The Truth About Search Engine Optimization

by Rebecca Lieb

&;Rebecca&;s book is chapter-by-chapter gold for anyone who needs to understand how we find information on the Web.&; Kevin M. Ryan, Motivity Marketing, Inc., and Chairman of Search Engine Strategies Advisory Board   In this book, leading search optimization expert Rebecca Lieb brings together more than 50 absolutely crucial facts and insights decision-makers must know to drive more web traffic through better search engine placement. The Truth About Search Engine Optimization doesn't deliver abstract it delivers quick, bite-size, just-the-facts information and plain-English explanations that executives, decision-makers, and even small business owners can actually use, no matter what kind of sites you're running, or what your goals are.   You will learn how to set realistic goals for search optimization... attract qualified traffic, not just "any" site visitors... incorporate search engine optimization into both new sites and redesigns... write for users... implement search-friendly content management... avoid problems with rich content technologies such as Flash and AJAX... create metatags that actually work... use public relations, blogging, and other techniques to drive traffic... budget and manage search optimization projects... and much more.    This book reveals 51 PROVEN SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES and bite-size, easy-to-use advice that gets results including    Introduction     vii Foreword by Fredrick Marckini     ix   Part The Basics of Search Truth 1: Getting noticed by spiders, robots, and crawlers     1 Truth 2: Learn to do the Google dance     5 Truth 3: It's not about traffic&;it's about qualified traffic     9 Truth 4: Your reputation is on the line     13 Part The Truth About Being Site-Specific Truth 5: SEO is an ongoing project, not set-it-and-forget-it     17 Truth 6: SEO is not an afterthought     21 Truth 7: SEO results aren't immediate or lasting     25 Truth 8: You don't have a homepage anymore     29 Truth 9: Think like a publisher, even if you're not     33 Truth 10: Site and page design count     37 Truth 11: Write for users and search engines will follow     41 Truth 12: Keywords are key     45 Truth 13: Use analytics and keyword research tools     49 Truth 14: Site stats share the bad news, too     53 Truth 15: Think twice about hot new technologies     57 Truth 16: Content management systems matter&;a lot     67 Part Tag, You're It! Truth 17: What's in a title? Everything&;     65 Truth 18: The relative importance of meta tags     71 Truth 19: Tag images, audio, video, and other media     75 Part The Truth About Links Truth 20: Some links are more equal than others     79 Truth 21: Building links through online directories     83 Truth 22: Using SEO PR as a link strategy     87 Truth 23: The jury is out on paid links     91 Truth 24: Share and share Reciprocal linking     95 Truth 25: Ads are links, too     99 Truth 26: Build your site in a good neighborhood     103 Truth 27: Blogs are a terrific link strategy     107 Truth 28: Putting the kibosh on link love with nofollow links     111 Part You Call That a Search Engine? Truth 29: Search is going vertical     115 Truth 30: Everyone is local somewhere     119 Truth 31: Get listed to get vertical     125 Truth 32: Optimize off-site searches     129 Truth 33: Universal search and personalized search     133 Part Get a Social Life Truth 34: Blogs are built for SEO     137 Truth 35: RSS feeds "feed" SEO efforts     141 Truth 36: Users will create content for you     145 Truth 37: Tag images, video, links, and other media     149 Part Search Ranking Truth 38: Being #1 ain't what it used to be     153 Truth 39: Don't live and die by PageRank     157 Truth 40: Wag the long tail     161 Part The Truth About SEO Management Truth 41: In-house or outsource?     165 Truth 42: Hiring a great search professional     169 Truth 43: Great SEOs sweat the small stuff     173 Part Don't Be Evil Truth 44: Beware blackhat SEO     177 Truth 45: Search engines frown on keyword stuffing and spam     181 Truth 46: Don't cultivate link farms     185 Truth 47: It's very difficult to get unbanned     189 Truth 48: Moving to a new domain is stressful     193 Part Going Beyond Truth 49: Global SEO     197 Truth 50: Mobile SEO is more important than ever     201 Truth 51: Sometimes you don't want to be found     205 About the Author     208   Appendix A is available for free and located online at www.informit.com/title/9780789738318 within the Downloads tab.  

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jackie]

far better than most industry writing - useful, practical, multi-leveled, multi-skilled - more than an "idiot's guide to" - this book offers usable information for writers/consultants (me) and other online folks - easy to read without being overly simplistic and she has a solid grasp on the need for seo to be done well to stand out from other online junk - a must read for online industry people

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a common fallacy amongst business owners. They know that in today’s market they need an online presence. They also realize that they have to figure out a way to be found by potential customers. Most know that to do so they have to submit their site to online search engines like Google. The problem is that most people don’t realize that the process isn’t a one time event, it’s a continuous process.

The Truth about Search Engine Optimization explains the importance of search engine optimization. It also shows how to make your business more visible to potential customers. Then, the book goes into even more depth about how to keep your stats up and how to determine what is working and where your website needs to improve. Very valuable information that could make the difference between a good idea that never sees the light of day and a successful business.

[Charmin Sterbenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book from Rebecca Lieb. Felt like she was just sitting there talking to me rather than having someone forcefeed buckets of technical data down my throat. Practical, real-world "here's how you do it" information that is infinitely more useful and more memorable thanks to her fantastic knowledge and conversational writing style. Definitely recommend to anyone interested in SEO and internet marketing.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the basics of SEO. A lot of it had to do with the tech side of building a site, but not written in a way that non-techies can't understand. Helpful to understand the back-end workings. The last section has to do with determining whether to manage SEO in house, or outsource, and if the latter, what to look for in a partner. So not entirely relevant to our purposes. The book is broken down into 50 of so chapters, or "truths" so it's easy to skip sections that aren't relevant.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and resource for learning how to optimize a site. Nicely organized with helpful straight-forward information. It really makes me want to read more books in the Truth About Series...and from Financial Times Press in general.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, simple introduction to Search Engine Optimization. Would be great for anyone who outsources SEO to understand the basics.

[mistersplice (Nick Manteris) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for absolute beginners to SEO.

[Michael Sypes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly marketing fluff for marketers. The only practical advice is pretty obvious: Have good content and update often.