The SEOptimist
Broaden your website’s reach. Connect with your readers through humanized content. Simplify your lead generation.
Aside the SEO campaigns and consulting work I do, my mission is to be a resource for small business owners who aren’t sure where to begin or what tools to use. Whether you’re a bootstrapping entrepreneur or an aspiring SEO pro, I’d like to help you grow.
Learn a little about me and my philosophy for websites, or…
Otherwise…
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What Aspects of SEO Do You Want To Learn About?
Marketing Commentary
My thoughts, observations, and recommendations about SEO and marketing your business in general, based on 12+ years in the business.
On-Site SEO
What you need to know about writing and structuring your site’s content to help your site rank.
Backlinks
Having a rich backlink profile makes a big difference in your site’s ranking authority, but you need to do it carefully to avoid penalties.
Writing Craft
Rankings don’t matter if your content doesn’t build rapport and trust. Practical tips for stronger content.
Local Listings
Optimizing basics like Google Local and social channels, as well as tools to help you manage local directories.
Keyword Research
Before you can refine your SEO efforts, you have to create a list of target queries you’d like to rank for.
Design Craft
Layout and visual impression also play a huge part in holding attention and establishing rapport.
SEO Tools
Make your life easier with tools that empower and streamline your SEO efforts. Ones I recommend, and ones I don’t.
An SEO resource
This is a pretty complex field and I’ve encountered enough frustrated or perplexed business owners to understand the hurdles it creates. My goal is to break that down as much as possible.
SEO consulting
…can help you determine what’s missing from your site, what to prioritize, and who to follow. Straight to the goods. No fluff.
Hacks, Tricks, & Strategy
Everyone has an opinion about SEO. Some love it, some hate it, some profess to be experts at it, and some offer it as an add-on to a completely unrelated set of services. Who do you listen to?
I’ll tell you that in the 12+ years I’ve been doing this I’ve read hundreds of articles parroting the same information. Some of it correct, but trite, based on the latest assumptions about Google’s algorithms. (Or stuff that worked years ago and hasn’t been viable for awhile.)
My work, especially with this site and my Youtube channel, is largely about demystifying SEO. Whether that’s answering community questions, explaining how to set up and use various tools, or offering my opinions about things going on in the industry. There’s a lot of ego in marketing. I like to think that acting like a real person, having a real conversation, is what people want most — and what will win out.
The SEOptimist Philosophy
While we’re on that topic, let’s dispel a few other illusions.
SEO means a lot of things, and involves a lot of tools. Very few SEOs really do it all (at least without a long campaign), and that’s because that would require more than many clients have a budget for, and many aspects of SEO are a matter of diminishing returns in the short term.
But here’s a pro tip: It’s less about doing literally everything under the sun each month and more about doing a good group of core things really well.
You’re relying on skill and discernment for an efficient campaign. If there are 100 tools in this hypothetical toolbox, it’s often a game of picking the 25 at a time with the biggest bang for the buck.
I say that to say this: sometimes a person will see a marketer not using a given technique someone else does, and they’ll assume a lack of knowledge. SEOs often differ about the priority of certain tasks, or specialize in different areas, and it doesn’t mean that either are wrong.
Other times you’ll see the opposite scenario. Often times each component of SEO is simply referred to as “SEO”, even if that component is a fairly small piece of it. Owning one hammer doesn’t necessarily make you a carpenter.
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Latest from The SEOptimist bloggity
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Not All Keyword Research Requires Tools, Or Even Google
Sure, the ultimate aim of keyword research is to get ideas for where we can get traffic from Google. So why would we want to do any research that doesn't have to do with Google? How would that information be useful? A good chunk of the answer to that question is this:...
How To Write Alt Text For Images For SEO & Accessibility
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