The following was posted in a thread on the very valuable blog of a fellow Warrior Forum member: Daniel McGonagle. The thread was about SEO/keyword competition.
Daniel is an expert on backlinking methods, programs and products. Shockingly (gasp) -- like yours truly -- he actually tests things out before recommending them (or panning them, as the case may be).
Also like me, he's very persnickety. Very few products make the grade.
Check out his blog if you want to learn about backlinking the right way (and the best way), and see what he's recommending as the top backlinking programs available today. I happen to think he's right.
Google is smart.
Google is getting smarter all the time.
And Google rules. Literally.
Therefore, making Google happy is really, really important. Don't you think?
If you're using Google Analytics (and many folks are these days), Google knows more about your website than you do. Keywords are important, of course. And what's said above is, IMHO, absolutely right. Only the top 5, 10 or 15 results are your true competition. And quite often, it's "default" competition that got there by accident. It can be dislodged.
Personally, I love Market Samurai's many tools for getting a good overall picture on what the competition is like.
The main point I wanted to make is this: whereas once upon a time you could "fool" Google with lots of "relevant keywords" (i.e. "keyword stuffing" in one form or another), those days are long gone. I personally believe that the single most important factor to Google, when somebody finally does hit your page, is their BEHAVIOR.
Do they stick? Do they click to view more material? Do they seem to be interested in what you have to say/show? If so, Google knows this. It sees all. And this is how, increasingly, Google is separating the wheat from the chaff. It goes back to the old "content is king" concept.
• If you're putting good content out there that people really like, appreciate and use, you'll be rewarded for that.
• If you put out crap, you'll be penalized (even if that's nothing more than not being rewarded).
The "fix" is in, ladies and gentleman. The fast, loose and easy days of "getting away with murder" are no more. You'd better adapt, or get used to being marginalized by The Big G.
Them's my two cents.
Am I plumb loco or what? Leave tell whatcha think, kemosabe.