'How to Invest in
Your Online Marketing Today'
A subscriber asked us to
compare and contrast targeted linkage with search engine
optimization (SEO). Both campaigns require an investment,
and he simply wanted to know where he'd get the most bang
for the buck. 'The answer is...'
Let's say you've got a search engine optimizer working to
get you great search engine positioning. This is important
to do, but even when you're #1 on Excite, you still have to
wait for people to find you through that particular search
engine.
But let's say you're not #1 on Excite, or even #100. In
fact, your site is nowhere to be found on Excite. You've got
to start from scratch, and as of 3/01 your listing on Excite
can take up to 10 full weeks to appear.
And then, this could happen: after waiting 10 weeks you
discover that you didn't get a satisfactory ranking on
Excite. Obviously you'll need to adjust, then submit again.
Then wait up to 10 more weeks...
That's as long as 5 months of fiddling around with your
Excite rankings to get the results you want - IF you get the
results you want.
There's no guarantee, which is why most search engine
optimizers don't like to be locked into your positioning on
any one particular search engine. Instead they'll work to
get you top 10-30 positioning for x number of listings on x
number of major search engines.
Because of the time involved, a realistic SEO campaign needs
at minimum a 3 month window of opportunity. Your SEO must
have this flexibility to deliver quantifiable results. So if
time is an important factor, you'll need to take this into
account.
For a targeted linkage campaign, count on 30 days to begin
seeing measurable results. With proper followup, the traffic
flowing into your site from these links will only continue
to grow.
There's one other thing to consider: although search engines
are used by around 83% of the population online to find
resources, currently they index less than 30% of the
Internet overall. Which means that more than 70% of all
Internet resources cannot be found through the search
engines at all.
That's worth thinking about, and it raises this question:
'If people can't find resources through search engines and
directories, how DO they find them and where do they look?'
The answer is, 'through links'. After search engines, this
is the 2nd most popular way to find anything online, and
opens the door to a much higher percentage of the Internet's
resources than search engines can offer.
These are a few key contrasts between targeted linkage and
SEO work, but here's the REAL difference:
Targeted linkage reaches out to the online community to find
your target audience and build your network, where an SEO
campaign is to do with the enhancement and effective
submission of your Web site assets.
Targeted linkage finds the sites where your target market
gathers, then establishes a direct link from that site to
yours. In this way it brings you one step closer to reaching
your market - people frequenting sites in your market niche
can find your site there, and no longer have to use search
engines to find you.
It's a more direct approach, and there's another benefit:
where search engines change their ranking algorithms
regularly which causes your position to fluctuate, a link on
a high traffic site can stay posted for months or even
years. If your site offers valuable content, it delivers
real value to a linking site because it enhances what they
offer to their visitors. That's why they want your link.
Are we saying 'the heck with search engines, concentrate on
links'? Not at all - some of our best friends are SEOs.
These search engine experts have driven substantial traffic
and paying customers to our sites. We thank them and highly
recommend them!
What we are saying is... 'Do BOTH'. Invest in your online
marketing today and you are investing in a bright future,
because your Web site is an asset that continues to grow.
Targeted links enhance your listings with the top 19 search
engines today, and you'll be more visible and a recognized
'player' in your niche market if you place well on the major
search engines and directories. There's a symbiotic
relationship here. Use it to your advantage.
BACK TO THE LINKING LIBRARY
