SEO-it Article: Top Spot, It's Not!

So, you want the Number 1 spot on Google, Yahoo!, Ask? Think again!

Sure, it's possible to get a number 1 spot, though you have to ask if that's the only goal of your online strategy, how to achieve it and how successful it'll be.

Is Number 1, Top Spot?

It's common knowledge that if you are top of the Google search for a competitive and popular phrase, you are probably paying for it. Users are now becoming wise to this and so are starting to click the 2nd or 3rd link down when looking for a website that best matches their search. Do you do this?

False Promises

There are a vast number of companies and individuals offering SEO to anyone that comes their way, promising a number 1 spot on Google, sounds great! However, if you look hard enough, and choose the correct keywords and type of search, it's usually possible to get your website on the fist page or even the top spot, so beware of these promises.

The Best Option

The best option is to work on what you know about your own business, then concentrate on what makes it unique, what would you say at a business conference of similar business to make your stand out?

If you own a business that offers training, don't compete for top spot with ‘training' as a keyword, you will spend far too much time and money, and probably not get very far because you'll be competing with everyone else from the outset.

From here, take things one stage further, do you offer a particular type of training, such as ‘teacher training' or ‘management training'? You'll still be competing, though you'll be better off then you were.

Something to think about
If someone was after teacher training, would they search for ‘training', or would they search for ‘teacher training'?

We're going in the right direction, but not quite there yet. We can search for teacher training, though if your business operates in Northampton, and your customers are from the Northampton area, they will most likely add this to their search too.

If you optimise your site, even produce a dedicated page your teacher training services for your Northampton branch, you're in a good position to compete for that top spot, with the added benefit; you're competing for a spot that your visitors will actually be searching for.

Summary

Don't put everything you have into getting a top spot for one keyword, it will most likely cost money and not deliver the quality of hits that you need.

Don't let any old SEO company tell you they can guarantee results based on something that won't help your business. Instead, research your business, tailor your site and give the customers you are after, what they want, because that's exactly what they will search for.

Good luck!
Team SEO-it.co.uk