2) Add a site map (change the anchor text to the page to match the information below). So instead of (something general) as the title, if it is an html site map, then amend the anchor text so that the site map is pointing to the page with only the main phrase for that page as the link text / anchor.

3) use the following format for the on-page and off-page optimization.

Title: main search phrase: Domain name (make sure it is less than 65 characters)

*Example: Blue Widgets by Widgets Inc.

Description: Main key word /search phrase by Domain name. Or Domain name offers (main search phrase).

*Example: Widgets Inc offers Blue widgets in addition to black, purple, red and green widgets.

In that example, I used colors as modifiers however, you could use action words like order, purchase, need pricing, free quote, for additional information about (keyword) etc. but keep it brief under 200 characters.

h1 tag - main umbrella key phrase
*Example: Widgets

h2 tag - alternate overlapping related keyword or key phrase

*Example: Affordable Widgets

Optimizing the Site Architecture: www.domainame.com/main-keyword-subfolder/main-search-phrase.html (.php, asp, etc.).

*Example: www.domainname.com/widgets/blue-widgets.html
Note the self referral / continuity of topical use of the keywords to augment the theme.

On page links: Use both the main phrase in the h1 and h2 in anchor text somewhere on the page. You can use #text anchors, if you are not that creative to jump to a particular part of the page.

4) Create targeted SEO Copy (350-750 words) using the phrase 2-5 times.

*If you are not comfortable with content creation, hire an SEO Copy Writer .

I know the information may be a bit elusive, but when you put it together in practice, it makes perfect sense and reinforces on page and off page relevance by creating a self-referral loop for the information and keywords on the page.

This is a basic SEO strategy but within this fundamental tactic resides immense potential to distinguish your site from the hundreds of thousands of competing sites and pages that fail to leverage on page continuity for the purpose of optimization.

Search engine spiders will immediately get the gist of the structure and rank your site higher than those who omit factors such as this in their design, information or site architecture.

Now, by the time you build links externally, you require less links to rank higher as a result of the on-page optimization.

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Just in case you forgot, increasing link popularity through virtual theming (strategic deep linking) and optimized internal link architecture allows what percentage of link popularity you garner from others to go that much further in propelling your site up the rankings.

How popular is your website?

Despite the narcissistic love affair we can develop with our own sites, sometimes on-page factors are just not enough, you need to nurture your content with links to get the job done. Here are 10 ways to increase your reach, increase link popularity and make your site more attractive.

1) Getting links from Blog Rolls (site wide links) a few of these from the right place and your set.

2) Blogging Frequently and Expanding your Audience through RSS Feeds (emphasize quality in each post, since you never know which organization or power-user may link back to it and send a barrage of traffic your way).

Or if that is not your angle, then at least by updating your content more frequently, you will entice search engine spiders (who will frequent your site expidisiously to share your content with the world). The more pages you get into the search engine’s index, the higher percentage of traffic, exposure and conversion your pages can potentially reap as a result.

3) Offer a Free e-Book. Spiders crawl PDF’s (and their links as well), in addition, the download serves as an off-line brochure with links pointing back to your site. Another savvy option is to distribute the e-book (via bit torrent) as a link building strategy.

4) Have you considered Article Marketing and using links in the authors box to deep link to your most relevant pages.

5) Directories - more like a time released link building method, but a great way to augment other methods.

6) Reciprocal links (yes, they still work, but the more targeted the niche and the less links on the page the better).

7) Offer value through tactful comments on related blogs that are contextually ethical to drive traffic (no spam / link dropping). If your intelligent reply wins the favor of the readers skimming the comments, you could be looking a steady stream of relevant traffic (which is the real goal of link building).

8 ) Forums, find a thread, propose a solution. Not to mention forums have the ability to sprout page rank quickly and pass valuable link juice from the sheer number of pages.

9) Social bookmarking, never hurt anyone, share the link love while getting a boost in the SERPs (search engine result pages) from sites with massive link weight.

10) Build links from your own sites internal link dynamo, never look past your own pages as authority links (sub folders often are treated as external sites and can pass vital ranking power among the sites internal link architecture).

What are you still doing here reading this? Just think of all of the link opportunities that are could be passing you by. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but sometimes you just have to do the work to polish the reflection in order to share that beauty with others. Search results don’t magically appear in the top 10, so get out there, mix it up and start building link popularity, one link at a time.

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Those who blindly base their existing marketing campaigns on ghosts from the past are facing a harsh online reality (dwindling sales, a minuscule online presence & mounting tension and frustration).

The mere thought of your competitors dominating prime online real estate unchecked is enough to light a fire under companies still entrenched in traditional marketing channels (Television, Radio, Print).

The time has come for off-line giants and small businesses alike to embrace internet marketing and what intrinsic value it provides as an alternative, or at least hire an SEO company to represent their interests online. Success in one arena does not guarantee results in another.

Colossal corporations that thrived in the past using traditional marketing channels are now seeing many of those wells run dry. Faced with opportunity and the potential to hone their wares online, many are jumping into internet marketing with both feet.

Unfortunately, not all off-line efforts translate into online success stories, as appeasing the new breed of target consumers is not as easy as their predecessors. This can be a challenge for larger enterprise clients, who are more likely to spend more to brand, rather than create content that bridges a gap to engage their target audience.

For example, did you know that over 80% of enterprise clients receive traffic from visitors typing in their brand name as the search modifier. If you have to depend on such a narrow range of keywords, then it is not necessarily how much traffic they receive, it is how much they are missing that should be their concern.

In the present tense, consumers have been conditioned to abandon the hard sell (which was founded on the premise of a captive audience watching television and being bombarded with ads).

Quite simply, the marketing strategies that essentially prevailed in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s lack the appeal to interactive persona’s that comprise the the crux of the web.

Now, as it appears, online marketing leans toward viral marketing, compelling offers, context and contextual references. If I am reading something about automobiles on a blog or website then I wouldn’t mind a targeted link or ad to something more useful (such as an article about a new combustion technology or electronic car hybrid).

The key here is the ability to opt in and follow the ad or link, users deserve choice, it is what makes us all unique. It is also the driving factor that determines why nearly 80% of online traffic that uses search engines prefer organic search results over sponsored ads, because of relevance and the value of collective opinion (link popularity).

They say that which does not kill us makes us stronger. Obviously, that statement was predicated prior to being exposed to tactful competition and savvy search engine marketing. Residing past page 9 in search engines may as well be digital death for any business. Positioning, value from your proposition, enticing design and impeccable content are a prerequisites to create a positive user experience and thrive on the web.

Aside from gathering the facts on your competition, you can either model aspects which have proven their worth or plot your own course to the top 10. In either case, you may need some tools or strategies, which is why we have included links to posts on the subject below.

• How to Gauge your Competition through SEO Market Analysis
• SEO Tools for Competitive Analysis
• Top Secret SEO Tips
• Here is a great way to find your competitors links

You may not have control over what your competition does, but one thing that you do have control over is how you manage your online resources to mount a worthy counter attack to acquire a top 10 ranking.

Attaining competitive or lofty search results is a full time responsibility (the more competitive a term, the more likely your result is to get churned). Top 10 results are acquired as a result of providing useful content, solutions or engaging content worth sharing. From there, merely focusing on building enough authority internally for your pages or externally through gaining enough inbound links to your content that you eventually outrank the competition.

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Since the value of links is all based on the collective support they rally. The stronger the backlink the more value it can pass to your site as far as aiding your pages in maintaining or increasing positioning.

If you have ever tagged a site using social bookmarking, then you have scratched the surface. For example social bookmarking utilizes the premise of link insurance. Not only is it great to seal the deal with spiders (by getting their attention), but with enough inbound links strategically augmenting a page, it can provide long-term value for the link-freshness factor which can keep your internal pages buoyant and moving up in the search engine rankings.

A stable authority site (built over time with a tremendous amount of link weight) has less chance of losing favor with search engine algorithms. However, what about other transient links, that drop off, get buried over time or the site architecture from the site offering the link is so taxed that by the time the pages are spidered they are tapped out as far as their real value is concerned? What is a viable solution to revive potential rankings?

The Solution: Building links to your links as insurance

I am not suggesting to abuse this tactic, what I am insinuating is, maintaining a stable influx of link juice into a site benefits all of the pages in that site (as long as you distribute the inbound links in moderation). The premise here is, balancing the ratios of content development to inbound links (and their various anchor and modifiers) along with systemic deep linking is the cornerstone of relevance of SEO basics in action.

Links also can have more internal value from a page that was recently promoted in the Google algorithm. For example, if a page went from a page rank of zero to a PR2 or PR3 page in one update, if it gets indexed regularly and is succinctly tied to the sites main navigation, then you have an authority link right under your nose you can use to augment your main keywords as you wish.

You can always review such content an amend it for a common goal. Ten links from strong internal pages to a sub folder or page buried deep in the site can change the landscape of a page or sites SEO value. Combining this with the fact that you can point new links from those pages at older links (to keep them fresh) or use them to kick off new content with a splash, the possibilities for recycling your sites internal link dynamo is promising.

One Example of the Equation:

1) Find a slouching ranking and determine a keyword you want to invigorate
2) use a site:yourdomainname.com keyword (command) to find the most relevant page in your site
3) Build a new page using the main keyword in the title and text
4) Link to the new page from the old page (with page rank) using the (keyword) as the anchor text / link text
5) publish your content
6) build links back to the old page (using social bookmarking or other ethical link building methods) to flow link weight back to your site and your new page.

When the page gets crawled, it already has the ranking factors intact, relevance and an endorsement from your own internal links. This is a great strategy for a maiden voyage for a new page, although this is a rudimentary version of the tactic, you can see the value in building links to your links.

Every three months, you could essentially go back through your analytics, look at the most searched keywords, perform an audit and ensure that your older links are getting enough nurturing as a result of fresh links. The stronger they are the stronger your site is.

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The point is, you have to know where to look for trustworthy, authority or contextual links that provide tactful advertising or serve to ethically build quality links back to your content (such as a Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, etc.) Even links from a from a semi-related page with an authority position is priceless to add trust to your link profile.

Value is qualitative such as (1) some links create traffic (2) other links create authority for the page the link is pointed at. Dismissing the value of context is not advised, however to each their own definition of ethics. Search engine favor one way links from contextually related sources. It doesn’t mean that someone who gets a link from an unrelated industry will not receive optimal value from it.

Are you a link opportunist?

For example, have you leveraged the power of web 2.0 aggregated news feeds? Getting a link from the right source such as a syndicated feed that spills over into multiple feeds as a result of folksonomy is a plus. As a result, you could appear in Google News , Yahoo Pipes, Technorati, Bloglines or any number of aggregated feeds and send your stats through the roof with traffic.

If you content reaches the right editor, you could land a link from CNN, the New York Times, or the USA Today with the right angle. Quality versus quantity is the key, whereas it is a process of building authority versus just building links to reference your site.

Instant online celebrities are born in this fashion, which is why tagging your content properly (with informative, educational, or compelling tags) allows you to cherry pick who and how your story will stem across the web.

One link from the right source is all it takes to put a site over the edge and unleash a ranking juggernaut in the search engine result pages. Finding content that is related, but not directly competitive is the key as well as looking for authority hubs for each type of site.

Just like a financial investment, it is better not to put all of your eggs in one basket. By diversifying your portfolio, you limit risk from over dependency on one tactic which could undermine your link profile. Changes in the algorithm are nothing new, so the less you depend on any one method the better in case that method falls out of favor with search engines.

What is the link threshold for a keyword and why should it matter?

Two answers to this thought; (1) from the level of using your own site to create visibility, which in turn created traffic, which in turn creates conversion or (2) using other sites to accomplish the same thing in tandem with your own sites promotion.

Obviously the latter proposition stands a greater chance of enhanced syndication and increased revenue and conversion potential. For some keywords hundreds of links are required to reflect the most relevant result, for other keywords only a few.

It depends on the purpose of your content (to make an immediate impact, to build the continuity of your sites theme, to appear later for years as a relevant result in the search engines as a long tail search, etc).

If a keyword is competitive (over 1 million actual pages competing for the phrase) then using your site could take time to build up the relevance and rank competitively (months based on your sites authority in that industry). Otherwise, one post from an authority site (or even a press release) can scale to the top 10 within hours vs. days using other methods with such a link threshold.

By augmenting search engine visibility with web 2.0 sites allows you to test the waters and gauge anticipated traffic prior to engaging a more thorough and comprehensive SEO campaign. Each industry has a threshold, to gain entry into the top 10, you will need a combination of multiple holistic factors (such as topical relevance from structured and related content on your pages).

Aside from on page factors, off-page factors such as how others link to you also play a pivotal role in relevance (or if your site is picked up for syndication vs. a competitor for a blended search showcase). Many in fact use PRweb for this facet of SEO alone, it has the authority and the reach to drive national traffic to your pages.

If you are an SEO link opportunist, then you know that a timely article on a hot topic, socially bookmarked from the right source (or linked to from the right authority site) can produce just as much traffic and notable conversion as a bonafide SEO campaign which may have taken weeks of planning and months to mature to accomplish the same reach.

Another area that bears promise is Video Production for SEO. Video, if hosted on a web 2.0 property or your site has the ability to stand unchallenged in most instances as a viable candidate for blended search.

This is why identifying your target consumer is so crucial, link opportunists create harmonious content (knowing that others are looking for it). The marriage of relevance to a quandary is all it takes to occupy a top 10 position. The key however is, knowing how to group your content as a whole, to ensure it reaches the mark with the least amount of effort based on affinity, relevance and momentum.

If you are fresh out of ideas, go to GoogleBlogSearch and set up an alert on using your main keywords, then every time something manages to build momentum on the topic, you will be on the inside track to investigate the possibility of jumping on the band wagon and building a few links in the process.

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To capture the e-generation shopper in the competitive online shopping industry, the e-tailer requires a firm grasp of usability (to keep traffic on the site), search engine optimization (to get them there) as well as ways to to gauge trends, sales cycles, inventory management and all of the trappings that accompany e-commerce, enterprise and cycles of supply and demand.

In an ideal scenario, optimization would start with keyword refinement, on-page analysis of the content and site structure to create a laser-like focus for the site theme to appease the target audience. Additionally, identifying which click-triggers emotionally rouse the core consumer and weaving the call to action into every page without over-selling is equally as important.

Tackling these objectives from the planning stage as opposed to trying to remedy them after the fact is one way to gain a competitive advantage and outrank a competitor selling virtually the same items.

If your e-tailing / market plan does not factor search engines as a crucial contributor to your promotional plan, driving traffic would rely on offline or paid online sponsored advertising. Dependency on platforms such as PPC alone could erode profit margins dramatically by comparison to organic search engine optimization. In this instance, the e-tailer is optimizing their pages for popular brands or niche or specialty items. The more mainstream something is, the more competitive the arena. It boils down to price point, value proposition and packaging for most as far as online shopping goes.

The Takeaway for E-tailers:

Having clearly delineated and optimized site architecture and enough topical content (unique product descriptions) can distinguish your site with spiders.

Use keyword rich categories instead of long CMS (content management system) gibberish URL strings such as ?973-21.aspx instead of websitename/products/category/even-more-descriptive-title/ which uses a topical naming convention which translates as a structured and organized boilerplate to assist search engines find semantically related material.

A simple mod-rewrite can handle this, or some tweaking to your shopping cart are enough to overcome this obstacle from the start. Also, make sure the sitemap is linked to every page product page in the template (or a sitemap for every sub folder / section), you can use it later to tie everything together and ensure that spiders can traverse the sites vast categories and pages.

Every page indexed in search engines is another page out there working on your behalf bringing potential customers back home to your site, or helping your site gain more authority under the auspices of link popularity.

It is no secret that purchasing and the power of preference has reached new heights as e-commerce is paving the way for millions of entrepreneurs to break free from traditional brick and mortar based retail outlets.

The Additional Benefits of Online / Offline hybrids:

If you own a local business that features items that are in high demand, then a targeted online campaign could drive hordes of qualified walk in traffic to your storefront.

It depends on your preference, standing in a store waiting for walk in traffic as a result of location or using the online shopping hybrid and leveraging link building, content and promotion to increase the bottom line. The idea is, to have positioning for your brand using both. In either case, it boils down to the same thing, the swipe of a credit card, a payment in cash and a monetary transaction for a product in demand.

Despite the fact that online shopping has its sensory limitations (like trying to sell fragrances over the internet) or not having the ability to physically touch the merchandise does not preclude online shoppers from purchasing online.

It’s only a matter of time before we see “hybrid retail / e-tail based stores”with the ability to order online and then simply pick up the item to go from a drive-through / delivery window.

If retailers wanted to add value they could create express checkout allowing the person to purchase online, the retailer would then pick and pack the items and have it available for convenient pickup (like a fast food restaurant) with the payment already processed online (while the consumer is in route). Even if you are in the parking lot ordering from your mobile device, you can see the value of a V.I.P. elite (skip the line) shopping service that allows you to Checkout Now!

Since millions of consumers already purchase online as a result of convenience and emotional impulse, adding value to the proposition with new processes to aid the transaction process are pure win / win solutions for all parties involved.

There are three facets to consider about shopping online (1) the reason why consumers want to purchase (branding, the cycles of desire and fulfillment) and (2) the search terms one would use to find the most relevant match and (3) the landing pages ability to convert.

E-tailers not only live or die by the trends in search, but having a firm grip on the who, what, where, when and how factor when assessing a markets strength can come in handy in the event that you are interested in setting up shop.

Knowing that a profitable niche site if populated, promoted and managed properly with engaging content, give-always, incentives and the like, coupled with social media, GEO specific targeting to maximize psychographic purchasing (knowing your niche) can equal tremendous profit margins at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing.

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Even though most in the SEO industry can see beyond the assessment of the little green bar that indicates Google’s assessment of link popularity, not everything is as it seems when it comes to ranking potential.

So, what does this say about the Page Rank link popularity metric?

1) Stay busy, the early bird may get the worm, but those who consistently produce quality content are more likely to anchor an audience who is hungry for more information on a topic. In return, user engagement, hover time, the length of the visit and other factors are gradually replacing links as measures to assess popularity.

2) Don’t assume your site is impervious to demotion. On a scale of 1 to 10, any site that is not active, that does not up-link to other resources or receive back links from other sites is vulnerable to reassessment from Google.

Those who get too comfortable at the top are from the old school of thought, where less was more, now in order to stay on the vanguard of the cutting edge, you need to step forth with quality content and fresh related ideas to reinforce your theme.

3) Even if you did lose a tad of popularity in the shuffle, that is just an indicator to get busy for the next page rank update and start building quality content and links for the next revision. In order to add some weight to your site, consider adding content frequently, revising old pages that may have more internal link value to your site architecture.

For example, if you have some new pages that just sprouted page rank, they are essentially capable of ranking on their own merit and have passed the first litmus test from the Google algorithm.

Just like there is strength in numbers, instead of thinking about external links, go back and put those internal pages to work for a common goal by using the anchor text on those pages for the greatest amount of link leverage.

The idiom use it or lose it may apply to those who failed to harness an opportunity, but for those who have received the seal of endorsement from Google with a touch of green (an increase in page rank), now is your chance to befriend the spiders and increase the crawling and indexing rate of your site to take your visibility in search engines to the next level.

Now that you have the attention of the Google algorithm, what you make of it and how you harness it is up to you. This update seems to have provided great value for internal links and their ability to pass value, how each webmaster harnesses this opportunity will be unique. With greater internal link weight, consolidating them to rank for your most competitive keywords would be the logical choice of savvy SEO’s. The stronger your internal links, the easier it is to rank in search engines as far as external links required.

In closing, here are some posts from the past that can provide more insight about on page and off page search engine optimization factors that all have an impact on relative search engine positioning.

• How to Optimize New Pages
• SEO Link Building Tips
• 3 Imperative Search Engine Ranking Factors
• Using RSS Feeds to Build Links
• Organic SEO versus PPC Advertising
• Using Deep Links to Summon Search Engine Spiders

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Instead of building links, if more webmasters focused on who links to you, what anchor text they are using and where the link is pointed (hopefully at the most appropriate page), then acquiring top 10 rankings would not be out of the ordinary. Search engine algorithms are mathematical guardians of the index. Their job is to ensure order and relevance and function transparently behind the scenes of every search.

The first objective is based on the worthiness of your content (creating the ranking criteria that can get you in the top 1000 searches). From there it is a series of on-page and off-page combinations that toggle relevance and affect where you content lands in the search engine result pages. This metric is often easily influenced (particularly when endorsed from authority sources). So, just because you rank in the top 70 for example, does not mean that ranking is etched in stone.

With finesse, you can ascend the rankings, if you back off and do nothing (without claiming the position by reinforcing its relevance) and some other site is gunning for the term, then your rankings are likely to slip. The competition for a phrase determines just how effective your tactics are to insulate the position by reinforcing it using topical internal links from your own site (linking from your most powerful pages contextually) as well as external links from other sources linking to you (and what is in the anchor text).

In order to establish a higher position in search engines, you have to acquire distinguishing characteristics that the other positions above you lack (or rather a combination of favorable factors) to raise the relevance for your pages. One way is through getting a link from a page that is already ranking higher for that term. Ranking by affinity allows you to skip the rankings in between if augmented properly.

Another method, based on my experience is establishing the primary, secondary and subsequent keywords and using them in tandem with key search modifiers to create a landscape of related phrases (both on your pages and in the links from other sites).

Through building a series of links over time, your site can evoke a tremendous amount of link weight to enhance your relevance score. Coupled with consistent information on the topic you intend to rank for (adding content regularly) in tandem with the fact that all of the links and pages are aging, gives them the ability to pass rank amongst themselves and buoyancy occurs as the page rank flows upward back to the root folder.

For example, if you deep link long enough to a specific page, first that page shows up (as the most relevant result), then eventually that page (having sufficiently reached a degree of insulation from attacking pages is anchored as a relevant authority) transfers its authority back to the homepage. Another indicator that shows when deep linking was utilized is when you see a double listing (two related pages showing up in a search result) from having related documents interlinked. For some terms this only requires a few links, for other more competitive terms it may take months using links from a variety of sources. The end result however is ranking stability for the term and additional semantic phrases as the process of “word stemming” occurs and your site gets boost in rankings for those phrases.

Going back to the original point at the onset of the post about doing nothing when another more aggressive site is charging the gate for your targeted keywords is one of the more subtle sides of SEO.

If you have:

1) selected a keyword within your reach and starting developing quality content.
2) provided at least 3 external links to indicate to search engine spiders that the content is worthy of inclusion in the index.
3) interlinked the content in your own site (instead of leaving it out to dry like an orphaned page with sparse link distribution)
4) built enough links externally to get the ranking in the top 100

Then a number of things can occur to elevate your position for that page. For example, sometime you may notice that it is like being up against a brick wall and you have done everything in your power to acquire a ranking, but nothing happens, it just sits there.

This is usually an indicator that you may have (a) veered slightly off topic in context to your supporting infrastructure for your content or (b) you simply need more time before that page can pass the litmus test to gain access to the top 10.

More often than naught, if you just stop building links for that term, leave it alone and focus on creating related quality content, that it moves up (10 positions a month) or sometimes less depending on your overall relevance score for the core term. This is really about link velocity, link diversity and link volume and ensuring that you are allowing a sufficient amount of time for the links to gestate and pass value from other sites.

Sometimes the only way to acquire such rankings is over time. Ironically some phrases shoot right to the top, unchallenged, others creep slowly (which is usually a sign of either fresh content not having enough trust or the links that support them).

So, as far as a strategy to offer to develop this type of pyramid effect, think about your site architecture and if is is conducive to augmentation. Many build links to pages but not sub-folders, try using each as significant ways to spread the link weight evenly throughout your site, then after the internal links mature (and all of your sub folders and subsequent sub pages are healthy) dynamic defense for your terms and competitive high vertical search terms are within reach.

Then, if you see some young gun or new kid on the block, or even a more seasoned competitor trying to push you aside from your position in search engines, instead of retaliating harshly and building galore, instead, bid your time, wait and watch and see how long they hold that position. I can assure you, once you have had a taste of a high ranking and it slips, the first thing you do is panic and try to scurry about and build up the term head on. We slipped from #18 for the word SEO to the 20’s now for our company, so I can speak from experience.

If we were to go and build links blindly without stricture, not only could that get you penalized for excessively using the same anchor text, or trying to push a page even higher in the index unnaturally, the more seasoned approach is to wait, let the pages get indexed across the data centers in Google (since that is what most are concerned with). As many data centers have different versions of your content, if you see the same result for more than 72 hours, then it is time to take action if you must. The higher you rank for a term, the less links it requires to keep it there if your pages have authority.

Then once the dust has settled, you can (a) reinvigorate the phrase at the root folder or build another page to link to the page you wish to augment (instead of building additional links to the existing page). Cross link the two pages and let the new page brings its own stability to reinforce the keyword.

Remember, the more pages you have in your site, the more page rank your site has and you need a healthy supply of link weight (not for the green bars sake, but actual page rank) in order to remain fluid for competitive phrases to unlatch your rankings from a static position (stuck at 30 vs. 30, then 25, then 15, etc.) so they can climb in a moments notice. How each SEO deals with this subtle game of cat and mouse, site age, aging links, content continuity and relevance is unique. In the end, its all about results and keeping ahead of the next algorithmic curve.

If you stick to basics, rely on quality content allow natural links and strategic interlinking to work on your behalf, you will only have to fight half as hard as the next guy to maintain or acquire a higher position in search engines for your respective competitive phrases.

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It is a know fact that 8 out of 10 people (look left) on the screen when skimming search results and focus solely on organic / natural search results while the other 2 out of 10 people (look to the right) and scan or click sponsored pay per click results.

If you are relying on PPC as a marketing medium and spending more than $5K per month, then you may wish to consider implementing a cost-effective, long-term organic organic SEO management campaign. This can reduce your dependency on PPC and offset the rising costs of bidding on keywords based on search volume / supply and demand. Organic traffic is natural and is accomplished through building quality content to funnel relevant traffic to your site.

Without observation (market analysis), opportunities for optimal positioning could pass you by, without participation, the competition takes the lead. If you want increases in user engagement, increased traffic, higher page rank, a higher percentage of sales conversion, then first you’ll need more content to increase the probability that someone, somewhere will be drawn to it and find your pages useful.

But before you look beyond the horizon and obsess about results, having a clear understanding to guide your actions is needed. With a blueprint, you can scale results systematically or determine where you are in each stage of the process.

Observing time cycles for content, the rate in which it gains or loses positioning in the SERPs (search engine result pages) is important. Looking at this from the standpoint of (a) where you are and (b) where you want to be, it is all about developing continuity and developing the trust and exposure required to get there.

Organic Search Trajectory Cycles – determining how new keywords fit into the existing theme model of your existing content (just wanting to rank for keywords is not enough, you have to build the content).

Example, if you have a site about frogs and you wanted to rank for insects, you would have to create a logical bridge between the two categories to expand the focus of your site, without diluting or losing relevance for the terms you have developed already.

If done tactfully, and gradually over time while reinforcing certain aspects of your internal linking as well as adding links with authority form the new topic (from related sites), you can enter a market with enough momentum to out rank your competition in a fraction of the time.

The Cycles of Velocity - The idea behind velocity in content development and building links, content and topical relevance simultaneously is the key to stable rankings.

In the beginning it is harder to make the initial impression as you are dealing with the defensive factor of the other more established pages and their SEO efforts, so you have to really push the envelope to make an impression.

After mid phase (5 articles or blog posts tactfully integrated with enough related material to be considered a valid / relevant result by search engines) it’s still a struggle, but at least you can start seeing the fruits of your labor and hit the top 50 organic results in search engines.

Then, in the end-phase of the gestation process, closing in on your demographic and appearing for a number of related phrases as well as making a debut in the high vertical marketing channels (the top 20-30 results) a new tactic is required to polish the relevance score for your pages which can stem into multiple high ranking phrases.

Creating islands of content is one method that is effective for this strategy; this method relies on making each related segment just as strong as the one above it. So, instead of having flat architecture and having your root folder strong, all of your sub folders and other categories each have the capacity to rank well and elevate the entire site as a result. This requires internal and external links, diversity, topical modifiers and a tactful direction of how those links distribute their weight.

Holistic Nurturing through Consistency - Ensuring you make your rounds to schedule routine internal link audits or check to see how each segment of your site is evolving. The key here is to go back and track your progress as you break into the upper echelon of an industry.

SEO is a process of tilling the soil (keyword research), planting the seeds (content and links) and being patient enough to see the results rise through the surface and achieve relevance from consumers invoking the pages from the index with related search queries.

Search engine optimization, organic search in particular is all about managing multiple miniature campaigns holistically as part and parcel of a larger marketing strategy. It truly boils down to positioning and relevance.

If your positioning is strong in search engines, then you have the potential to be discovered on accident (much like an impulse purchase). You never know exactly which key phrase combinations a search engine query might latch onto, which is why it is important to write quality topical information.

So, appearing in the same genre of results at the right time, for someone seeking a related query is ideal. Through tactfully promoting your content purposely through organic SEO in this fashion, not only does your traffic, branding and exposure reach new heights, but you truly start to appreciate and understand the infrastructure of what drives an industry (through tracking and analytics) and how to hone your pitch to reach each audience with a unique message.

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Instead of making the issue more complex, why not just take Google’s lead, particularly since hearing it right from the source versus having strained or filtered information from keyword research tools, which can leave your optimization efforts barking up the wrong tree.

For those of us that insist on doing things the hard way, sure you could still spend hours sifting through multiple sources to find keywords with promise, but I assure you Google has made it so easy, that with no puns intended that “even a caveman could do it”.

Are you aware that Google provides related searches to assist you in finding the most relevant result. From the standpoint of the user it this is ok, but from the standpoint of a company seeking additional methods to position themselves to an entire demographic or psychographic profile, what better tool than Google to lay it out for you at the bottom of every search.

Even if you did use traditional keyword research methods, putting together a profile on your target user still requires subjective research, which inherently could be flawed or based on partial information.

This alternative method we suggest, only takes a few minutes and then you can take the most searched related phrases back into traditional keyword research tools to truly master your niche and find keyword gold.

Keywords that appear as related searches have already toggled a filter and been promoted to that position as a result of search volume. Just because those keywords may not show up on traditional keyword research tools, does not mean they are not worthy targets for consideration.

Just consider, what percentage of searchers either (1) scroll to the bottom of the page and then scroll up to skim for relevant results (2) what percentage of individuals scroll from top to bottom then go to page two and view the related searches or (3) how many users just conveniently click a related search to investigate the link? Only the search engines analytics can tell, however the point is that these searches are hinged on queries with high search volume to begin with and are essentially low hanging fruit for organic optimization.

What is even better, is that many of the key phrases are readily available with a stint of SEO as many of the phrases are in fact under the radar. This is great since they are not typically targeted, the competition has not beat you to the punch.

Add the fact that they are showing up at the bottom of a highly searched phrase, and you can essentially factor it as free advertising courtesy of Google for all of those searches that go beyond the top 10, since they are conveniently located there for thousands of semantically grouped phrases.

The Exercise:

1. Perform a search using a broad match phrase, in this example I used web marketing, scroll to the bottom of the page and look at the related searches which are conveniently linked.

2. Write them down, check the competition in exact match “using quotes” with the keyword in a Google search. If it is under 50K, then create some content and start building relevant links.

Example: I searched for Web Marketing

Related Searches Returned:

• web marketing source
• internet marketing
• online marketing
• website marketing
• search engine marketing
• e-commerce
• search engine optimization

These are definitely a bit on the competitive side for most, but at least you see how Google is grouping these industries as one category “Web Marketing”.

So, let’s try another less competitive phrase to find another example.

I searched for: Most Searched

Related Searched Returned:

• most searched celebrities
• most searched keywords
• top searches
• ebay most searched items

The idea here is, allow Google to tell you which trends are in the making today. Setting up a section of your site or blog to capitalize on the fact that related searches are integrated along with Universal search.

In less than an hour, you could potentially cross reference an entire niche and have the most searched phrases at your disposal, what you do with that information is up to you.

In closing, here are a few additional topically related posts:

• Optimizing your site for the most searched keywords - condensed version.
• Optimizing the most searched keywords to target your niche - complete version.

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