Some General Updates

The Mayday update is causing quite a stir, even in this blog which is mainly why I’ve stopped writing as much as I used to here on my personal blog. This blog used to get around 1500 hits per day but I confess I have not used any of my fancy and strategic SEO strategies on this blog for my own gain.

Thinking about it now though, I probably should be… But here’s what Google’s latest algorithm update means to me AND what I’m doing and you should be doing about it to keep your online efforts profitable.

First off… The new update means that fresh and new websites won’t rank for long tail phrases. Google calls it a quality win and while I understand Matt’s point and I somewhat agree with it, it also sucks because it was a great loophole for us online marketers when your first getting a website going and don’t yet have any domain authority.

This update has effectively made me decide not to offer SEO services anymore, at least not as my main focus with a new online marketing account. That’s not to say that good optimization doesn’t have it’s merrits… because they do… on an established website though. A non-established website (new site) should be doing other things first BEFORE trying to be the most optimized site out there.

Like what?

Before I give some general strategies you can rest your hat on, think about it this way.. This thought will give you more ideas than my ideas than I write down here if you let it. Question: What would you do if search engines didn’t exist? What would you do to bolster your brand, get visibility and start getting visitors to your website?

Why… you’d probably go out and press release first right? Get the media talking about you! Try and find something that shines or stands out about your business… what makes you different, cheaper, quicker, better than the rest and get the media to talk about that.

(Side note: the “media” in 2010 means something entirely different than it meant in 1985… The media now encompasses ANYONE who has an existing audience. That could be a radio station or radio show, could be a blogger or podcaster, could be a TV station, could be  a tiny website or a giant media mogul…but someone currently holds a captive audience in your industry. Contact them!)

Perhaps you’d start chatting in the related industry forums… At first simply helping others, then maybe the odd time offering help by pointing a link to your site, all the while having your brand or website mentioned in your signatures so folks could identify you with your brand and website…

Perhaps another option would be general advertising… Pay per click, sponsorships, text ads, graphic ads.. let your brain open up and think about it.. How are you going to get “The media” (as described above) to want to talk about you and NOT view you as a threat?

Don’t make your goal sales…

In 2010, what’s going to burn all businesses on Facebook, on Twitter and on any web property will be the goal of sales first and foremost. It’s like walking into a bar, going up to the first girl that you see and asking her back to your place… SLAP! Why not start with hello?
EXACTLY!

Social media and EVEN press, advertising and all the other customer generating strategies out there won’t work by putting a product under people’s noses straight away.. collect email addresses… send free stuff, send tips, send friendly banter and conversation… Invite people to join the conversation… Get a following going….. Start building your own audience…. Of friends, followers, opt-ins, fans, commenters and website visitors… Before you know it… you’ll have carved out your own audience and will enter into being your own “Media” and people will start to contact you!

What’s this got to do with Google rankings?

Part of becoming an authority is getting authoritive websites to link to you… This will happen automatically if your running your business the way you should be, and building up your brand online the conversation way… People will talk about you without you having to solicit them to do so.

Yes, it takes longer… Yes it takes blood, sweat, tears… You’ll loose some sleep at night at first wondering whether what your doing is working or not, but in the long run (6 months+) Building an authority website will actually build steam and rank.

Thanks for listening to my rant. Join the opt-in list, I rarely send stuff out and I don’t spam.
All the best in 2010, to you and your profits!
Daniel J Deyette