Vraag het aan de SEO Guru

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