SEO – Natural is better…

When it comes to SEO (search engine optimization), nothing trumps the natural SEO process for achieving higher rankings in Google.

It never ceases to amaze me how many SEO’s out there are promoting their “100% Guaranteed” front page rankings in Google.  And even better are the ones that are guaranteeing that within a month or two.

Most of these SEO types are simply going to take your money and do absolutely nothing for your site. Some may go to the trouble of plugging your site into a link farm to build thousands of backlinks in just a couple of weeks. And some still may go ahead and build a couple of backlinks to your site but that’s it.

The problem with all of the above is that the methods are 100% un-natural. The un-unatural angle taken by SEO types is only guarantee one thing – lower rankings, and possibly even getting delisted from Google – that means, your site is completely removed from Google’s index.

Natural SEO is the way to go

On the totally opposite side of the SEO spectrum from spammy, un-natural link building strategies, is the side that I call natural SEO. Another name for this could be organic SEO.

Basically, what I’m referring to when I say natural SEO is the this:  the natural process to get web pages into the top rankings on Google for any given keyword phrase or search query.

Natural SEO Strategies

Of course, this posting wouldn’t be of any value to anyone without me highlighting the way natural SEO works.

First, let me say that natural SEO is the absence of you forcefully building, structuring, or otherwise taking action on your own to influence your search engine rankings.  Google has gotten pretty smart since they launched in 1998.  And one of the most profound ways their algorithm has changed is in identifying, and then discrediting, unnatural SEO behaviors and methods.

So basically anything that looks suspiciously like you are trying to force your way into the top of Google’s search rankings, your site will be discredited and flagged as such, and any hope of achieving top rankings just flew out the door.

Natural SEO is the process of your web pages achieving front page rankings because they are, quite simply, the highest quality pages based on the keyword search.

And the only way to naturally get your web pages onto the front page of Google is by other people – people you don’t even know, but who find your content valuable – linking to you and giving your web page(s) a vote of approval.  Basically, a link is the equivalent of vote but only when that link is built naturally and voluntarily by the person linking to you.

Why your need a business blog

Let me just come right and say it – unless you have a super strong brand and millions of people already know who you are, you need to have a blog.

A static, old traditional HTML website will no longer cut it these days.

You need to have a blog, and you need to be producing articles that show you expertise.  This is called article marketing.

But more importantly, Google favors freshly updated, high quality content.  Google doesn’t want to showing web pages from 2003 in the top rankings of the search results.  Google wants to show freshly updated content, content that is relevant today – not 5 years ago.

Since Google favors freshly updated content, you need to have a way to easily produce new content and that is done with a blog.

Next, you need to have a blog because article marketing is the advertising platform of the future.

What is article marketing?

I’m not talking about writing articles and then submitting them to 125 different article directories – that is, again, un-natural SEO thinking.

I’m talking about building a blog for your business, then using your own blog as the platform upon which your articles are published.

I don’t like even the more established article marketing sites like ezinearticles.com because, when you submit articles to these sites, you are providing content to their site that will be found in Google.  So it’s their site, not yours, that’s getting all the traffic.

And why would a site like ezinearticles.com want a lot of traffic – well just take a look at what’s at the top, sides, and bottom of each article – Google Adsense ads.

This means ezinearticles.com is making money from the content that you produce. Don’t get fooled by their position that submitting your content to their site is the best way to advertise your business – they are lying to you!

I agree that article marketing is the key, and is critical to getting found on the front page of Google.

But the articles need to be produced on your own blog – not someone else’s!

Granted, when you first start out with your blog, your content is not going to immediately be found on the front page of Google.  But by staying with it, you are only about 3 – 6 months from your content dominating the front page search results of Google for wide range of keyword phrases that are relevant to your business.

Plus, with all of the traffic flooding your site from your own articles, you benefit from the branding and exposure.  All the traffic sees your business information.  And ultimately your phone starts ringing!

Article marketing is natural SEO

So the bottom line I’m getting at here is that article marketing is natural SEO. As you produce more articles and content, you’ll start connecting with people and other sites that find your content valuable.  These people will start talking about you and linking back to you from their sites.  And this natural back linking is exactly what Google is looking for in high quality web pages.

And as your overall site builds more authority and higher PR (PageRank), the more all of your articles will achieve front page rankings in Google.

So let’s fast forward 6 months:

You’ve written 250 articles, your website now has a PR3, and your site is getting 10,000 unique visitors per month.

Now, for each new article you produce, the more content from your blog there is to be found in Google, and the higher rankings your new articles will achieve in Google.

Sure, it takes work to generate new content on a consistent basis.

But you know what… it takes a lot of work to perform un-natural SEO methods as well.

I should know – it wasn’t too long ago when I was “one of those guys” that tried to make money from un-natural SEO promises!