SEO Myth – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is Complicated

The first myth I would like to focus on regarding search engine optimization is the myth that revolves around the notion that search engine optimization (SEO) is complicated.

I am always interested in the reasons people give for certain thoughts and I have heard many regarding how complicated search engine optimization (SEO) can be – especially for non-seo professionals. But I must say that I have not found this opinion to be true regarding search engine optimization.

I do not feel that search engine optimization (SEO) is complicated.

I know many people who have achieved great search engine rankings using SEO, including myself, and most have stated that using search engine optimization on their websites was not complicated. At times some stated that depending on what they were doing it took time to complete the SEO work; but seo being complicated – no.

I tend to feel that if individuals have an average amount of computer knowledge and skills and they have good SEO information that they can use to guide them through the SEO work process, they will not have any problems concerning search engine optimization.

Basically, it is not search engine optimization that makes SEO work difficult; it is the lack of access to good information concerning SEO that can make search engine optimization (SEO) appear to be much more difficult than it actually is in all honesty.

SEO work can take time to complete depending on the level of detail involved; but it is not brain surgery.

Now can anyone do SEO? – the answer is no; however, the people who would have trouble doing SEO work are the same people who would have trouble completing a large variety of computer related tasks.

Generally, if an individual can operate a computer well enough to follow instructions to install software, they usually can complete seo work successfully provided they have good instructions and information.

Search engine optimization work is not as simple and/or as quick as adding a few meta tags; but search engine optimization is not nearly as hard and time consuming as you might have been lead to believe from prior discussions and/or from information you have read concerning SEO.

I feel the main reason that some people portray search engine optimization (SEO) as being complicated concerns the amount of money that is generated directly and indirectly from the utilization of search engine optimization (SEO).

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a multi million-dollar industry.

Great organic(free) search engine results literally help generate billions of dollars each year for website owners and search engine optimization is a beneficial technique in helping to achieve those organic(free) search engine rankings.

It is no wonder with billions of internet sales and advertising dollars available on a yearly bases that search engine optimization (SEO) which can provide an individual or company a competitive edge in the ultra high pace internet world will attract a variety of opinions, ideas, supporters and detractors.

Moreover, through a combination of perception and reality that highlights search engine optimization as a key to increasing internet sales, search engine optimization is a very popular topic for decision makers within many companies and frankly if these individuals along with the general internet community can be convenience that search engine optimization is complicated then many of these people will decide to outsource SEO related services, hire search engine optimization employees and/or contract consultants to complete their search engine optimization work. Thus, money is a key player in how search engine optimization is portrayed in the media, inside the seo industry and at large within the general internet community.

If used properly search engine optimization can help to achieve a higher search engine ranking for a website.

Many people are almost afraid and/or in awe of SEO because much of the information concerning search engine optimization (SEO) is not shared with the general public, which has created a cloud of mystery around the entire industry. Therefore, the average person does not understand search engine optimization and/or its benefits because of this situation.

However, the lack of good information should be expected considering the current competitive nature of business on the internet and the amount of money that can be earned from achieving good search engine rankings for a website.

SEO Software: Trying To Catch The Spiders..

SEO software does what exactly?

SEO software frequently starts from the following assumption:

- look at the page that ranks number 1 in Google,

- do exactly the same + a bit better,

- and you will be number 1

SEO software will then examine “all” the SEO parameters that it finds out about the number 1 site in Google. Then this SE software will automate the process in mimicking this for your site.

SEO is more than a software-approach!

SEO is the art of ranking number 1 in any search engine for any keyword.

Spiders rank a web site number one because spiders “think” that this site deserves to be number one. Of course the spider cannot think: there needs to be a programmer who programs the spider to find out which site is best.

Now if you are smart enough to feed the spider exactly what the programmer thinks is important, you will have the knowledge to rank number 1.

This is exactly what SEO software does: it claims to know and tackle “all” the parameters that make a web site ranking number 1.

Pitfalls of a software-approach to SEO

Suppose you find all the parameters needed to rank a web site number 1. You manage to get all this parameters onto your site and you even manage to be rank number 1.

Now if your site is really deserving to be ranked number 1, all is fine. But if surfers start complaining that you are not, the search engine will be blamed!

It won’t take long until Google finds out that “somebody broke the code” of the spiders. The spiders will be updated to give quality results to the visitors!

This means you need to get an upgrade of your SEO software approach… : you are running after the facts in stead of above the facts.

How to be ranked number 1?

You rank number 1 because you deserve it.

In spider logic this still means:

- your page talks about the keyword you are optimizing for

- you page has lots of incoming links about the keyword you are optimizing for.

This is what ranking number 1 should be about.

But my SEO software is really up to date, or is it not?

Your software can only be up to date AFTER the spiders’ software is updated. Unless you write the spiders yourself, you will always be a bit later.

You cannot know all the parameters the spider takes into account, unless again you are writing the spider software yourself.

Some of the parameters you cannot influence: age of the web site is one of them. Suppose the spider needs to choose between 2 websites: the oldest one and the SEO mimic: which one to choose? The oldest one would be the easiest bet, and you cannot change the age of your web site can you?

A close look at SEO software

SEO software advertisements could say that you can get a top 5 Google Ranking in under 30 Days… If that is true, then check out to see:

- is the web site of this SEO software ranking number 1 in Google for SEO or SEO software?

- are the example web sites the SEO software mentions to be ranked number 1, really number 1: number 1 in Google that is?

It’s very easy to type in the keyword phrase of the SEO software example web site and see if they are number 1 or not.

And don’t be fooled by SEO software that gives numerous examples of number 1 rankings in MSN or Yahoo: if you want to have a long lasting number 1 ranking in any of the search engines, you better start having a number 1 ranking in Google.

I didn’t say that it is a guarantee to rank number 1 in Yahoo and MSN once you rank number 1 in Google, but you will surely be high up there as well. On the other hand, a number 1 ranking in MSN can mean that you are no where to be found in Yahoo nor Google.

So you say: well, then I just try to rank number 1 in MSN since it seems to be easier. Well, it is easier, but then it is easier for your competition as well, so it won’t take then too much effort to out-play you again. Therefor do the job good once and for all: thrive to be number 1 in Google and then fine-tune if needed for MSN or Yahoo.

Why do you do SEO in the first place?

SEO is 1 of the ways to get more traffic to your web site. But there is more in getting a lot of traffic to your site, than “blindly ranking 1 in Google”:

— Always make sure you rank number 1 for a word a lot of people are looking for! —

If you buy any SEO software or out-source your SEO to the SEO specialists: always check their SEO examples:

- are they ranking number 1

- are the keywords they rank for popular search keywords (bigger than 10.000 searches a month in the Keyword Selector Tool from Yahoo’s search-marketing is considered not too low)

- how long did it take them to be number 1

- how big is the competition for the keyword-phrase (smaller or bigger than 5 million? As a general rule : above 5 million keyword-phrase results in Google, things become though)

- how big is the competition for the quoted “keyword-phrase” (smaller or bigger than 33.000? As a general rule : above 33.000 quoted “keyword-phrase” results in Google, things become though)

If for all these items the SEO software or SEO specialist can answer YES, then you can start taking them very seriously!

Try it out for each example web site any SEO software claims to have ranked number 1 for a certain keyword-phrase. And of course, always start with checking if they are ranking number 1 in the first place! If they are not, then you are going to buy SEO software that doesn’t do the job! Ranking number 2 is ALMOST number 1, and even worse, ranking number 9 is nowhere near to ranking number 1.

SEO software web sites

Whenever you are interested in something to buy on the Internet, check out the overall web site of the product you want to buy!

Some SEO software web sites are 1 page web sites: just 1 page with the product, no links, no extra pages…

Again back to basics. What was the first idea to set up the Internet? To give people information, lots of information.

And we are talking about a “NET” in Inter”NET”: “net” means links here, links there, links everywhere… (that’s why links are so important in SEO)

If you don’t see lots of links nor lots of content on a web site about SEO, then the SEO web site is not serious about its own subject: SEO!

Back to Basics: web-traffic

Your purpose is getting as much people to your site as possible, isn’t it?

SEO software has the purpose of ranking 1 in Google.

Now it is very easy to rank 1 in Google for the keyword-phrase “jhdkghgkbdcds”,
but who is looking for “jhdkghgkbdcds”??? Nobody!

So if nobody looks for “jhdkghgkbdcds”, then why bother to rank number 1 with it?

What is a nice number when it comes to “popular keyword searches”? If you use the Overture Keyword tool, anything above 10.000 searches a month means quite popular, but: also know that above 10.000 “the big boys’ are competing
with you, below 1.000 you have the field for yourself. So a good SEO advice is work yourself from the bottom up: start with keywords that are not so popular, and once you are ranked high for those, then tackle the next more popular keyword on the list.

SEO software Conclusion

SEO is the art to feed the spiders what they like.
SEO software is running after the spiders trying to catch their attention.

Always check the numbers and the facts about any SEO software and (this) SEO article!

Then make a decision yourself. If you see that the SEO software

- is ranking well for it’s own product

- is ranking web sites for popular keyword well,

only then you can consider buying it.

SEO Training

SEO Training Courses in the UK

SEO – Search Engine Optimisation, is an extremely valuable skill.

The job websites – at a time of increasing unemployment – seem to be full of very well paid positions for SEO executives. The reason for this is that actually, there are very few people in the UK who are truly skilled in SEO – and for that reason, those that are tend to choose to work for themselves regardless of the large amount of money they could earn working for an SEO firm.

The main reason that very few people in the UK have real SEO skills, is that there are very few UK SEO training courses available. You can’t just go & enroll on an SEO course at your local night school, they don’t teach it in schools, there are no college courses in SEO in the UK, that I’m aware of, and there are very few real opportunities to learn real SEO from someone who knows how it’s done.

I think the reason most SEO consultants don’t offer to train, is that training is much harder work than just doing SEO – and at the same time, when training new SEO consultants, we’re creating real competition for ourselves – and at the moment in the UK, there is not a lot of competition from REAL SEO consultant who actually do the work, and I think most consultants would agree that they’d prefer it that way – it’s difficult promoting a clients website when you’re up against another professional, so really for us, the less true SEO professionals out there, the better!

So – most SEO consultants are self taught. I have been teaching myself SEO for roughly ten years, and I dread to think how much I have spent over these years on ebooks, courses & programs, but I’m sure whatever the amount, I would have saved money by doing an intensive SEO training course, if there was one available when I started !

I have now started to offer SEO training courses in the UK, to help people who are serious about becoming professional SEO consultants. My training courses are one to one, intensive training courses, that include a year of help & support.

Are SEO training courses absolutely necesarry

No – they’re not, however finding a professional SEO consultant to train you, will help you to take a huge leap towards becoming an SEO consultant, drastically reducing the learning curve that most SEO professionals have to go through.

What kind of SEO training course should I look for?

Look for a training course which is run by actual current SEO professionals, people who’re doing this for a living. The world of SEO is an ever changing one, someone who used to be a great SEO consultant who now just trains, isn’t likely to be training you using fresh knowledge & experience.

How much should I expect to pay?

SEO is a very valuable skill, and a good SEO consultant can make a lot of money, therefore logical thinking will tell you that no SEO consultant is going to offer to train you for a small amount of money, they are in effect training a future competitor, so they need to make more money than they would make in the same amount of time working for a client, otherwise what would be the incentive to offer training courses? So, if you do find a course which seems very cheap – just think logically about the value of such a course, and why such valuable training is being offered for bargain prices.

There are some valid reasons that a course would be offered for a smaller cost, for instance a course that was teaching a number of people at one time, would enable a lower cost – but in my opinion SEO taught in a class is never going to be as valuable as one to one training with a professional SEO.