FAQ: What is Search Engine Optimization?

On-Page Search Engine Optimization vs. Link Popularity Campaigns

What are the main factors that influence how high a site will rank on search engines for a given search phrase? Ask 10 search engine optimizers what matters most and you’ll probably get ten different answers. But two things you’ll consistently hear are the importance of aligning the site’s copy and tags with the search phrases you’d like to rank competitively for, then making sure your site has a competitive number of inbound links compared to other sites competing for the same search phrases.

Within the SEO community, there are businesses that specialize to the point of focusing specifically on each of these strategies: SEO Copywriting without linking, or linking without putting work into on-page SEO factors. Can focusing on one variable really deliver high search engine rankings?

Natural Talent vs. Training

Let's use the analogy of a competitive runner. What makes that person fast? Is it talent or training? Clearly, to be competitive in a sport like running, you need to be born with a certain level of natural talent for running, and train a LOT to compete with other naturally talented runners who train a LOT. Talent or training by itself will not allow someone to reach the pinnacle of his or her sport.

So, if talent is equated with on-page SEO such as copywriting, and training is equated with link building, wouldn't the same rules apply?

It doesn't matter how 'talented' a copywriter makes a web site through optimization if they don't take the time to 'train' the web site through link building to give it a shot of competing with other sites using the same search phrases.

And it doesn’t matter how important a web site becomes through link popularity ‘training’ if the link popularity expert hasn’t taken the time to help the search engines know what the web site is actually about.

Sitting in the middle on this issue is not a compromise, but a synergy of two effective search engine optimization strategies.

Keep in mind that website copywriting is a talent, but is also something that can be improved over time through training. For learn more about this specialized skill, pick up a copy of The Step-by-Step Copywriting Course by Karon Thackston of Marketing Words, Inc.

How do I pick an appropriate specialist?

If you consult with a variety of medical professionals about a sore back, you’ll certainly hear different recommendations from a surgeon, physical therapist, and chiropractor regarding the best solution to your problem. The same goes for search engine optimizers. Talk to a few to find out which strategies makes best sense for your site. For example, if your site has been around for a while, you may have competitive link popularity and benefit more from on-page optimization. If your site is brand new, you’ll probably benefit from some on-page optimization work along with some link popularity work to increase your site’s importance.

Additionally, good search engine optimizers know their strengths and weaknesses and will partner with other companies and freelancers to offer the best SEO solutions they can to their clients.

Of course, picking an appropriate search engine optimizer to help you grow your online business is an inexact science, so be sure to use a similar approach to picking an SEO that you’d use for other professional services such as asking for references and checking with peers for referrals. They should be able to provide examples of high rankings they’ve achieved for clients on competitive search phrases that can be confirmed by the client.

Ed Kohler is the president and founder of Haystack In A Needle - a full service web marketing and search engine positioning firm based in Minneapolis, MN.

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