That's so 2003!

In almost every aspect of I and E publishing there is a tendency to cling to methods or truisms from years ago. Only problem is that technology changes so rapidly that if you are reading something that is more than 24 months old - it is almost definitely outdated.

In fact, most industry people cite 18 months as the statistical average for a tech cycle.

One of the areas which has changed dramatically in the last few years is the topic of SE ranking. Many business owners think that they know all about SEO but most of the business owners whom I meet are hung up on something they heard about 2 years ago or something that someone told them recently but their source hasn't read anything up to date.

Karon Thackston is a professional writer who wrote an article a few weeks ago, in which she shows that keywords while still important do not produce the kind of results most business people seem to think that they do.

Karon Thackston wrote "How Many Keywords Are Enough?"

Lower Your Google Bounce Rate

One of the smart technologies which Google now incorporates into its search engines measures how dissatisfied your website visitor is when he or she first lands on your web page. (If you are unfamiliar with this topic, see Google's Bounce Rate explanation.)

Michael Fleischner wrote an article detailing Seven Tactics for improving the amount of time that visitors spend on your web site.

Karon rejects an SEO inquiry

Too many entrepreneurs and corporations think that they know what causes ranking in search engines. Most of the time, they are wrong.

Quick Note to anyone who wants good search engine ranking: Pleasing the site visitor is the modern solution to SE ranking. Keyword Density is NOT!

Karon Thackston wrote: "Please Don't Do This."

Tell it like it is, Karon - and everyone else - LISTEN up.

HIgh Ranking Persuasion

The purpose of web copy is to persuade humans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ranking is not the purpose, ranking is a tactic. Copy which makes ranking the main priority is self-defeating.

But there is a way to do SEO correctly. But it takes a writer who can write persuasive copy. Many SEO people couldn't persuade a child to eat candy!

Karon Thackston wrote an excellent article showing the difference between good web copy and SEO garbage. It is entitled "Stop the Slaughter of Innocent Copy."

You're Website is Up To Bat. Did it Get A Hit?

SEO thinks that the goal of SEM is getting a click.

It isn't. The Goal of SEM is satisfying the Visitor when he first arrives.

When a Search Engine user clicks a link on the Search Engine page for your webpage, its time for your website to step up to the plate. Will the batter, your website get a hit? Will it be a base hit or a triple or a home run? Or will your website STRIKE OUT?

If the visitor from the search engine looks at the link's landing page on your site and decides that this is NOT what he was looking for, then your website, STRUCK OUT! If the visitor decides to click on a link, that is a base hit.

What makes the difference between a STRIKE OUT and a Base Hit?

Content!!!!!!!

Copy which is Keyword loaded is probably going to STRIKE OUT! Copy which is focused on persuading the user may get a hit.

Maki wrote an article on how to reduce the number of visitors who leave your landing page without looking at any other content.

Developing a successful Local website

Business Owners whose market is geographically limited often think that only SEO can get them the exposure in local search that is necessary to be found. However, just as with any other website ranking in Search Engines is not limited to the artificial sounding copy which many SEO firms produce.

(In an upcoming post on this website, I will present an article from a copy writer whose use of keywords is so deft and subtle that it does not interfere with the reader. I once had to read a paragraph twice that she had written to find the second occurrence of the key phrase that she was embedding!)

John Jantsch wrote an article in which he shows a real life case study of a company whose Search Engine ranking was achieved by concentrating on Content, Links and HTML coding.