October 5, 2015 editorial desk
SEO the World of Half Truths and Bad Information gone Viral …By Author & National Local SEO Expert Gary Monroe
SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Everyone has heard the term but few understand the meaning. For those who think they have the answers, their understanding is often times built on information passed along that is out of date, out of context or give to them by someone who is out of their mind… Funny as this statement may be, unfortunately far too often people and professionals pass along information they here but do not research. This seems to be the theory behind SEO for most experts I have met, “Sounds good, then pass it along…” I do my best to pass along powerful researched and verified tips to businesses, individuals and other professionals to help all better understand SEO and how to use it correctly. As quickly as you can move your website up the Google ladder with strong SEO Strategies you can move it to the trash even faster when SEO is not used correctly.
½ TRUTHS #1: Buy multiple Domaine names, it will bring more traffic to your website if you point each domain to you main website URL. I think this suggestion was created by that big domain name supplier Go Pappa (you may know them by another name but I don’t care to be sued). Shared as a powerful SEO tactic, this process involves setting up multiple domain names (with a yearly fee to big papa) in your genre of business thereby bringing more traffic to your website. Sounds like it would make sense if the more is better philosophy actually made sense BUT one small problem with this theory? If the domain names you bought are not ranking on a Google or any search engine then they mean nothing but $7.00 to $25.00 yearly to keep the name alive. If you have a Pet Store and you buy the domain names: howtocareforyoudog.com or howtokeepyourdoghealthy.com and so on, then point that name to you website, if howtokeepyourdoghealthy.com is not being promoted and has no juice then typing it into a search bar means nothing, zip, Zero, end of statement.
POWER TIP # 1: Look at your competitions domain name, take for example doggiecentral.com (this just a random example if there is an actual doggiecentral.co…..) If they are your competition you should do your best to buy every missed spelling of that name. For example dogiecentral.com doggiecentrle.com, you should buy every way someone would possibly spell that name wrong. Then point all those wrong spelled domain names to your website. This way every time someone wants to go to doggiecentral and they spell it wrong which you probably have a 20/80% chance they do, their potential customer ends up at your website. This is a good (small) investment and I guarantee it will build your traffic. AND the traffic will be coming from people looking for what you offer. You can capture new customer off their advertising. (Kinda cool but don’t tell anyone you are doing this and make sure you buy all the missed spellings to your website name too)
½ TRUTHS #2: Keep Submitting Your Websites to Search Engine Once a Month. Sounds like a lot of work to me. Look, you do need to submit your Website to Search Engines and Web Directories this is very important just not every month.
POWER TIP # 2: YES, about every 10 months to a year resubmit. It is not 100% necessary or even 50% necessary but trying to find all the new directories or search engines that have been added is a pain and being there are hundreds of thousands plus of these it may makes sense just to confirm you are in all the new ones. For the small amount it cost just do it have you website tossed back into the mix again..
½ TRUTHS #3: META TAGS (I know it sound like something you get from eating bad seafood) Another myth is that Meta Tags increase visitors. These might have been true five - ten years ago years ago, but current search engines do not place priority with the inclusion or absence of Meta Tags on a website. You should add Meta Tags into your website as it does have an effect on searches just not on your ranking with Google. Other search engines few though they may be may still use Meta Tags so still add them no matter what your SEO Expert says. The world is not run on Google even though Google may think so. One important thing to remember is that the search engines do use the Meta Description Tags when displaying your website in the SERPS. So while the Meta Tags may not affect your rankings, well written Meta Tags can increase the number of searchers who visit your site.
½ TRUTHS #4: SEO COST TOO MUCH MONEY I cannot speak for other SEO people but charge way too much money. Some of my clients need a co-signer just to pay my bill. OK so my sense of humor it a bit off but those who think SEO cost too much could be a bit off too. You can spend money running ads and Google AdWords, Banner Ads and so much more but think about this? If your website does not meet the guidelines that Google and other search engines DEMAND and you are on page 546 of a Google search once all the money you spend on Ads comes to an end people will once again not find your website. To me this is nuts, if someone types in pet store in Los Angeles and you come up in the search results you don’t need all the expensive advertising. SEO will get you to those first pages if done correctly.
POWER TIP #3: Don’t be fooled if you are Walmart or Margie’s Kitty Korner in Nowhere Idaho you can come up first page or two of a search and that is real power. Large or small you can be found and you do not have to give up your first born to afford it. Talk to an SEO expert, give him a realistic budget and if they cannot assist then look for another expert. Email me and I will give you 5 questions to ask them and if they can answer them on the spot then they are real or darn close to real. Here is the bottom line no if’s, and’s or but’s, “Traffic on you your website can be increased drastically by a SEO professional”.
½ TRUTH #5: SEO Doesn't Matter
Refer to ½ Truth #4. Of course it matters, if you do not want your website to show up on first of second pages of a Google or any search engine then don’t spend the money to make a website. Buy a late model Buick and retire. That is it for this 5 tips article. Have questions? Want a real expert to review your website? Want to lean how you can SEO your website? Email me gsmonroe@mergdigital.com.