My Approach to SEO

Filed in archive Business Tips on March 26, 2010

© Search Engine People Blog


Want to be number one on every search engine result? Great. But, I want to know why.

In my company, my approach to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a little unorthodox. I look at what the end result is, not just what the client asks for. Wanting to be on the first page of Google is a common request, but you don't just want to be first, that doesn't do anything for you.

So let's start over. First question: What's the goal of your website? Most common answers are:
• Traffic (to gain sponsors or get google ad clicks)
• E-commerce (people actually purchase and spend money at the site)
• Get a client to contact you (You provide a service, so the client needs to call or email you)

Second question: Who is your target market? "Everyone" is not an acceptable answer. Who is the most likely to come to your site for the reasons above, or who does it the most often? The answer to this question makes a huge difference on where your strategy should go. Search engines might not be the best place to show up, it might be in user reviews or social media.

Last Question: What's the best keyword? Just because you want to show up for "golf pro" doesn't mean that's the best term for you. It might be a more complex term like "golf pro in London" or in a particular postal code or maybe "golf pro for women". An SEO expert needs to know more than just what term you want, they need to understand your market and your business intimately to really give you good advice.

Take this into consideration when you hire an SEO "expert" or service.

How do you pick keywords for your company?