Search Engine Optimization: SEO Talk Part I

Welcome to the first in a series of articles focusing on search engine optimization or SEO. This series is intended to cut through the mystery and intimidation (call it B.S. if you like) felt by most novices (and even by some old hands) in the industry. Over the next several weeks, you will gain general knowledge, some in-depth information and some definite strategies regarding the most advantageous use of SEO.

Before you even think about hiring someone to handle your SEO, let's take some time to get better informed. This prevents us from falling into the hands of SEO charlatans whose primary source of generating income is preying on the ill-informed. Don't believe them when they promise to:

• Get you instant results
• Guarantee top rankings
• Secure permanent top positions on search engines

Though sales pitch may sound good, consider it a red flag being waved at you by a scammer. No one, I repeat - no one, can guarantee you a top ranking or instant results just because you pay them a fee.

Quality SEO involves time, some hard work, quality and relevant content, and good old fashioned patience.

More than any other point made here in this first article, I want you to remember that with it comes to SEO there are no shortcuts. Ethical behavior is equally as important online as it is face to face. Behaving ethically (avoiding gimmicks, shortcuts, deception and publishing bad content will keep your site from being downgraded in the search engines. Black hat tactics are frowned upon and will be punished by the search engines monitoring teams. You definitely don't want any part of that.

More to come next week. See you then.

Author's Biography:
Mary Reyes is a SEO Consultant at Tiny Factory LLC, a Las Vegas, Nevada and San Diego, California based web design and seo company. We rely on a hand-selected team of brainy web developers and marketing gurus specializing in Web Design, Website Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Social Media, Mobile App Design and Mobile Application Development for the iphone, android or blackberry using the Sencha framework in a big way.