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Search Engine Optimization - Athens Georgia SEO



Whoa There Cowboy!

Let's take a step back. Before you start digging into HTML or try to decipher the obscurities of the Google algorithms,
    ... what is your goal?
  • Your Website Purpose
    Why do you want this mythical, buzzwordy Search Engine Optimization?  Have you clearly defined your website goals?

  • Your Target Audience
    Before the action can start, or should start; you must have your target in your marketing scope.  Who is your target audience?

  • What and Where Are They Clicking
    Would you go deer hunting in downtown Atlanta?  For starters, there aren't any deer there.  It might be the same for your industry and target customers. Sure, everyone uses the Internet but are they using it to look for, say, a web designer?  Unfortunate for us, not so much.  There are tools available to research what people are searching but unless you are careful you can get yourself into trouble relying on them.  For example, we have evidence that a big portion of people searching for "web designers" are in fact web designers themselves - competitors keeping tabs on each other (and clicking on competitor pay-per-clicks to increase their expenses.) 


Important Website Factors

Once you've targeted keywords your target audience is actually searching for on the Internet (not an easy task), then you are ready for phase two of the Search Engine Optimization process: updating your website HTML. 
Flash Warning:
If your website is mostly flash then you can stop reading... inbound links from other relevant websites is your only hope. Google can "technically" index some of the text embedded in the Flash but tests show it isn't accurate - and still doesn't address the most significant factors of SEO.

We order the following website factors by keyword significance:
  1. Domain Name
  2. Document Name
  3. Document Title
  4. H1, H2, H3 Header Titles
  5. META Keywords
  6. META Description
  7. Content
To put it bluntly, put your keywords in as many of those as often as is reasonable.  And this is going to break conventional wisdom, but don't be afraid to ramble.  Google likes lots of content.  Google likes text content like a kid likes cake.  It can't get enough.  Designers often detest breaking their "artistic integrity" but what's more important? Art or Business? For us, it's no contest.  But when it comes to the keywords, Google isn't stupid.  Do it too many times, referred to as keyword stuffing, and the Google gods may punish you.


A Thorough Dialogue on Search Engine Optimization

Below is perhaps the most thorough discussion on search engine optimization.  Should you read it all?  We didn't even read it all.  The main reason for listing it here is to present the sizeable volume of details for search engine optimization.  We believe by focusing on the factors we listed above, you'll get the most bang for your buck.

http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/internet/google-ranking-factors.htm
  • Athens Ga SEO



      • A Parting Warning

        Because everyone wants more customers or members, Search Engine Optimization has become a high profile endeavor.  Did you know Sam's Club now offers search engine optimization, through a proxy company, for small businesses?  That's right!  Order a flat of ketchup and a #1 listing on Google all at the same time.  I only wish it were that easy. 

        Someone might can get you to a #1 ranking for the phrase "best georgia programmer" in Google, but if no one ever searches for that phrase, what's the point?

        Cordially,
        Patrick MacDonald    - Best Georgia Programmer ;)
        AthensGuy.com