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| Is Search Engine Optimization the Powerhouse it Used to Be? |
| Written by Jan Shimano |
| Monday, 06 April 2009 12:23 |
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There is no question that it can be very beneficial to optimize our websites so as to bring us much appreciated free and targeted traffic. The alternative would be to attract traffic using pay-per-click. I am sure we would all choose the free traffic over the paid. However, therein lies the danger. Many become too dependent on SEO for their traffic and when the search engines decide to make major changes with their algorithms, we sometimes see our free traffic go out the window, so to speak.
There is no question that it can be very beneficial to optimize our websites so as to bring us much appreciated free and targeted traffic. The alternative would be to attract traffic using pay-per-click. I am sure we would all choose the free traffic over the paid. However, therein lies the danger. Many become too dependent on SEO for their traffic and when the search engines decide to make major changes with their algorithms, we sometimes see our free traffic go out the window, so to speak. That being said, SEO, in my estimation is still a very worthwhile skill to develop. Many think that this is something that is very difficult to learn, but in my experience I have found it to be more straightforward than coming to grips with all the intricacies of pay-per-click. Even when I first started out, it took very little effort on my part, in all instances, to reach the first page of Google with my articles. The first time it happened I thought it must be a fluke, but then it happened again and again. I then realized that the little I did know about SEO was sufficient to get me on page one of Google each and every time. As a beginner, I was under the impression that there were well guarded secrets to ranking well with the search engines. I thought I would have to take a few courses to be effective at it. That was not the case. There is so much free information available on the Web, that a person can be educated and ready to take action in no time. I also searched on YouTube and found a number of instructional videos that helped me a lot. I now actually have people asking me what my 'secret' is. Please do not relying entirely on search engine optimization for your traffic. I suggest that you acquire an understanding of pay per click advertising. You could also learn about affiliate marketing for other products or companies. This does not cost anything and there are many who only specialize in affiliate marketing and make a very healthy living at it. You can register at Clickbank for free and with next to no training you can, very quickly, be on the Internet selling someone else's product and making money. It's a great idea to actually create a product of your own. That might sound quite intimidating to most of you, but producing a monthly newsletter or an e-book is not as difficult as you imagine. You could even list your e-book on Clickbank and have other affiliates sell your product for you. You don't have to entirely rely on SEO to get high rankings on Google or the other search engines, such as Yahoo or MSN. However, for me personally, it is still my favorite way to rank highly. I do realize, though, that in this business things can change literally overnight, so I have involved myself in some alternatives. I believe that SEO is still a powerhouse and it is still as relevant now as it has been in the past. No doubt there will be changes in the future, some small and some major, but if it is free traffic that you are particularly interested in, then learn what you can about SEO and put it into practice. I can assure you, you will be pleasantly surprised with the results, like I was. About the Author: Jan Shimano was District Manager for Health & Welfare Canada for a number of years. She was also self-employed as a Nutritional Consultant. She is a Business & Health Coach and operates her own internet marketing company from her residence in British Columbia. Jan invites you to check out her website and also learn more about her at her YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/1jinny |