SEO: Search Engine Optimization Bible

I am more of an on-site optimizer. I find some off-site linking to be dubious. I think the winds may

be changing, causing highly linked sites not to be as relevant unless the links are truly relevant.

I provide suggestions to my clients on how to get effective links and provide them with linking code

to give to their peers and customers. I do employ someone that does linking since it still works, even

though I don’t fully agree with pursuing linking strategies.

Just create a relevant and compelling site. Make me want to be there and everything else will work out.

Jerri: What should web-site owners be focusing on for future improvements?

Harris:From an SEO standpoint [web site owners should] become thought leaders in their space,

using blogs, writing articles, and posting on the Web. [You should also] create a Web 2.0 stickiness

to your site. Give people a reason for being there and wanting to come back. This in itself is not an

SEO play, but by having strong content that is frequently updated and extended, you give the robot

spiders plenty of reason to want to come back time and again.

Jerri: Are there any strategies that organizations might know about but are not implementing

that might help with SEO results if they did?

Harris:I have been trying to figure this out, [looking for] some technology that enhances SEO

beyond what we all know already. Unfortunately, some of these [technologies] tend to come back

as black hat, which I am not a party to. The only black hat area I think should be carefullyallowed

is creating a clone for heavily flashed sites. But that is a tough one to call.

The key is Web 2.0 — social integration, updated, frequent, and relevant content, and thought

leadership. This all goes back to Google’s principles on relevancy! Make it relevant and they will

come... and come again.

Jerri: What do you consider a strong, viable web site and how does that impact SEO?

Harris:Well, I am such a content purist sometimes — I believe that one should have a brief

but good strong content strategy that tells me who you are, what makes you great or special,

why should I be here, and how do I learn more (which falls under permission marketing). I

can live without a lot of Flash and images. But I always lose that argument and concede the

need for aesthetics.

Seriously, a good balance of content and attractiveness will rule the SEO day. Too much Flash and

gee-whiz does not help conversions nor relevancy except in some unique cases. A well-designed,

well-written web site will do well from all perspectives.

Jerri: What changes in SEO are coming as the result of the growth of social media?

Harris:There are some tough decisions coming here. The power of Adobe Flex and Ajax is making

web sites much better usability-wise — more like an application than a web site — but this is caus-

ing tracking people to freak out (pageviews are passé in this genre), and of course these are not very

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