Without SEO, Can I reach the Top of Google?
Without SEO, Can I reach the Top of Google?
For those seeking online success, a number one ranking on Google is often the ultimate goal. Why? Well, how about free targeted traffic coming directly to your site's money pages - that's a pretty good reason in my opinion.
SEO, the process needed to achieve these rankings, isn't without its controversies though. There are those who get it and there are those who certainly do not. Almost since the early days of SEO, there have been critics of the process; ignoring the benefits, critics tend to take the view that this is a dark art performed by con artists Of course, this isn't exactly the true story of SEO.
The critics arguments aren't without some shred of merit. Search Engine Optimisation is straightforward enough, it is just a best practice tick list for websites. It is open to all, it is entirely free, the only drawback that most soon discover is that it isn't exactly quick to educate yourself on all the finer points. It is the search engines themselves who hand down the rules that we all must abide by and there's certainly no shortage of experts available to pass on their optimisation knowledge. Whether you choose to pay someone else to do the work for you is a decision only you can make.
As a practice, SEO doesn't deserve much of the criticism it receives. The rules past down by Google are done so for a reason. SEO helps you to interpret these and use them to improve your site's search engine performance; so without it, you just won't be able to compete. No SEO means no top spot on Google! Not convinced? Well, here are a few things to consider:
1) Content - First up is your content, arguably the most important part of any SEO campaign and integral to a website's performance. Content's close association with SEO means that if you are writing for your site, you are also optimising for search engines. You can't have one without the other; SEO and content are inextricably linked.
2) Links - As mentioned, links strengthen a site like nothing else, therefore they are integral to SEO. Links might not be the first thing you'd think of when it comes to developing a site; however, in terms of importance it really can't be questioned.
The quality, volume, relevance and variety of your link profile will indicate to Google whether you are a site to be trusted or not. If you don't bother to work on building your links, the search engines won't have as many entrance sources to your site, neither will visitors and your ranking will suffer as a consequence.
3) Site Architecture, Page Load Time and Meta
Site speed was made a ranking factor by Google in a recent algorithm update code named Caffeine. That shouldn't scare you too much, particularly as there are more than 200 other ranking factors used by Google, but it can still make a difference; therefore it is now also inextricably linked to SEO. Visitor satisfaction should be your ultimate target though, regardless of Google rankings A slow loading site can put off visitors, just like keyword stuffed or lifeless content.
Don't just rely on rankings, really earn that click with a Meta description that immediate catches the searcher's attention. The Meta title is a great way of really hitting home your keywords to Google and making sure they know what terms you should be ranking for. Often forgotten or overlooked due its questionable effect on a page's overall optimisation, you shouldn't fall into this same trap with your site Meta.
Well within the realms of a web developer, a site's architecture is vital for a number of reasons - many of which should be self explanatory. Logic is a key factor when it comes to mapping out your site. Having pages interlinked and finding a speedy pathway to the right content will benefit visitors, whether human or a search engine spider. If you want to maximise the structure and help search engines determine the relevance of each page, try to use links that use keyword enriched anchor text.
Anti-SEO types will struggle to ensure that their site includes no optimised assets but remains usable. Avoiding SEO in its entirety would be no mean feet, unless of course you just choose to have everything in a format that search engines can't read, no-follow every link and have text contained within images; and whilst you could promote this in other ways, Google would be blind to it.
You shouldn't just abandon any aspirations to perform SEO just because of a few negative comments. Google has the ability to achieve fantastic levels of targeted traffic for any site, unsurpassed by any other medium; therefore you should be looking to conquer it, not fight it.
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