Actually, it is a choice – the same choice everybody has for doing a bungee jump without the rope.

SEO choosing is not an option

Lets start with defining Search Engine Optimization.
The term SEO refers to the things you can do in order to increase the number of desirable visitors who come to you website, after entering relevant search keywords in the search engine of their choice. In some cases (most of the cases!), this includes changing the website itself, redesigning HTML and content text, adding meta tags and so on. It also includes communicating directly with the seach engine, or gaining traffic by inserting links from other sources (“back-links”), so the search engine increases your page rank.

Before I continue the good work, I must add few important remarks:

• SEO is not accurate science.
• No one really knows Google’s formula. There are a lot of ingredients, and page rank is one of them (an important one, but only one).
• (More about Page Rank in future articles.)
• Your website isn’t meant for everyone.
• The meaning of the phrase ‘desirable visitors’ means the people who wish to find you. Potential users and not, god forbid, spamers, hackers, scanners and other persona non-grata.

OK, Now that we are familiar with the subject, I wish you all the best….

… Of course I wouldn’t abandon you guys! After all we’ve been through.

So, How to Get Started?
There are many books, blogs, articles, dedicate websites, videos, SEO companies and god knows what. But first things first – you must set your business goals! Here are several questions you should ask yourself, in order to define your target:
What is my main business?
What are my business goals? My main goal?
What are my objectives for the next month, 6 months, 1 year?
What function does my website serve (in relation to the business goals)?
How does my website help me achieve my goals?
Who do I want to visit my site?
What do I want my visitors to do with my site?
Which page (on my site) is the top priority, that every visitor must see?

Next – determine your measuring factors!

Why measuring factors?

This isn’t really a question, but because so many fail at this stage, I’ll provide an explanation. Success factors as for number and KPI (Key Performance Indicators) put you in a place of visual, solid target, rather than fluid or feeling based factors. (what does the yellow part mean????)
Those factors give you the direction you’re heading (up or down), set you up with schedule, and let you respond accordingly.
Now – get to work!

Before I say goodbye, I’ll give a great tip for all the future players of The CEO game . These business goals and measuring factors are important and essential, and that SEO is also a part of the game. It is important to position your company well, and in the earliest stage that you can.

I’ll finish with the famous phrase:
“…an two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind.” (Shakespeare, ‘Much Ado about Nothing’)
Competition is the best when one wishes to improve, to get the most of it until you reach the top (Nim, ‘the CEO Game blog’)
That will do it for now. Next time we’ll get to a more practical level.

Nimrod Elias.

The CEO game.

I’m sure I’m not the first one stating this claim.

To SEO or to SEO

Everything we wish to know is there. Professional documentaries, fun videos, official data, freely-posted and unreliable opinions – all just few search words away, and lots of it. If you wear the hat of the business man, you probably already know that you must be indexed by Google in order to be found.

In order to get to the first page – you need to be the conversation of the day.
In order to be the conversation of the day – you need to get to the first page.
So, what came first, the egg or the chicken? In our case it’s easy. You must get to the first page: it’s the to be or not to be of every modern ambitious business.

There is no magic. If you want people to find you, you must make an effort and let the search engine rank you, as high as they can.
Moreover, if you want the right people to find you (your potential customers), you must be very devoted to the business of SEO

What is SEO? Search Engine Optimization.

Yeah, right, but what stands behind the words? That’s the one-million-dollar question.

I’ll dedicate my next articles to discussing this subject. What is SEO, what does it claim, some great success stories, and most of all, how to do it (there are even tools helping you reach the top, only if you know what you are doing, of course).

For now, just get this: in order to succeed in the modern world, you need to represent your production/service/goals as true passion (or at least make others believe that this is your main motive). Trying to be the best of what you’re doing is a key ingredient every search engine wishes to provide its users. Sometimes you need to take a step forward in showing those mighty search engines what you are really like.

The bottom line – SEO is not a choice.
It’s a win-win situation for you, Google, and your potential users.

Nimrod Elias.

The CEO Game.