Achieving optimum positions in Google’s natural search results is a long term SEO goal. You will NOT get there quickly. I’ve given you a strong foundation to start with in terms of setting up your strategy and thinking to deliver positive, focused results. Here’s something you need to be aware of – following my instructions exactly in the beginning does not mean that your website will magically appear on the top page of Google.
You cannot do the things in my article series and say that “your SEO is done” or “my website is optimized.” Google is a dynamic, fluid entity that indexes, rates and positions web content on a monthly basis. They really only do a complete scan of the web once every 22 – 30 days. They’re continuously indexing, and no one knows the schedule or secrets of exactly what they do or when. While you’ve restructured and set up your pages in a manner that makes it easy for Google to scan and rate your content, you need to set aside time on an ongoing basis if you want to pass the competition.
Data is Your Best Friend
Hopefully you’ve kept your collected data handy. You need to look carefully at each keyword you are targeting. You also need to look constantly at where the competitor websites you study are positioned.
As you start to appear in the search results, you should always look ahead to the competitor who is closest to your current position for each keyword. They represent the next obstacle in gaining position, and you have to go after each position close to you if you want to move up.
Look carefully at their website. Study their Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions for the pages that are listed ahead of you for each keyword. Rewrite yours every month to be “richer” or more keyword dense than theirs. Increase the keyword density for your pages every month, and spend every month increasing the number of back links that have your keywords in the anchor text for the link.
Keep the Backlinks Coming
One way to get good, relative high score back links is to use the social networking websites, social bookmarking websites and the article marketing directories. Keep releasing good, relative content on a monthly basis and you will move up past the competitor who is next in line in Google. If you’re using social networking websites like Facebook or Myspace or Twitter, set up accounts for yourself as well as Business pages for your various activities. Release information on these sites linking back to your main site, but again make sure you use the keywords you’re targeting linked back to your website’s pages that best match.
Well written and focused articles submitted to all the major article directories using a tool like Automatic Article Submitter will bring in even higher quality back links. You’re only usually allowed one or two links in the Author Box for each directory, so use that link space carefully and again, tie it to the keyword or focal point of the article and drive it back to your website.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
I can’t stress to your enough how important proper SEO is. I also can’t stress enough how key it is for you to budget your time effectively. Schedule set days on your calendar EVERY MONTH where you will address, tweak and refine your SEO strategy. It’s the only way to ensure that, several months down the road, you start seeing a flow of organic traffic coming in from good positions.
Keep your core keyword focus consistent for 6 – 8 months. Don’t try to keep optimizing or adding new keywords to your mix, or your activities will get out of control. If you change your keyword approach at month 3, all your previous work those 3 months is pretty much lost. Successful SEO is all about focus and diligence.
If your marketing strategy has an online component, you better know something about keywords or you’ll quickly be swallow up by those that do. Here are a few things to know as you begin and a few resources to assist you.