SEO: the hot topic

Everyone wants to rank better in Google and has that dream search where they want to be #1. The scarcity there creates the problem. There’s only one #1 spot, and everyone wants to be there.

Google wants to put the best in the world at #1. People with Ph.Ds work long hours to figure out how to make it so. When the best answer or company isn’t in that top spot, Google has failed their job.

Enter SEO, the discipline of getting more exposure (or better rankings) in search engines. When a company is trying to trick their way into the #1 spot, they are never going to meet their own expectations. Sure, there are some valuable “wins” by pursuing SEO, especially if you have a product, service, or information that matches what the user is looking for. The way your website is built could potentially get in the way of that.

But most don’t get that it’s a long-term effort to win that top spot that so many others are fighting for. And those who seek the shortcuts are going to get what they paid for in the long run. Remember all of those very smart and talented Google engineers that are fighting against you.

How do you win then? Work hard to create a resource. Give more value than you capture. Do something that others want to talk about. It’s not a goal for the lazy or the impatient. And it’s not about tricks.