SEO software does what exactly?
SEO software often makes the following assumption:
- Check out the page ranked #1 on Google,
- do exactly the same + a little bit better,
- and you will be number 1
SEO software then examines "all" SEO parameters that it finds out about the number 1 page on Google. Then this SE software will automate the process by mimicking this for your website.
SEO is more than a software approach!
SEO is the art of ranking #1 in every search engine for every keyword.
Spiders rank a website number one because spiders "think" that website deserves number one. Of course, the spider can't think: there must be a programmer programming the spider to figure out which side is the best.
Now, if you're smart SEO selber machen enough to feed the spider exactly what the programmer thinks is important, you have the knowledge to become number 1.
That's exactly what SEO software does: it claims to know and manage "all" the parameters that make a website rank #1.
Pitfalls of a software approach to SEO
Let's say you find all the parameters needed to rank a website at #1. You manage to get all these parameters on your website and you even manage to rank #1.
If your website really deserves to be number 1, then everything is fine. But when surfers complain that it's not you, the search engine gets the blame!
It won't be long before Google finds out that "someone cracked the code" of the spiders. The spiders are updated to provide visitors with quality results!
That means you need an upgrade in your SEO software approach... : You're running behind the facts instead of being above the facts.
How to get #1?
You rank #1 because you deserve it.
In spider logic, this still means:
- Your page talks about the keyword you are optimizing for
- Your page has many inbound links to the keyword you are optimizing for.
That's why it should be number 1.
But my SEO software is really up to date, isn't it?
Your software can only be up to date AFTER the spiders' software has been updated. Unless you write the spiders yourself, you will always be a little later.
You cannot know all the parameters that the spider takes into account unless you write the spider software yourself.
Some of the parameters that you cannot influence: The age of the website is one of them. Suppose the spider has to choose between 2 websites: the oldest and the SEO mimic: which one to choose? Oldest would be the easiest bet, and you can't change your site's age, can you?
A close look at SEO software
SEO software advertising might say you can get a top 5 Google ranking in less than 30 days... If that's true, then check out:
- Is this SEO software's website ranked #1 in Google for SEO or SEO software?
- Are the example websites that the SEO software lists as number 1 really number 1, i.e. number 1 on Google?
It's very easy to enter the SEO software sample website keyword phrase and see if they are number 1 or not.
And don't be fooled by SEO software that provides numerous examples of #1 rankings in MSN or Yahoo: if you want a consistent #1 ranking in any of the search engines, you'd better start by getting a number -1 ranking on Google.
I didn't say that if you rank #1 on Google, it's a guarantee of ranking #1 on Yahoo and MSN, but you'll certainly rank #1 there as well. On the other hand, a ranking of 1st place can MSN means you won't be found on Yahoo or Google.
So you say: well then I'll just try to be number 1 on MSN because it seems easier. Well, it's easier, but then it's also easier for your competition so it doesn't take too much effort to outdo you again. But do the job well once and for all: rise to number 1 on Google and then fine-tune for MSN or Yahoo if necessary.
Why are you doing SEO at all?
SEO is one of the ways to get more traffic to your website. But there's more to getting a lot of traffic to your website than "blindly ranking #1 on Google":
--- Always make sure you rank #1 for a word that a lot of people are searching for! ---
Whenever you buy any SEO software or outsource your SEO to the SEO specialists: always check their SEO examples:
- they are number 1 in the ranking
- are the keywords they rank for popular search keywords (greater than 10,000 searches per month in Yahoo's Search Engine Marketing keyword selection tool is not considered too low)
- How long did it take you to be number 1?
- How big is the competition for the keyword phrase (smaller or larger than 5 million? As a rule of thumb: 5+ million keyword phrase results on Google, but things are getting better)
- How big is the competition for the quoted "keyword phrase" (less than or greater than 33,000? As a rule of thumb: more than 33,000 quoted "keyword phrases" result in Google, but what will happen)
If the SEO software or SEO specialist can answer YES to all of these points, then you can start taking them very seriously!
Try it for each sample website that each SEO software claims to have ranked #1 for a given keyword phrase. And of course, you always start by checking if they are ranked #1 in the first place! If this is not the case, then you will buy SEO software that will not do the job! Ranking number 2 is ALMOST number 1, and even worse, ranking number 9 is nowhere near ranking number 1.
SEO software websites
Whenever you are interested in buying something on the internet, look at the entire website of the product you want to buy!
Some SEO software websites are 1-page websites: only 1 page with the product, no links, no additional pages...
Back to basics again. What was the first idea to build the internet? To give people information, lots of information.
And we speak of a “NET” in Inter“NET”: “Net” means links here, links there, links everywhere… (this is why links are so important in SEO)
If you don't see a lot of links or a lot of content on a website about SEO, then the SEO website doesn't take its own topic seriously: SEO!
Back to basics: web traffic
Your goal is to bring as many people to your website as possible, isn't it?
The purpose of SEO software is to rank #1 on Google.
Now it's very easy to rank #1 on Google for the keyword phrase " jhdkghgkbdcds ",
but who is looking for "jhdkghgkbdcds"??? No one!
So if nobody searches for " jhdkghgkbdcds ", why bother to rank #1 with it?
What's a nice number when it comes to "popular keyword searches"? If you're using the Overture Keyword Tool, anything over 10,000 searches per month means pretty popular, but: Also note that over 10,000 "the big boys compete".
with you, under 1,000 you have the field for you. So good SEO advice is to work from the bottom up yourself: start with keywords that aren't as popular, and once you rank high for those, move on to the next more popular keyword on the list.
SEO software conclusion
SEO is the art of feeding spiders what they like.
SEO software runs after the spiders trying to get their attention.
Always check the facts and figures about any SEO software and (this) SEO article!
Then you make your own decision. When you see the SEO software
- performs well for their own product
- ranks websites well for popular keywords,
only then can you think about a purchase.
Making money online has always fascinated Stef Glasssee , a Sun certified Java developer. Being involved in programming and software development, he has a first glimpse of how software can help people, but it cannot yet replace people. The same goes for SEO software.
...It's quick and easy to dump an apple seed in the ground. But be prepared: it takes a long time for the apple core to grow into a tree laden with apples!...