The best search engine optimization is more than a strict standard set of practices, it’s doing the right thing for each individual business. Optimization requirements are different for each business, and within each industry. All share these three common obstacles for optimization success.

Problem 1: Seeing Optimization as a Project with An “End Date”

SEO and online marketing in general, isn’t just a destination. It’s a road that must be constantly traveled for optimal levels of success. There is no time when your optimization is “complete” the process can always be improved.

Problem 2: Not Planning For Optimization over the Long Haul

Because online marketing is a process, consider it more broadly, and give your optimization plan the time and support it needs to be successful. Like any company initiative, if the program is rushed or underfunded, it won’t be able to succeed.

Problem 3: Not Monitoring Progress

Keeping track of what brings success and what doesn’t help will help you in the short and long term. You will have more to work with when you start additional campaigns, and you’ll have real results that you can point to.

There are many Search Engine Optimization (SEO) consultants that will charge you an arm and a leg for their services, sometimes as much as $2,000 per month or more. They often make dubious claims that they can get you ranked on the first page of the search engines within a few months, and if not, they will kindly refund your money.

However, there is a catch. Once you pay the initial deposit and the SEO company begins working on your site, they will often optimize your website in such a manner so that you will be able to quickly rise to the top of the rankings for a keyword that is either not significant or will not attract any real traffic.

If you want to improve your ranking and attract qualified traffic to your website, you need to use a different approach:

1. Optimize your website for the keywords or phrases that people actually use when searching for products or services related to what you offer.
2. Modify higher volume keywords and search terms with phrases that are more specific to your services and industry.
3. Localize your keywords to your target market and client’s location.
4. Try to have a decent amount of free content on your website that relates to the keywords or phrases for which you want to be ranked higher.

Last month we discussed how to use consistent content building to improve your search engine rankings. Step #1 covered the importance of quality content because quality content on your site gives search engines the understanding that you are a destination for information and knowledge. What do you do next?

Step #2 – Keep it fresh.

The wide open web is ever expanding and constantly growing, is your website growing as well? Every day thousands of new sites launch, and that means fresh competitors presenting information in new and interesting ways. Content freshness helps web sites as it offers the benefit for users to have a look at new and useful information. Keeping your web site fresh is worth the extra effort, with the addition of new content; your website is adding value to the end users. While the “freshness factor” is very important to search engines like Google, what’s even more important is that your website continues to grow through content building. If you have not read your website’s content in the past few months, take a closer look. Is it still representing your company in the way that you think it should?