What Are You Trying to Achieve with SEO?

By Chris Crum - Thu, 01/15/2009 - 1:03pm.

Think About That When Proceeding with Your Efforts

SEO guru Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz has posted a great article looking at the different reasons a business would use search engine optimization tactics, and when and how to use each one. He looks at the following SEO objectives:

- SEO for Raw Traffic
- SEO for eCommerce Sales
- SEO for Mindshare/branding
- SEO for Lead Acquisition and Direct Marketing
- SEO for Reputation Management
- SEO for Ideological Influence

Rand calls for you to evaluate what you really want to acheive with your SEO efforts. What kind of business are you running? Different business models will require different SEO objectives.

For example, if you make your money solely from online advertising, SEO for Raw Traffic, is likely the objective for you. If you are trying to sell something directly, there are different strategies. And so on.

That's not to say, you won't want to investigate methods for more than one of these objectives. But it helps to lay your agenda out on the table and take stock of what it is you are trying to do. Then, you can think about more specific ways to reach your goals rather than just taking in the large, complicated world of SEO all at once. Execellent article, Rand.

News Tags: Marketing, SEO, search, eBusiness, seomoz, search engine optimization, online business, rand fishkin

About the author:
Chris is a content coordinator and staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and the iEntry Network. Subscribe to SmallBusinessNewz RSS Feeds.

Comments

By The Wizard (SBN reader) - Sat, 01/17/2009 - 1:28pm.

SEO

I have to agree different methods for different businesses. So often SEOs try to sell the SEO Package as a one size fits all solution but... this just does not work.

By Debbie Morgan (SBN reader) - Sat, 01/17/2009 - 3:36pm.

I agree...

I've had three seo firms optimize my safety and security web site with little or no results. I'm not a big fan of seo but it's a necessary evil. I wish I'd taken the time to learn more about it before I published my site over two years ago. Maybe my money on seo would have been better spent.

By Online Printing (SBN reader) - Thu, 01/22/2009 - 10:04am.

You are better off learning

You are better off learning or hiring somebody full or at least part time to do your SEO, as opposed to hiring it out to 'SEO' companies. The reason for that is, every website is different from the colors, text copy, layout etc. and SEO is not a one-size-fits-all scene anymore. Google is bringing out more personalized search function which will completely obliterate the old way of SEO. You wont see people in two different computers, let alone states ,getting the same SERPS on Google anymore when they search keywords. This is going to require a daily upkeep of directing your site to not only rank it well in SERPS but also to drive a consistent popularity and branding competition ..in order to have peoples keeping you in mind when they're shuffling their custom search function. The SEO world got bigger. (If you knew how many exploits there were in the old SEO world, you wouldn't mind the change)

By Affordable SEO Services (SBN reader) - Thu, 01/22/2009 - 4:59pm.

I agree we need to make sure

I agree we need to make sure you look at what the "Why" you are going SEO. And I'm sure lots of companies could benifit from SEO if they knew about it and understood that you have to look at it from that angle.

By florida web design (SBN reader) - Fri, 01/23/2009 - 11:17am.

i am trying to generate

i am trying to generate specific qualified leads that I can convert with my SEO

By Current account (SBN reader) - Thu, 01/29/2009 - 8:15am.

SEO objectives = SEO planning

Thanks for the post.I think that the biggest error in any digital marketing effort, but especially SEO, is not knowing why you do it. So many companies do not have any idea of what they want from SEO - just a vague notion they want to be "somewhere near the top". This sort of campaign is bound to fail - the project has no focus, and different stakeholder's interpretations of success start to grind it down.

By Fashion Boutique (SBN reader) - Thu, 03/05/2009 - 11:09am.

SEO Strategies

It's definitely ideal to know how to market your business - no matter what kind of business you may have.... Targeting the best approach to SEO is key.

By Printers Birmingham (SBN reader) - Mon, 05/11/2009 - 11:10am.

Great post. You guys surely

Great post. You guys surely know your stuff.

I shall be implementing your tips and advice.

By Marketing, Business, Technology News (SBN reader) - Mon, 05/18/2009 - 1:36pm.

Great advice. With SEO

Great advice. With SEO changing, it's always great to keep an eye on what's happening.

By Houston Internet Marketing Company (SBN reader) - Wed, 05/20/2009 - 12:41am.

Identifying objectives

It is very important to identify your objectives when planning your SEO strategy. You should also set up goals that are trackable through your websites analytic program. Thanks for bringing attention to Rand's article. It was a interesting read.

What Are You Trying to Achieve with SEO?

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