Missing Link, Inc.

Are you trying to get on the first page  of Google?

It’s frustrating isn’t it? There is so much information out there but how do you know if you are getting the right information? Did you know that most of the people that say they are search engine optimization experts (SEO) have outdated information!

I recently ran into a local web designer who was telling a friend how to get in the top three position in Google. After listening to the conversation for two minutes I realized the web designer was giving information that was about a year old. I asked him where he got his information and he told me he read an article in a tech magazine about six months ago. That is equivlent of going into the hospital and getting 20 year old treatment for your disease.

The search engines are constantly changing and if you don’t have the means to keep up then you’ll be left behind in the dust wondering where all your traffic went.

Is The First Page of Google Good Enough?

According to Dan Thies of SEO BRAINTRUST, using a combination of his own research and AOL Data, you need to change your expectations.

• #1 position gets clicked about 40% of the time
• #2 position gets clicked about 12%
• #3 position gets 8% of the clicks
• If you are on the lower third of the page (default 10 results in your display) you can expect 2-3%
• page two and beyond is less than 10%

What does this mean for you, the small business owner or an independent service professional? First page is not good enough. The battleground is for the top 3 results to get significant traffic to your web site. This requires a different mindset.

The good news is you don’t need a SEO budget of $4,000 per month to get there. As long as you work smarter not harder. I know it’s a cliche but it gets the point across.

The key to top ranking is picking the right keywords and knowing what your market wants. Pick your battles! When you are going after a very competitive market don’t try to attack it head on. Start by taking small bites and work at it over time.

So what does that really mean? Go after what is called tier two or tier three keywords. Some people like to call them long tailed keywords.

Lets use a hypothetical example. For example if everyone wanted to rank for the keyword hammer and that keyword would potentially get 1,000 searches a day, in the number 1 position you would get 40% or 400 visitors to your site.

Compare this to a secondary keyword like blue hammer that would only get 500 searches per day but would still bring you 40% of the traffic or 200 visitors with a lot less work.

Doesn’t this make a lot more sense? I know you are really busy trying to grow your business and don’t have a lot of time to watch videos from search engine gurus or sift through pages and pages of Internet content trying to figure out what would work for your business. Why don’t you let me do the work for you. Sign up on my list and tell me what exactly you are looking for in your business and I’ll customize the content to be delivered right to your email.

Are you looking for

More traffic ideas to your web site (seo tips)

Web site or Blog setup and customization

Social Media

Video marketing

Search Engine Updates

Take Care,

Last week Google hinted that we should all be expecting some major changes in its main Web search results. Google is working on a new top secrete update to search technology that mostly affects its indexing process.  Nicknamed Google Caffeine , it is  considered to be next-generation of web search architecture. In addition to shaking up the results, it may also pave fresh roads toward the goal of real-time search results.  Early reviews in  preview SERPs  show that there will be detectable differences in the results pages for many terms and brands, so those tracking their SEO campaigns are well-advised to follow this update intimately.  As Google Caffeine prepares for release, here are some observations:

Substantial displacement is uncovered amidst big brands for some broad terms.  After going over a number of high-volume category level terms, Search Insider found many big brands have swapped places in the results for individual key terms, while others have risen to new heights, and others have gone down to new lows. This may completely change the way SEO is managed with many web masters and SEO experts. Many fortune 500 companies are generating millions of dollars per year in revenue  for some of these category level terms. The financial impact has yet to be seen.

Nicknamed Google Caffeine , it is  considered to be next-generation of web search architecture. In addition to shaking up the results, it may also pave fresh roads toward the goal of real-time search results.

Video and images may be displaced for more text links. The long term impact of video and images shouldn’t be affected because of the popularity of video on the Internet, but it may take an update or two before this returns to normal.  Some social media sites may benefit while others may see a decline in favor. Big brands may sooner or later feel the recursive impact of the change, sites like Facebook and Technorati mostly have benefited. You may see Wikipedia slightly less emphasized throughout the results.  Twitter may see a big adjustment in this update.

Technorati mostly have benefited.

For SEO marketers, the same principles will still be applied. Natural search engine is affected by 1) On and off page factors 2) user behavior; and 3) the level of algorithmic bias toward your site.  The last one can’t be controlled, and you should be forwarned to stay away from any SEO expert who says it can be controlled; User behavior can be difficult to control unless you know how to market to the right consumer.

Remember on and off page search engine factors such as title tags, urls, meta descriptions are in our control, and if there are no changes in this area, best practices still apply. Staying focused on core elements such as good content, grammar, link architecture, flow and structure will still be a sustainable long-term natural search benefit. A good point to remember is don’t panic, and take a reactionary approach that might jeopardize the future of your business.

For those who are already taking the core concepts and using best-practices approach, relax, sit back and observe the change.  For those who use “black hat” concepts, I would strongly recommend shifting back to the core concepts and best practices.

If you would like me to keep you up-to-date on the latest search engine optimization, social media or Internet business best practices the fill out the form below with your name and email.

Take Care