay Dalwani

SEO / SEM is not really about technology. Of course there is a bit of programming and technology involved because you are creating a website which needs computers, but this is a very small part of the actual SEO / SEM exercise.

If you look at it from the technology perspective, the person is just selecting a few keywords and putting them in the title, description, meta-tags, starting of the paragraph and in the content. This is because somebody has taught you that this is where the keywords must be present.

SEO / SEM activity however is a fine art which covers marketing and in-depth understanding of the business, product, services and the target customer. First of all, know the product you are marketing. The next step is to ask yourself why you have created the product and for whom. Set the vision for your business or organization. Now you are ready to look for the right market and the right customer.

You can now ask your SEO expert whether you have the right keywords. Will it get more people on your website? Can you effectively combine a few keywords to create a more powerful keyword? Keep asking yourself and your SEO / SEM expert team how can you make people come to your website while searching for a keyword? Linking the interest of the customer with the interest of the business and making it a common interest is the heart of any SEO / SEM activity.

Whether you have in-house SEO / SEM experts or you hire a seo consultant, see if the person is able to understand your business and your customer properly. A proper SEO / SEM expert can tell you accurately what your business is all about, and who your target customer really is. They may even suggest new customer segments that you have missed or never thought of. All that remains is to use the right technology to increase the traffic and reach. This is inevitable if you have already pinpointed what your business product and target customer is all about.

About the Author:

Vijay Dalwani is the Director (Operations) of a UK based healthcare and wellness organization.

In his previous assignments he has been working as:

- VP Operations with TVC Sky Shop Ltd

- Head of Operations with Wonderfulbuys.com (US Based
Internet company)

- Director Operations with Cyberdyne Solutions India
Limited (A software company with a US tie up).

Vijay has been working on SEO / SEM for the last 7 years. He is a people's person who likes to develop people as they are the assets of today and tomorrow. Vijay conducts training programs in SEO / SEM and other topics for budding profesionals. Vijay has a passion for learning new things and can go to any extent to get even 5 minutes of new learning.

[get this widget]

The year of the SEO Expert

Did you get a chance to have a look at the free seo training guide? If not, do so, as there is valuable information in there based on my personal experiences working with seo strategies for my websites, my blog, and for other clients, and will help you in understanding what factors influence your online business. Best of all it’s for free!

After a long break (As I was holidaying in Thailand), I was wondering what to write about in 2009. It seems the recession has taken the wind out of many ambitious business plans, but I believe that it’s a good time to invest in your online business. For one, it’s one of the cheapest forms of advertising that’s available. My inspiration to write however, like the recession, is on the low at the moment.

Life has a habit of throwing curve balls at us so that we can learn from the mistakes we make and grow. In search we are taught there are no curve balls, but rather an application of strong seo principles for on-page optimization, writing unique and keyword driven content, and building quality links from popular web and user communities to your content and website.

So what’s missing from the learning curve? And are we learning?

Sometimes we SEO’s get so involved in the technicalities, rankings and the changing search algorithms, that we forget that there are real people sitting out there? For sure they are interested in our brilliant optimization strategies, and killer link building capabilities, but they are also at the end of the day looking for something more - that we SEO’s have not been able to understand.

In light of this revelation, I have decided to organize interviews with senior management across few big companies, a few home businesses, and some online entrepreneurs over the next few weeks. I will in the process hope to begin to understand what the people want VS what I think I they need.

Life has a habit of throwing curve balls at us so that we can learn from the mistakes we make and grow. Well, maybe it’s time for us to grow up and learn.

So watch out for personal one-to-one interviews coming soon! And hope to see you there…

[get this widget]

Blog Reviews January

My recent testimonials. A BIG THANKS to all of them for taking the time.

1 http://b-i-d.tv/?p=35
2 http://as-er.com/?p=33
3 http://www.dirdomain.com/2009/01/02/the-best-seo-consultant-of-this-country/
4 http://www.matls.ws/2009/01/02/create-your-own-web-page-to-spread-business/
5 http://www.msdakotachapter.org/2009/01/02/seo-writers-can-efficiently-create-a-web-page/

[get this widget]

Are you leveraging your content?

I once wrote this great book that could have changed the history of the world as we know it today. Unfortunately it was never published so no one read it. Great works of literature and art would have been lost had it not been for someone appreciative who thought “hey everyone should be witness to this”.

Well this may just be a pipe dream of a silly writer… but to be successful it’s crucial to get published and that your work is available across multiple locations and communities.

The online world is no different. You can be spending hours and days writing and building great content but if it’s not published and promoted correctly across diverse web and user communities, no one would have read it.

Don’t let it become your pipe dream!

Imagine millions of pages of content shouting out to be visible. What can you do to stand out? Assuming you have done your SEO optimization and keyword analysis well, one is to build original, resourceful and informative content around those keywords, and two is to make that content accessible across multiple web and user communities.

Not only will the search engines love you for it, other websites will send you requests to link back to your content, and users/readers will flock to see what new insights you have to offer.

Search engines have two main criteria’s while ranking your page, the quality of your content and link backs to your content. If others (popular sites and user communities) deem your content valuable, and are ready to link back to your content, then search engines deem that content valuable.

So good content focused around your keywords that is well syndicated and promoted will help you please the users and the search engines. So don’t be in a hurry to get your content published…have your content syndication and promotion strategy in place.

So when is the best time to syndicate your content?

How can you make each blog post count?

Generally once I publish my content, either on blog post, or on my site, I immediately start submitting to article sites (top article sites generally take a few hours to few days to publish the content).

Once I am done with article submissions, I use social bookmarking sites like Delicious, Digg, Furl, Stumble Upon, Blink List, Yahoo Bookmarks etc to promote my content to the user communities. I make sure I use interesting and catchy headlines to get their attention. I generally follow this cycle for each post or page of content I publish online.

So make each page, each blog post, and each article count.

Developing content can be handled in-house as at the end of the day you are the experts in your domain and understand your business best. In case in-house resources are not possible you can use the services of a good seo content services company or freelancer copywriters and article writers.

Ensure that the person you hire is well versed with writing on various topics (if you can find someone with experience in writing about your domain, its good) and is familiar with SEO editorial guidelines.

Quick Tips:

1. Post your content on article submission sites (it’s not treated as duplicate content)
2. Submit your content to social bookmarking sites to target user communities
3. Submit your content to RSS feeds
4. Build links to your content from diverse web and user communities

So if you are building great content, and syndicating and promoting your content, then you will find many appreciative webiste owners who will think “hey everyone should be witness to this”.

This, my friends is no pipe dream.

Also Read:

Is Content the King?
SEO Guide to Article Writing
Link Me Up Scotty!
The Link Building Matrix (Reloaded)

[get this widget]

Tag Newsworthy Events for Traffic

When I first wrote the article on Mumbai in Terror Again that was posted on 26 November 2008 (the fateful day when terrorists attacked and kept Mumbai under siege for more than 48 hours), I was very upset and wanted to speak up on my blog against the violence, terrorism and the loss of innocence.

So I wrote a prayer of hope - to spread the fragrance of peace and love amongst those grieving, angry, and the very sad in Mumbai, and then across the World. The morning after the posting, I decided to share the prayer (and hope) with as many people as I could, so I got around to submitting the blog post on my favorite article sites, and social bookmarking communities.

What happened next is very interesting.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t wish to make little of the situation, or take advantage of what happened in Mumbai from a SEO’s perspective, but the idea behind this blog post is to share a real SEO experience.

In the next few hours I saw a steady rise in the traffic that was coming to the blog post. On the article sites and social communities this post was getting more traffic and more click-backs to my profile and URL than any other previous posting I had made. Over the next two days there was a steady stream of traffic to my post and it’s still not stopped, making it my most successful post till date.

So what just happened here? Why was I getting all this additional traffic?

An event that’s newsworthy generates a lot of search engine traffic as people are already hungry for that information, and the media is probably already promoting it. By tweaking your keywords and by creating relevant content you could create a funnel of traffic to your website.

Are there any events happening in your city that could be newsworthy? Is there a release of a very popular movie? Is there going to be an event that the media will give lots of coverage to? Is there a festival around the corner? Or a new rock band coming to the city?

“Then by creating value and content for the users searching for information about those events could drive potential traffic and business your way”

A word of caution here! Don’t tag events that don’t have some kind of synergy with the services or products you are offering. Don’t create pages of content which are not useful to the user. And don’t overdo it! Be selective and plan well so you get your keywords ranked high well in advance.

[get this widget]

SEO Expert Secrets: One Keyword per Page

I have mentioned several times in my previous posts that it’s best to target one keyword phrase per page but there may be situations where you may need to place two keyword phrases on one page.

There are many different opinions about this technique in the seo world, and many top ranked sites have a long list of keywords stuffed into the keyword tag on each page. There are many reasons why these sites with multiple keywords could be ranking high, like quality and number of links, link reputation and sometimes even age of the domain.

But I ask you, if you were a search engine which would you prefer, a page with one keyword and the Meta tags and body content of the page focused around that keyword, or multiple keywords on a page with no focus.

Assuming you are onboard with me on this (or just feel like reading further) let’s see how we can optimize two keywords on one page!

An example:

On a page offering seo content services, you may want to target the keyword phrase seo content services and seo friendly content services. It hardly makes sense to create another page focused around seo friendly content services, and yet we want our page to be set for the exact match, as well as the inexact match.

To explain further, though our primary focus is to target users typing seo content services, we also don’t want to lose out on users typing in seo friendly content services. At the end of the day one never really knows what the user will type in exactly while searching for products and services you offer, but if a user types in seo friendly content services, and if your page is optimized for that exact keyword phrase, it would rank higher than a page that is optimized around seo content services only.

SEO Expert Secret Tip

If you had just one keyword phrase, you would have placed that keyword phrase in the Meta tags like title, description, heading tags, link text, image names (works for some engines) and in the body content of the page.

In case of two keyword phrases for a page, we would have the Primary Keyword phrase, and the Secondary keyword phrase that needs to be placed strategically on one page.

The Primary keyword phrase is used in the title, other Meta tags (except in the description tag) and in one well written sentence in the upper content on the page.

The Secondary keyword phrase is used in the Meta tags (description tag only, and what work nicely into the writing), and in one well written sentence each in the content on the page. After that use the individual words in both the keyword phrases within the content for that page as they fall naturally and reads well.

There, now you have the secret to working with two keywords in one page.

Also Read:

Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 1
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 2
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 3
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 4
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 5
Keyword Placement Strategy

[get this widget]

Ask the Seo Expert

Do you have any questions about seo techniques or internet marketing strategies? and dont know who to ask.

Well now you can ask me any questions related to seo techniques and tools, internet marketing, business blogging, keyword discovery, search engines, blog promotion and marketing, link building, seo for dynamic sites, article submissions, social bookmarking and networking, video submissions, directory submissions and more.

It could be a specific problems you may be facing while optimizing your site, or need some advise on selecting a good seo expert, I will do my best to answer your queries fairly and to the best of my knowledge and experience.

Kindly use the comment box to ask your questions (so its available to others and I dont have to answer the same questions again and again). Also there may be times I may not be able to answer some of your questions. To those people I would like to appologise in advance.

Do read the other blog posts, it contains invaluable information coming from my direct experiences while working on SEO for various websites.

Please note the advise will be given based on basic research done by me personally, so dont hold a gun to my head. Its just advise. For any detailed strategy or professional consultation you can contact me on my Mumbai mobile no (09967779360) or email me on nevilrohinton@gmail.com.

[get this widget]

SEO Expert – The Success Path (Part 2)

For those who have not read The Success Path Part 1 I suggest you do so now.

The article is written for the mid and top management of the company and what they need to know about SEO and Internet marketing to take a better decision. What are the steps to success to long term profitability of your online business? What are the steps to search engine or SEO optimization?

Cont…

5. It all began with a keyword. Many clients feel they have identified the correct keywords for their business. After all who knows their TG better than them, they argue. On the internet the keyword is much more than a phrase a user would search for, it’s a gateway to traffic to your website. Some keywords are more competitive than others, and may take years to achieve, while some can be easily achieved as they face little competition and yet users are searching for that keyword. A SEO expert uses various tools to identify potential keywords that have a good chance of success.

Related reading:

Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 1
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 2
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 3
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 4
Mumbai SEO Expert Series - Keywords Part 5

6. Optimize your pages around the keywords. Once the keywords are in place, the next step is to optimize your web pages around those keywords. What that means is focusing the Meta tags, title, link text, heading tags and body content of that page around a specific keyword. Focus each page around ONE keyword only.

Related reading:

Create new Gateways to Targetted Traffic
Is your competition beating you with SEO?
Fine Tuning SEO for Recession

7. Keyword placement is very crucial to the ranking success of your keywords. Place your keyword in the page name, title, description, Meta and heading tags, link text and body content for that page. The title and description should ideally begin with your keyword, and the body content of the page should be keyword rich.

Related reading:

Keyword Placement Strategy

8. Content is the King! Search engine love content that is unique, informative and resolves the query of the user who visits that page. Creating content keeps both the search engines and users happy is the main goal here. The first 25 words of the body content of that page should be keyword rich, and thereafter use the keyword across the page (use keyword after every 100 words). Make the content read as natural as possible.

Related Reading:

Is Content the King?
What's in a Title?

9. Create content rich gateways to higher traffic. So you have 10 keywords you want to target but have just 6 pages on your website (and we spoke in the Point No 6 that ideally target one keyword per page), so where do you place the remaining 4 keywords. The solution is in creating gateway pages. Gateway pages are content rich and focused around a keyword that you are targeting traffic from. Ideally create a article section, FAQ’s or resources section on your website and keep adding specific pages written around keywords you want to target.

Related reading:

Create New Gateways to Targeted Traffic

10. Frequency of updates. Fresh content can be added your website in the form of blog posts, article writing, FAQ’s section, user testimonials, how to guides, industry statistics etc. A website that constantly updates their information ranks well, as search engines know that the users will find something new each time they visit the website.

11. The problems with dynamic content. Dealing with dynamic database (CMS) driven web pages can be difficult but well worth the effort. The problem with database driven sites is that they have just one page on which the data refreshes based on the query. So ideally you have just one page to optimize. Optimizing your database includes creating flat static pages from the database with page names around the keyword you want to target, and then optimize the Meta tags for the flat HTML pages. I will not go deep into the problems of database sites as it’s slightly technical and not for this post. One word of advice, hire a SEO expert who has worked with database sites before.

12. A neat solution for SEO of dynamic sites. In some cases where it may be too tough (time consuming or expensive) to modify the database and source code, one can create a article / resources section or publish blog posts/ articles in HTML (static pages) and use these pages to pull in the traffic, and then direct the user to the database section.

13. Create a custom 404 error page. A 404 error occurs when a user clicks on a link that’s not available on the website but still in the search engines index. The reason could be that you moved the page, renamed the page, or deleted the page, but the users still gets a bad impression of your online business. Search engines maintain logs of 404 errors, and could punish your website for the same. By creating a custom 404 error page, the user lands on a page that guides them to the relevant link or page. Neither the users, nor the search engines mind that!

14. Blogging for business. Each blog post is an opportunity to reach out and connect with users. If you plan to start a blog for your business, the good news is that search engines rank blog content high, but the bad news is that if your blog is not promoted properly it will die a slow death. Blogs need to be promoted on blog search engines, blogging directories, and RSS feeds.

Related reading:

Why Blogging for Business is here to Stay!
The Bloggers Guide to Survival
Why Search Engines love Blogs? And so should you!
My Love and Hate relationship with Blogging
Get your website reviewed by prominent Bloggers
Last Blogger Standing

15. Syndicate your content. So you are creating new content that’s unique and informative, but unless you are syndicating your content you will not be able to create leverage. Leveraging your content means your content can be promoted across article submission sites, RSS feed aggregators, industry specific sites and social bookmarking sites without fearing the penalty of duplicate content.

16. Write articles and become an expert. Writing articles is a great way to gaining recognition as an expert in your domain, get additional traffic and build quality links back to your content. Submit your articles to selected article submission sites that are relevant to your content, have a high page rank and popularity.

Related reading:

SEO Guide to Article Writing

17. Get social and build a network! Promote your content on social networking sites like Digg, Delicious, Stumble Upon to get maximum mileage for your content. If some users like what you are sharing with them they will promote you the good old fashioned way, by word of mouth. You cannot get/buy this kind of advertising. Other than access to the various social user communities and the potential business there, you can also get quality links back to your website.

18. Get linked in! Creating a good link building campaign can take lots of time and effort. Search engines assume that if another website (especially ones that are popular), or a bunch of users (like in social bookmarking communities) deem a site or page to be important, it must be! Is the site linking to you a credible one? What is the link text they use to describe your website or web page? Are your inbound links coming from diverse user and web communities? Is your content relevant to those communities?

Related reading:

Link Me Up Scotty!

19. What is your link building Matrix? A good link matrix includes submissions to web directories, article sites, PR announce sites, discussion forums, blog commenting, blogger reviews, vertical engines, industry specific sites, deep linking blogs, social networking and bookmarking sites, video sites etc. Ensure each of the sites have a good page rank, are popular and relevant to your content. Maintain lists of all sites submitted to, the link, link text and the page rank of that website.

Related reading:

The Link Building Matrix (Reloaded)

20. Try the local store. People searching for products and services in their vicinity usually search the local search listings. Having your site on Google Maps, Yahoo Local can be crucial to target the local business, even if you are a global player. If you are a local business then don’t forget to use the location as part of the keyword phrase.

21. Fine tune those keywords. The secret to success in keyword ranking is to keep tweaking the keywords and Meta tags. See what’s working with the search engines and what’s not. The mindset of the users change with time and season, are your keywords changing to reflect that?

Related readng:

Fine Tuning SEO for Recession

22. Keeping up with the competition. The competition is not going to sit still, so keep checking to see what the competition is up to. Have they identified any new keywords? Is the competition using any new seo strategies?

23. Battle the recession. The best defense for the recession is a good offensive strategy to make most of the advertising dollars and spending them on more measurable and cost effective platforms like the web.

24. Partner with a SEO expert that’s right for you!

[get this widget]

SEO Expert – The Success Path (Part 1)

Over the last few months I have noticed a noticeable shift in the kind of people who are enquiring about a seo expert or seo services. It’s a transition from IT managers and webmasters who were interested in the online business to the marketing heads and CEO’s of the company.

As I come from a background of marketing, branding and journalism, I welcome this change. Let me clear one thing here - SEO and Internet marketing is not primarily a technical function but a marketing and business development function.

While the change is positive, this shift has lead to a new set of questions and issues faced by these decision makers of the company on which is the right path to travel. In any journey the destination is not important; it’s the path you take to reach there.

In SEO, it’s not about brilliant optimization skills, or small bursts of activity on your keywords, blog, articles and video submissions to gain top rankings and business almost magically, but building something with strong foundations, solid principles and creating immense value.

Your online business is the passport to the future, and in these times of recession, it’s the perfect time to start implementing a long term SEO strategy. There are no shortcuts in life. It’s the same way if you want to grow your online business and come up with a winning SEO strategy that works for you, then its best that you understand the SEO elements that will influence and eventually drive your SEO strategy.

The article is written for the mid and top management of the company and what they need to know about SEO and Internet marketing to take a better decision. What are the steps to success to long term profitability of your online business? What are the steps to search engine or SEO optimization?

The Success Path:

1. The first step is to evaluate your current situation. I am assuming you already have a website or are in the process of revamping your website. Either way, now is a good time to start making a long term SEO strategy for your online business.

2. Looking within. The main areas to look into at this phase is the current website structure, page names, content quality, optimization level, keywords used (and why) and their rankings in Google, Yahoo and MSN, other elements like website design, un-optimized database and poor website structure that could be affecting the rankings, current links (internal and external), and the top competitors for your keywords.

3. The path ahead. Once you have a fair idea of the current realities of your website, the next step would be to figure out where you are headed and what path would be best to reach there. Building a road map for your online business is crucial if a website is to achieve success online.

4. Streamline your roadmap. The roadmap identifies the milestones, the hurdles, the steps to be taken, tasks to be completed and the various other elements that need to be in place for ranking success. The main areas of focus in the roadmap are on the quality of content, frequency of updates, and quality of inbound links.

In order to make this blog post more readable I am breaking up this post into 2 parts. To continue your journey click here…

[get this widget]