WHICH SEO METHODOLOGY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR ONLINE MARKETING EFFORTS?
Understanding SEO Methodology
SEO has always been distinguished by experts as either “black hat” or “white hat.” Over the years, the definitions of these two types of so-called SEO methodology have evolved up to the point of exaggeration, depending on who’s talking about it and depending on the individual’s marketing biases. Some contend that ethics aside—“white hat” and “black hat” techniques both deliver results for your business. It all depends on you if which one you’d choose to work to your advantage.
So what is a business owner supposed to do? Consider the following:
Which do you prefer more, traffic or authority? Using footer links loaded with keywords that link your client’s website to yours isn’t exactly illegal, but they bring low value to your website. They used to bring so much traffic to a site before, until Google changed algorithms. But still, this type of SEO Methodology –content marketing/link-building— is the cheapest way for companies to gain visibility. Some can forget authority. Authority, as some of you may know, is not the same as page views or site traffic. Links may lose their search engine ranking value anytime, but they can still bring an audience to your site, if they link to something of value.
The Choice For SEO Methodology: A Matter Of Risk
In choosing an SEO Methodology, how much risk are you willing to take? Remember that any SEO tactic is not without challenges or risks. But there are some tactics that may just get you in trouble.
Back then, it’s easy to regroup when you get penalized by Google.
Now, it’s a completely different story. You’ve probably heard of companies closing shop because of Panda and Penguin. Come a year later, some companies still haven’t recovered, losing millions of dollars in revenue. The same goes for companies that implemented a gray hat seo methodology. So it really depends on how Google is going to change its algorithms and react to your website. Then the right question to ask is whether you’re ready for these, and if you’re willing to take risks.
Making A Choice For Your SEO Methodology
In choosing an SEO methodology, do you want short-term or long-term results? Are you in it for the long haul or do you just want to take advantage of the instant traffic resulting from the SEO initiatives?
For example, if you’re planning to sell a new product that has a quick life cycle, you can use an SEO methodology or affiliate marketing to bring attention to that product fast. Remember that if your business is meant to run only for the short term, then you may lean toward taking the risk. Long-term positive results take time and effort; but if you want to cut corners, you can always resort to SEO methodology that are low-value and high risk, but deliver immediate results.
No one can tell you how to operate your business. But before you choose the SEO methodology that you’d want to incorporate to your Search Engine Marketing (SEM) initiatives, be sure to ask yourself the above questions. Only then can you know whether you can take the plunge or not.