SEO: Search Engine Optimization Bible

Brian Combs, Founder and VP of Services,

Apogee Search

As an online marketing expert and Internet pioneer, Brian Combs specializes in bringing measura-

bility to marketing. Before founding Apogee Search with William Leake in 2002, Combs was director

of marketing and business development for Journyx, the leading provider of web-based time- and

expense-management solutions. At Journyx, he oversaw all marketing and strategic partnership

activities.

Since 2004, Apogee has grown to become one of the 20 largest SEO/PPC firms in the country, with

clients in the hundreds. The company has achieved top Google rankings for clients on horrendously

competitive keywords with high search volumes in spaces like consumer and auto finance, home

security, consumer-packaged software, online education, and insurance-type products.

Jerri: Where do you see the current state/importance of SEO?

Combs:The industry is still in the “Wild West” stage, but beginning to mature. As the ROI of SEO

is difficult to track (although not impossible), many SEO firms (and individual SEOs) are able to

get away with providing the appearance of value, while providing very little actual value.

SEO, of course, can be a very effective marketing technique, but like all marketing, efforts must be

made to track the results so that improvements can be made.

Jerri: What can organizations do right now to improve their SEO?

Combs:

 Install a tracking system. Find out what actually works.

 Run a PPC campaign for 30 days to prove which keywords matter. Optimizing for

keywords with no search volume will not provide any benefit.

 Put those keywords as the FIRST thing in their title tags.

 Start link building.

Jerri: What should they be focusing on for future improvements?

Combs:

 Better content.

 Create compelling “link bait.”

 Continue link building.

 Invest more in a keyword selection testing campaign (PPC).

295

Industry Interviews

75002bapp02_6.qxd 11/7/07 9:22 AM Page 295