We follow Todd’s blog pretty closely as he is a proven expert in SEO. His comments below really frame the discussion regarding SEO.

» 12 Easy Quality Indicators to Combine to Prove Trust – Stuntdubl – SEO Consultant

Pay attention to what is credible to both users AND someone with a search relevance quality mindset. Everyone says optimize for users – try optimizing your site for to convince a savvy threadwatch readin’, affiliate site buildin’ fickle user that you are credible, and it will probably help your SEO efforts these days.

These are the easy ways – you have to work them together and THINK about what would indicate quality on a mass level. Seriously folks, quality indicators = trust. It’s not about keyword stuffing and link bombing anymore…SEO is about proving you’re trustworthy – it makes it even easier when you actually ARE – but even if you ARE – you have to know how to SHOW that you are. Let the damn dog sniff your hand!

I recently found a great article discussing the delicate balance between Paid Search, and Organic Search Engine Optimization. iMedia Connection: The Subsidy Cost of Paid Search

The Author asks an interesting question:

From a search marketing perspective the question that really begs to be answered is: Should you be paying for search traffic and ultimately conversions if you appear organically in a top position where the sale would occur without you having to pay for it?

The interesting point here is whether the cost of PPC is necessary when one already has top organic rankings for competitive terms.

We prescribe a balanced approach to our customers, one which ogranic SEO and Paid Search are used together on an overall marketing strategy. Mr Lieb seems to agree.

In conclusion, organic and paid search are two vital components of a very dynamic advertising medium. However, they are often managed independently of each other. They should not be managed in silos but rather as an integrated whole to understand the interplay.

I Just read a very well written and insightful SEO article regarding Google. Specifically regarding Google and it’s recent algorithm and Infrastructure upgrades. Jim Hedger has gone into depth explaining his view of what impact the recent Google updates have on the Search Engine Optimization industry and the clients that utilize their services.

“In September 2005, Google began implementation of a three-part algorithm update that became known as the Jagger Update. Shortly after completing the algo update in late November, Google began an upgrading of their server and data storage network that was dubbed the Bigdaddy Infrastructure Upgrade.�

“After the implementation of the algo update and infrastructure upgrades, SEOs have seen changes in the following areas: Site/Document Quality Scoring, Duplicate Content Filtering and Link Intention Analysis.�

The bulk of the article focuses on what Google is now looking for in terms of establishing relevancy and trust of a document (this is how rankings are determined).

“There are two basic rules in regards to content. It should be there to inform and assist the site user’s experience and it should be, (in as much as possible), original.â€?

“In order to ferret out the intent of webmasters, Google has increased the importance of links, both inbound and outbound. Before the updates, an overused tactic for strong placement at Google saw webmasters trying to bulk up on incoming links from where ever they could. This practice saw the rise of link farms, link exchanges and poorly planned reciprocal link networks.�

These are the thing we as a Search Engine Optimization company face. We strive to understand what this entity called Google is looking for and then deliver to the benefit of our clients rankings. Staying abreast of the latest SEO strategies is how we as a company earn our income. In essence you are paying for a small service (the optimization of your website) that takes volumes of specialized knowledge to perform. Like a doctor wishing to keep thier skills sharp, we are always learning more to stay up to date in our skill set.