| Search Engine Optimization IS Real Estate (Location, Location, Location) |
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If you've ever been in the Real Estate market, its quite likely that you've heard the phrase "location, location, location." As it turns out, property that has a good location has a much better chance of appreciating in value. Ray Kroc of McDonalds once stated, "my business is real estate." This may surprise those who think of McDonalds only as a fast-food restaurant. Ray knew that his company was involved in selling fast-food franchises, however he knew that the location of the real estate for each franchise could make the difference between a winner and a loser. So what does real estate have to do with search engine optimization? Well, in real estate, a good location has alot to do with the street on which it is located. Fifth Avenue New York, NY is known to be some of the most expensive real estate in the world. It is by many measures, the epicenter of business. On the web, there are no roads. In fact, investing in a website is much like developing the worst real estate on the planet. You have no roads to bring customers to your business; no one ever finds you. This is why so many internet business either fail or see very poor returns, YOU HAVE TO BUILD YOUR ROADS! If there are no roads on the web, then how can you build them? In a sense, every link to your website is a virtual road to your business. As the quantity of inbound links to your website increase, you will certainly begin to see the value of your virtual real estate grow. You should also note that all links are not created equal, just as all roads are not created equal. It is fairly easy to build a dirt road, but building a superhighway is well... like building a super highway. Online, it is a waste of your time to try to obtain links indiscriminately. Any link is a good link, but it is the quality links that really get your business moving. There is another factor that should be strongly considered: relevance. Just like in the real world, an online business can succeed only when it successfully captures the traffic passing through to bring them inside. On the highway between Houston and Austin is a little pecan store that has an obscenely large marquis billboard which can be seen for about a mile away. PECANS PECANS PECANS! To be sure, anyone driving by is fully aware that this little store is involved in the pecan business. Every time I pass this store I notice that the parking lot is always full - and I attribute this 100% to the gigantic sign out front (I can also attest that the chocolate covered pecans are quite tasty). But one should realize that the sign did not say, "FOOD!" or "STUFF" or other meaningless phrasing. The sign is very specific, and visitors that stop are sure to find all varieties of pecans. But how do we apply this to the realm of the internet? It always surprises me how little attention is given to the content of a website. A classic example is the "our products" page. Really? You have products? Wow! You have basically just informed your visitor of absolutely NOTHING. If you were in the pecan business, wouldn't it make more sense to say "Pecan Products" or "Our Pecans Varieties" or something to that effect? By paying special attention to the content of your website, you give search engines and visitors a much easier way to determine what your business is all about. And by doing so, you get increased traffic and increased conversions! So search engine optimization is largely determined by two factors: links and relevancy. Or, as we have learned, location and the store sign. By understanding and utilizing these tools effectively, your business will be positioned to have the best chance of success in its internet venture. Certainly these concepts should be simple enough to grasp, but application of these concepts can be quite a large challenge. Think: superhighways and super billboards, but when done properly, the rewards are bountiful. |