Understanding Organic SEO

In the old days of the Internet, there were no SEO Consultants, automated systems, or all that high technology stuff. A few years ago, in fact, the term "Search Engine Optimization" did not even exist! Website owners struggled with ways and means to get the much-needed hits to their website (never mind if it was not targeted) to hopefully generate the needed revenues. Those were the days of IBM (or "It's Best done Manually) and Organic SEO.

Organic SEO still refers to the processes and strategies that are undertaken to optimize a website so that it gets good relevance ratings based on the keywords that the site is responsive to. The only difference between Organic SEO and the SEO we now know is that Organic SEO is a manual process vs. the current automated processes of page submission and alteration that characterizes "modern" SEO. Organic SEO focuses on promoting websites on the Natural search engine results also known as organic results in contrast with sponsored links (Pay-Per-Click/PPC). Organic SEO, if you really think about is a "purist" approach to website optimization because nothing is a "black box". As an expert in Organic SEO, you know optimization; you don't just blindly trust it.

Organic SEO is based on a clear understanding of fundamental concepts, including:

• Search engines and how they work

Obviously, you cannot practice Organic SEO if you don't even know how the first two letters of SEO (i.e., Search Engine) works. A search engine is a web site that provides the visitor a list of recommended websites to go to, based on a specific keyword or keywords. The rank of a website is statistically determined by what is termed as "key word density" or the ratio of keywords to the total number of words of content in a website. Inbound links and their relevance is another factor that determines your rankings. The gatherer of this statistical data is what is called a "spider" or "spider bot", which is a program whose function is to count the number of times a keyword appears in a website through a process called "crawling".

• Search Engine Optimization

You can't have Organic SEO without the SEO part, which stands what Search Engine Optimization. SEO's main goal is simple: bring as many visitors to your website as possible by exerting influence on the search engine to position your website as close to the top of the list as possible. As a result of having more visitors, it is hoped that your website will generate business for you. This result is every Organic SEO practitioner's clear measure of success.

• Viral Marketing

This is an important concept to understand if you are serious about becoming a good Organic SEO expert. Viral Marketing is a strategy to exponentially increase the number of visitors to your website from a small base that you have developed from your initial Organic SEO strategy. An example of Viral Marketing is to offer visitors to your website an opportunity to generate income from their own website by simply putting in your website's link on theirs so that when people visit their website, then there is a good chance that they will visit yours. This strategy is certainly a handy component of the arsenal of a practitioner of Organic SEO.

• Optimized Domain Names

One of the simplest concepts to understand, yet also one that is not as easy to implement. Getting a keyword-rich domain name is every Organic SEO consultant's dream because it carries so much weight in the relevance scale. If you domain name is exactly what you are selling, you will be able to smoothly sail on without much of a problem in the rankings. The problem, of course, is that there is a very high likelihood that the "good" domain names already belong to someone, and this makes an Organic SEO specialist life more difficult.

• Keyword Research

This is the first step on the list of to-dos for an Organic SEO practitioner because it plays a major role in determining your optimization strategy. Since it takes months for any optimization strategy to take effect, an Organic SEO expert's efforts will be wasted if he makes the mistake of optimizing a website based on keywords that are not as popular as he assumed.

Becoming an Organic SEO specialist is not an easy task at all because it requires a deep understanding of the fundamentals that those utilizing automated systems take for granted. There is a major advantage, however, of Organic SEO vs. the "lazy man's" SEO: A clear understanding of the concepts allows you to analyze SEO situations more accurately and come up with strategies that are more appropriate and responsive to your website's needs.


And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Achieving a State of 'Flow' at Work

Do you ever feel like your mind is a million miles away? You can watch someone in a meeting who is "somewhere else," and they have a far-away, glassy look to the eye. You know they are not hearing a word of what is being said. They may be with you physically, but their minds are somewhere else, thinking about some meeting, worrying about that errand, or trying to figure out what someone meant by a passing comment.

Contrast that with a time you were so immersed in an activity that time just stood still? Your stomach suddenly growls, and you look up at the clock to discover you worked right over your lunch hour and didn't notice! You were totally immersed in what you were experiencing or doing. What are the benefits of this extreme focus?

• Output is increased. You simply get more done when you are 100% attuned to your task. You'll get more letters written and more projects completed

• You perform optimally and do your best work. If you are giving your total attention to something, the quality will be better. Isaac Newton said, "If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention than to any other talent."

• The time invested in projects is decreased. If you don't feel like doing something in the first place (like paying bills), wouldn't you rather have it over in an hour instead of stretching it out over three?

• Less rework. Your focus reduces the time it would have taken you to correct the mistakes and omissions that are a byproduct of inattention.

• Peace of mind is enhanced. There is an old legend about a man who travels the world searching for the meaning of life. One day he climbs a high mountain to a monastery to get the advice of a monk who is reputed to be the wisest man on earth. When asked for the secret to happiness, the monk replies simply, "DO whatever you're doing."

What are some of the characteristics of the non-flow state?

?? Continually stopping one task and starting another
?? Not establishing a goal or "end" state
?? Constant disruptions and interruptions, which make it difficult to concentrate
?? Feeling overwhelmed
?? Low energy period

What are some characteristics of the flow state?

?? A vested interest in the outcome
?? A strong belief that you can and will accomplish your goal
?? Total focus, with no interruptions
?? High energy period
?? Passion/fun/enjoyment
?? Proper environmental conditions (temperature, smells, noise)
?? Minimal effort required (low learning curve)

How do you achieve this wonderful state of flow and become fully present-focused?

• Master your job. Research shows that your ability to experience flow is related to your mastery of the mechanics of your job. The more unfamiliar you are with your work, the harder it is to achieve. Just as learning to drive was at first a conscious behavior, when mastered, it became subconscious. If you're on a learning curve in a new activity, it will be harder to achieve intense focus. The more you learn the job, the better your ability to concentrate and "let go."

• Prepare for and expect to achieve focus. Set your mind properly. Consciously, willfully decide that you are going to concentrate. Have a positive attitude going into the task. Prepare your materials in advance of getting started and have what you need at your fingertips.

• Clear your desk. Do your piles talk to you? "Do me!" "Don't forget me!" Clutter can be psychologically distracting. You will focus better on what's in front of you if you don't have ten other things surrounding you. Clear the piles, so everything is out of your line of sight except the single thing you're working on.

• Set aside some time. Estimate how long the task will take and schedule an appointment with yourself on your calendar. Total absorption is very relaxing. It's splitting your attentionâ€"between what you're currently doing and what you have to do nextâ€"that's exhausting. When you become focused on the task of the moment, time seems to fly, and you get the job done easier and faster.

• Ensure no interruptions. The ability to work uninterrupted is very important to devote your complete attention to an activity. Having privacy will help you achieve a state of flow. Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister, co-authors of Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams, claim reaching a state of flow requires at least 15 minutes of ramp-up concentration. People are especially sensitive to interruptions during this time. When people are disrupted, they can't go right back in. They require an additional 15 minutes of time to get started again. This leads to increased frustration and reduced productivity. Close your door if you have one, or leave your office and retreat to an empty office where no one can find you.

Take each step deliberately and with full attention. Strive to be "in the moment." When you read a book to your child, really READ a book to your child. Don't be focused on all the to-dos that you must do when you're finished. Be present and available and in the now for those people and tasks you care about.

Make it a productive day!

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About Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP

Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP, is "The Productivity Pro"® and the author of Leave the Office Earlier. She presents keynotes and seminars on time management, information overload, and personal productivity. Contact her at 303-471-7401 or Laura@TheProductivityPro.com.

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