Guerilla Search Engine Optimization 2

Going organic can benefit more than your health. A sweeping trend in the SEO/SEM world is organic search engine optimization. As new marketers, communicators and new media folks emerge so too has the realization that SEO/SEM can be a low cost solution to getting your brand recognized. SEO/SEM organizations charge thousands for what could be manipulated for free. Here’s how.

The key to optimizing your searchability is through linking. Search engines like Google and Yahoo send out “crawlers” that screen the internet for related subject material. Think of your page as a building; the more roads leading to your location the easier it is for people to access it. One of the easiest ways to link to other pages and get recognized is through blogging. By consistenly posting on blogs you are not only carving multiple paths through cyberspace, you’re also developing a name for yourself in the blogosphere. Make people want to reference you as an authority and deepen the significance of your links.

Ever heard the term “consistency is key” (?). No where is this more true than in branding. And when it’s search engine optimization you’re after, it’s all about delivering a consistently branded message. If you’re taking advantage of the blogosphere, make sure your messages match and so too do your screen names and personal information. The goal is to build as many paths to your page without too many forks in the road.

Next to linking, the second most important factor in organic SEO is tagging. Tags are the code through which search engines and web pages communicate. By manipulating the meta tags to incorporate keywords that reflect your brand, you can boost your searchability. A few important things to keep in mind:

1. You can’t include every key word on the planet. Search engine’s are intelligent enough to label these type of meta tags as spam.

2. Your web content must be reflective of these keywords. This is where great writing comes into play. Make sure all copy (particularly the home page copy) contains the key words embedded within it. Note: This is also true for optimizing a press release. Include keywords in the first few sentences of the release.

Try these sneaky tactics and squeeze your brand into the limelight for less.

~ by Brandon Carlos on July 17, 2008.