Learn SEO | Search Engine Optimization Tips and Techniques

It has been 10 months since I last posted anything to x7SEO.com.  A lot of things have been going on with several large projects that have occupied almost all of my time.  But during these 10 months something interesting has happened.  This website has moved to the front page of Google for the search term “learn seo”.   x7SEO.com had been bouncing around between 20 and 40 for quite a while but now it is showing up on the front page…. number 6 in fact.   I am curious how this and subsequent postings will affect this ranking and whether or not I can maintain it by writing here again.

Contrary to what some SEO experts might say, search engine optimization is not some deep, dark and mysterious art.  What SEO is, is a study in patience and technique. It really is as simple as that.  Google and the other major search engines make it clear on what will and will not work when it comes to moving a website to the top of the returns.  We all know what those things are; fresh content, relevant content, original content, one way organic inbound links, etc….

But the most important step in the search engine optimization process is time and patience. Even though the Internet is a blazing fast method of speading the word, SEO does take time. Each step forward requires a little tweaking and monitoring the results then retweaking.  It really is a never ending cycle.  Time will be on your side when it comes to an SEO project but you must be willing to wait.  I have found in my personal experience that in order to see a website consistantly rank in the top 10 on Google, I must be willing to work at it for about 12 months.  If you are a patient person then you should do fine with your SEO efforts. Just realize what you do today may not produce fruit for another year if you are relying totally on search engine optimization to bring rankings and traffic.

What it your opinion and what has been your experience with the time factor of SEO?

I was doing a search for search engine marketing on Google and saw Bing advertising in the sidebar via Adwords.  Has anyone else noticed this? I think it is interesting that Google is allowing Bing to advertise on Google.  Here is a screen shot. Click for larger view

There is a very interesting article over at NevilleHobson.com this morning titled “Job requirement: Twitter followers” that discusses a recent job posting by BestBuy in which there is a preffered qualification of having 25o Twitter followers.  After reading this I am wondering if having a “personal social media portfolio” will be something that will give the edge to future job hunters.  If a freshman in college begins to utilize social networks and maintains those social networks until graduation, what will that group of social network accounts be worth?  I can see where in certain industries, especially sales, where existing personal networks could be very valuable.  This seems to be the next logical step in preparing for the work force.

I look back on two occaisions in my past when I saw this same concept in use only on a pencil and paper level.  When I got out of the Navy in 1987 I went to work for a major insurance company and the first two days on the job the only thing I did was make a list of everyone that I knew no matter how well I knew them. Everyone from best friends to the guy that took my money at the local convenience store for a cup of coffee. This was to be my core list of sales calls.  A few years later I took a job as a car salesman (hardest job in the world by the way) and once again the first couple of days at work were devoted to making a list of everyone I knew.

So now that I think of it the concept is not new just the technology involved. We have moved form legal pad and pen to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace et al……  Maybe CIS 101 in college these days should include how to start and maintain a personal social network.

What are your thoughts on having these networks as a suggested job requirement?

I suppose the title of this blog post says it all.  It is a little long I will agree.  I certainly have not learned all there is to know about SEO, but I realize there are many changes going on at this time and I want to discover and learn more about off site techniques including social networking to drive traffic to my websites.  I guess the question I am asking myself is which is more valuable and produces the best results; off site social networking to drive traffic or onsite SEO for the search engines and subsuquent discovery by visitors.

I am curious as to what your opinion is?