The SEO Claim That Can’t Hold Water

Words you should be familiar with before reading this:

•    Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The practice of making a Website clear and informative for search engines and users in order to gain better placement in search engines.
•    Search Engine: A program that contains a database, or detailed list, of Websites and their content. Examples: Google, Bing (formerly known as MSN), Yahoo, Ask, and Dogpile.
•    Rankings: The order in which a Website shows up in a search engine based on its content. The higher the ranking, the better.
•    Keywords: Words that accurately describe and define a Website’s content. Example: A flooring company’s keywords may consist of hardwood, tile, carpeting, Berber, and linoleum. There are also Keyword Phrases which refer to string of keywords. Example of same company’s keyword phrases: hardwood flooring, granite tile, carpet installation, Berber carpeting, and linoleum prices.
•    Algorithm: There is no easy way to define this term. It is the process of inputting information, computing the results, and creating an output. There are many types of algorithms.
•    Content: Anything contained on a Website. Text, images, videos, podcasts, etc.
•    Sponsored Ads: Advertisements that appear in search engines when relevant keywords are entered. These ads are pay-per-placement, which means the more money clients pays, the more often their ads will appear.
•    Web Search: Any keywords that are typed into a search engine. Example: When looking for a local florist, a user would type in ‘florist (your town)’, giving them listings of florists in their area.

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When working on Search Engine Optimization for my Web design business, I came across a company that guaranteed top 10 rankings in Google for your chosen keywords, starting at $500 per month, or your money back.

I need to address this.

There are a few reasons that this is not a valid claim.

1.    No one, not even Google’s shareholders, knows how the Google algorithm works. Those who claim they do are speaking untruths.

2.    New businesses start every day. Many of them are putting up Websites, which means constantly changing competition and SEO challenges.

3.    Content, as they say, is king. Your keywords matter, yes, but what matters more are how you use them and what kind of valuable information you place on your site. Keywords are just the beginning.

4.    The big corporations holding the top spots in the Google rankings are spending MILLIONS of dollars per year on marketing – much of which is going to sponsored ads. $500 a month isn’t going to get you that.

Can you get in the top search ratings without all this hype and money? Absolutely. The biggest advantage you have, small business owner, is a small local business. Most likely, your target audience lives nearby, which gives you a huge advantage in the local search market. Wal-mart can’t even compete with you there.

I give you warning. Do not fall for false claims when looking at SEO. If the company tells you they can get you where you want to be no matter what, watch out. Those companies are probably the ones employing unethical search engine tactics, and hopefully, you don’t want to be associated with those kinds of practices.