Search Engine Optimization, Positioning: Is Chasing Google Algorithms Worth It?

Google is the undisputed heavyweight champion of search engines. Most SEO (search engine optimization) companies pitch their tent around Google. Apart from being the king of search engines, unlike Yahoo and MSN, Google does not serve sponsored results on top of its search results, drawing away considerable attention/traffic away from the search results. Hence ranking high with Google is worth all the trouble it takes to get there. Little wonder then, that most SEO revolves round Google. When Google sneezes, the SEO world catches cold. When Google tweaks its search algorithms, SEO experts scamper back to the trenches to gaze at their crystal ball, to figure out what Google is up to.

What makes Google tick is simply because they serve the most relevant results for most search engine queries. They do this through their secret formula (algorithms), propounded by eggheads from academia and the industry, to rank sites according to its relevance to the search phrase. To continue to do that, they constantly tweak their magic portion, knowing fully well that SEO gurus are at their tail, trying to crack their secret code and beat the system. Before Yahoo and MSN went solo, they sourced for search engine results from Google.

It then makes simple common sense that to come tops in Google, you have to deliver unique valuable content, since that is what they are looking for. It is a simple win-win scenario. Google needs links to excellent content sites, so that they serve it to searchers, pull in traffic and drive up advert revenues. Searchers come to Google, and Google sends them to you. You end up with free highly targeted traffic to your site. Every one smiles to the bank.

This seems too simple for most webmasters to comprehend. There must be a shorter more convoluted way. Crack the secret code, and you are in business. So they try to figure out how Google ranks sites, and then go ahead to tweak their pages to suit. Much effort is put into trying to optimize the few pages they have, instead of adding more unique content. They play around with keyword density at the title, meta and alt tags, body, columns etc. They take their focus completely away from growing their site/business, and become fixated on tweaking the few pages they have to death.

There is nothing wrong with getting your keywords in the right places. The simple fact is, the Google Algorithm is very complex, and takes into account so many factors, that optimizing your pages alone will not do. Google is no fool.

Google's ultimate aim is to judge pages through the human eye. Since that is not feasible, having to contend with close to nine billion odd pages or so, they have to develop their own artificial intelligence to judge sites based on users response. To remain on top, they have to constantly improve on their algorithms. For Google algorithm chasers, that means constantly chasing after the wind. Google can afford to pay for the best brains in the world to develop its algorithms. Most SEO experts are managing to make a living. They are out numbered, out-classed, out-maneuvered and out-brained (if there is term like that). There is close to zero chance of catching up with Google. If you manage to, it is only for a season. At the next algorithm upgrade, you are left behind, yet again. It is a waste of time, energy and resources.

Commonsense makes the most sense, ultimately. Google is looking for unique content. Give it to them. You give them content and they send you traffic. Looks like a fair deal. This means you build your site for human visitors, not search engine spiders. Ultimately, human visitors determine the success of your site. If your content is not of much use to humans, there is nothing much search engine spiders can do for you. If you manage to get high rankings for a season, you will simply end up with window shoppers: they land in your home page, and off they go. To make it worse, by the next database update, your site will simply disappear from the radar. Your fifteen minutes fame is over. You are back to the trenches.

You have to decide upfront who you want to focus on, your customers/visitors or the engines. Decide who pays your bills, visitors or spiders. After you have decided, remain focused and stick with it. The search engines are looking for content. If you have a valuable content site, they are looking for you. Keep providing valuable content. Someday soon, they will recognize your efforts, and put you where you belong, at the very top. It is only a matter of time.

Usiere Uko is the webmaster of the Financial Freedom Inspiration website and editor of the monthly Financial Freedom Inspiration Newsletter, a free ezine to inspire you to exit the rat race and fulfill your God given dreams. To subscribe or visit the site, please visit http://www.financial-freedom-inspiration.com . He is also webmaster of http://www.newdawninspiration.com

---

10 Ways to Make Sure Your SEO Goes Out of Its Way for You

If they want to have success, companies should do everything... Read More

All About Links -- Interview With Link Building Expert , Bob Gladstein

Julia: Welcome Bob. Thank you for taking the time to... Read More

When Google PR Tool Bar is Down!

Where is the need to worry? Who needs a PR... Read More

The Other Side of the Search Gods Abracadabra!

Thousands of servers ...billions of web pages.... the possibility of... Read More

Forget SEO ? It?s All About Conversion!

Which SEO hat do you wear? Is it white or... Read More

Search Engine Optimisation - Getting Targeted Traffic

Getting SEO right is an art and it's based on... Read More

Increase Your Page Rank Through SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) must be considered a process and... Read More

Table Structures For Top Search Engine Positioning

So you have a beautiful website that you paid a... Read More

Copywriters: Make Friends with Search Engine Optimization

I don't know about you, but I felt a lot... Read More

Directories and Their Importance for Search Engine Rankings

About directories:A directory is simply a web site that contains... Read More

Google Search Algorithm Patent Application Creates Spring Buzz!

Google applied for a patent on their ranking algorithm as... Read More

Over Optimization and the OOP - Does a Penalty Exist?

If you have questions about whether or not the Over-Optimization... Read More

60 Day Sandbox for Google & AskJeeves; MSN Indexes Quickest, Yahoo Next

Search engine listing delays have come to be called the... Read More

All about SEO or SFO?

First let's start with definitions:SEO: Search Engine Optimization, SFO: Search... Read More

What are My Chances to Get the First Place in Search Engine Listings?

You must have heard the stories how people became rich... Read More

Creating Search Engine Friendly Web Sites

With tons of competition and copycats online, you need a... Read More

You Cannot Hide From the Public Record Search Engines

As a search engine optimization specialist, I often run across... Read More

Search Engine Updates vs. SEO

Webmasters always anxiously wait for a search engine update. Those... Read More

Link Popularity: Why Its The Best Investment You Can Do For Your Business

More and more search engines rank your web pages based... Read More

Stuck on Keywords

Keywords have turned into big business on the internet. If... Read More

How to Use Keywords to Improve Your Ranking in Search Engines

The importance of keywordsKeywords or key phrases you choose will... Read More

The Power of Topic Specific Search

What are Topical Search Engines?Simply put, topical search engines are... Read More

Submitting to the Search Engines and WebCrawlers

When you want your brand new site to be indexed... Read More

Search Engine Indexing - 3 Strategies Guaranteed to Skyrocket Your Success

In order to design a website that performs well with... Read More

What Constitutes a Complete and Effective SEO Campaign?

Unfortunately, not many Search Engine Optimization companies know what this... Read More

Seek Engines: What If Seek Had Bumped Out Search?

In the early days of the World Wide Web, when... Read More

A Real Example of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Success

The term, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), refers to a set... Read More

Google Patent Application - SEO Highlights

The recent patent application filed by Google details numerous items... Read More

Professional SEO: Hand Off to Bob or Outsource the Job

We are often asked if professional SEO (search engine optimization)... Read More

Gaining Link Popularity Techniques

Link popularity is very important these days for all websites... Read More

8 ways to build a really bad web site for Search Engines

Some web sites receive hundreds or thousands of unique visitors... Read More

Without Conversion Rates You Don’t Know If You’re Mickey Mouse Or Mickey Mantle

I couldn’t agree more with the headline of this article... Read More

Five Ways To Win The Favor Of Search Engines

You've got a cool new website with all the works:... Read More