subject: Why Can't I Make it to #1? Why SEO Works and Doesn't Work [print this page] Why Can't I Make it to #1? Why SEO Works and Doesn't Work
A lot of small (and large) business owners have the same complaint about SEO (Search Engine Optimization): they can't reach a #1 ranking for their selected keyword! This simple fact drives them crazy and may even cause them to turn against SEO web marketing. If I can't be #1 what's the point of even trying?
Good pointexcept the fact that you can't guarantee a #1 ranking in TV advertising either, nor #1 in the nation, nor #1 in the world. There are no guarantees when it comes to success, only high expectations. Why then do some companies guarantee a #1 ranking on Google or Yahoo? Because they are promising the world to their clients, and may or may not be backing that empty promise up with a money-back guarantee. However, if you go to the source, namely Yahoo, Google and other major search engines, they will tell you that there is no way to guarantee a #1 placement in SEO.
The reason is that these widely used search engines emphasize quality content over hype and big money and the web is constantly changing. Even on a daily basis, many more websites are published and more articles are fed to search engines. In order to reach even the top 10 (and hopefully #1), companies must focus on producing quality content and building quality links.
Just imagine if the SEO industry were run the same way as the PPC business! All of the top #20 rankings would be the sites of corporate giants, because only they could afford to pay thousands of dollars a day to buy their choice of keywords. SEO is much more complicated than that, and hence, much more accommodating to smaller companies trying to find their customer base. Search engines reward the "best" companies in terms of content producers.
Search engines pay attention to quality content, quality formatting, link popularity and consistency in quantity. In recent months, Google has been looking into new technologies in an effort to reward companies who effectively use keywords in their content.
Therefore, if your SEO campaign has disappointed you in regards to a #1 ranking, then instead of turning against SEO in general, why not stop to consider the reasons why this could have happened? For instance, analyse the content and the formatting of the #1 company for your selected keyword. Is there something they are doing that you haven't tried? What strategies can you learn from them?
In fact, a lack of serious competition is usually the reason why some companies just happen to land on a #1 ranking and never leave. You may be able to find better #1 success by targeting longer tail keywords or by improving your search engine optimization and content for popular keywords.
