Seattle Search Engine Optimization

There are a lot of so-called “gurus” in the Seattle Search Engine Optimization industry, some who are indeed pioneers putting Seattle SEO on the map, and others who are merely peddling snake oil. As a progressive and ethical SEO consultant, I am saddened to see that it is a recurring trend that some seedy web designers and SEO agencies exploit their clients’ lack of knowledge and pawn it off as SEO. Good Seattle Search Engine Optimization companies know that SEO is a vast collaboration of graphics / UI design, compelling sales materials and branding, on-site optimization and coding, and a diverse and effective link building strategy. Everyday, more and more people are harnessing the power of the internet to take their sales to new levels.

As of June 2010, Google still owns the lion’s share of total searches, with some statistics showing that up to 90% of the total daily searches are being performed on Google. I feel these stats are slightly skewed, as the February 2010 Nielsen Report suggest that Google owns approximately 65% of the daily search volume. Yahoo! at 14.1% is still ahead of Microsoft’s Search Engine, Bing, which floats around at 12.5% of total users. Regardless of the inconsistencies, Google is still far ahead in terms of daily global searches and thus most Seattle SEO companies specifically target ranking on Google.

Why would you ever not consider ranking on Google?

While ranking on Google has been and will continue to be a core of many of our SEO campaigns, there is often a faster path to swooping up the low hanging fruit. Especially In Seattle, Search Engine Optimization is much more than ranking your website well on Google. With the recent increase in Bing’s advertising campaigns here in Seattle, coupled with the large base of Seattle’s Microsoft employees and the recent Bing/Yahoo! merger, Bing is an often overlooked source of high quality leads. With less competition and rapid indexing on both Bing and Yahoo, with a sound strategy results can be obtained in much less time than the saturated competition of the big G.

Often times, business owners get overly concerned with ranking well on a particular SE, while neglecting the multitude of other factors that they could be refining while waiting for Google to acknowledge your site is the most relevant, authoritative site on the net (hopefully). Website design, specifically ease of use, aesthetics, and call to action, all need to facilitate your site being something someone wants to bookmark or share. Google tracks how long visitors view your website, where they came from, and where they go to; all determining factors of how Google will rank your website. By having a form-and-function website that has relevant content that is periodically updated, you are significantly increasing your odds of conversion, and if done right, even your on-site SEO!

Why would I consider a Seattle SEO company vs. a SEO company who specializes in my industry?

I’ll be the first to agree that there are many portal based websites boast cheap prices and extreme ease of use. They promise you the world, an attractive website that is easy to manage, tons of free articles and content, videos, and interactive flash. They take care of your web hosting, your email, and they even set you up on your brand new domain name. While they might seem like an affordable solution, often times these are pitfalls for the unwary business owner. Let me explain why.

First and foremost, they have no guarantee of their marketing results. Many of the larger service providers in the law and chiropractic SEO fields do not offer any off-site SEO, which is the most vital part of any organic SEO campaign. They simply submit your domain name to the search engines, and might create a sitemap for you. “Well that’s okay,” you tell yourself, “They included a bunch of free articles for my site!”. Yes, they might have provided relevant, maybe even highly optimized content for your site; however, they provided that same content to all of their other customers! The result is either a massive duplicate content penalty, or the internet marketing agency will simply tell the search engine robots to ignore the content.

Second, if and when things start to go sour, and you become tired of paying several hundred dollars a month for an unoptimized website that isn’t unique or functional, you will have a rude surprise to find out that they own your domain name, and you are actually leasing it from them! Be very wary about the limitations and control that your service provider may have over you, and be sure that you are clear on who owns what, digitally.

Third, they are likely dissociated with their product, pumping out websites factory style. It’s absolutely garbage in, and garbage out, and as a proponent of honest and ethical work, I say no thank you! I’ve encountered more than a few sales reps from several large “Seattle SEO companies” who know little to nothing about the internal workings of Search Engine Optimization. As a local Seattle SEO consultant, I am always available for emergencies and consultations, and will treat you as much more than as ‘just another client’.

Ok, that’s all great, now what?

Be bold, be brave, and get in touch. Let me show you how my Seattle Search Engine Optimization experience can revolutionize your business. I will provide you with a comprehensive initial consultation free of charge, and we can turn your ideas into realities. Give me a call today at 206.931.2565!