In my
last post
The
Process of SEO or An American Werewolf in India, I said I would continue
the series by discussing the DSP, ( Directory Submission Process),
and I will but I actually should have started
this series of detailing how one can take the Art of SEO and turn it into SEO
processes that can be monitored, managed and reproduced for a greatly reduced
cost discussing design and functionality. You’d be surprised how many websites
have come to me looking for SEO when
one
quick look at the site and you instantly know that #1’s all over the place
isn’t going to sell heaters to Eskimos from this site.
Keep in
mind that we are all free to believe what we want to believe. You don’t have to
pay heed to me or listen to anyone about anything for that matter. However, the
whole purpose of The Guru writing this blog is to show anyone interested
exactly how I do that voodoo that I do so well.
I tell
everyone what I do, how I do it, why I do it and I tell the truth. Anyone that
wants to take the time is free to do it too. I give away my secrets because basically, the
truth is, there are no secrets. SEO is about common sense, experience, focus and
hard work. There are some little nuances that come from a basic ability and a
lot of trial and error, (what is commonly referred to as the ART of SEO), but
all-in-all, if I can do it, ANYONE can do it given the drive and motivation.
The reason
I am so open about my processes is not that I’m trying to save the world by
giving away for free what should be paid for. It is certainly true that anyone
reading this can duplicate my processes and expect the same results, BUT, the reason
I’m so open is because it is good business.
The more
people that realize just what kind of effort and resources it really takes to
effectively promote a business online, the more likely I am to have some of
those people realize that in business it is often smarter to simply let someone
with the experience and resources just get the job done than it is to spend
their time learning new things, (that part sucks. I know I hate it), investing
in the infrastructure and shifting their focus from running their business to learning
the art of SEO.
So, you
may look at your site in a whole new light after reading this or maybe not. But
it doesn’t matter if you decide your design is perfect or you feel it is
lacking and you take it upon yourself to rectify the situation or hire an
expert , the fact remains
A Good Design Is Worth More Than All the
#1’s Google Can Give You
Ila Trevedi http://outsource.techndu.com/meet_your_new_employees.html was the very first person we hired in the SEO
department when we set up in India.
She’s a creative, skilled designer that
understands the objective of a commercial website and how important it
is to not make the visitor think.
We hired a couple of
coders first to develop some custom spidering goodies and a couple of hot rod
database apps, but the designer came any
other SEO staff or even marketing suits
because the very first step to making a sale online is not being in
Google. It is having a website that looks and feels like it should to make the
sale.
A decent, effective
design doesn’t have to be any big or elaborate production. It doesn’t have to
be expensive and it doesn’t have to take months. It just has to be right. Clean and clear.
If you ‘re not making sales from your site and you look at
yours and compare it to other sites in your niche and you think your site looks
as good as theirs, do yourself a favor and let somebody else look at it. In my 11 years of looking at sites that look
like a third graders ransom note, a better design is the easiest thing to
implement and the hardest thing to sell. I never have been able to figure that
one out.
Be that as it may, the design is the MOST important aspect
of online promotion. I understand that it is an abstract concept and that there
is no set rule for what a good design is, but you can be assured that there are
people who see it and if you are not one of those people, get someone who is.
For all the things I owe a debt of gratitude to Aaron Wall,(http://www.seobook.com ), for, getting me to
read Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug has to rank right up at the top. If
you’re not selling from your site, then consider your design and functionality
carefully. If you feel your design needs upgrading then either hire someone
competent to do the job for you or GO
READ THE BOOK! http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Me-Think-Usability/dp/0789723107
Enough about design. If you don’t get it, then my discussing the
topic at greater length will do little to change your viewpoint. That is really
a shame for many of you who feel :
The web is against you and nothing you try works
you’ve been ripped off by seo when in fact your placements DID
improve
you should just be satisfied with conversion rates that
barely make you enough money to pay your hosting fees
Oh well, my next installment will be about the Directory
Submission Process or
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF
SUBMITTING TO DIRECTORIES EVEN AFTER GOOGLE HAS SPANKED A FEW OF THEM WITH THE
MONKEY STICK?
You kids turn that TV down! Are ya Deaf??
Peace Y’all
The Guru