SEO: Bad Method for Beginners?

[kstark]

I've been reading a lot today (in this forum and out) and it seems some think that newbies shouldn't bother with SEO, which runs a bit contrary to everything else I've read.

But... that might be because I don't enjoy SEO and am extra sensitive to anything that suggests I can avoid it, lol.

So would you recommend SEO to beginners, or another method first?

[travlinguy]

I think people should persue what they're good at. I tend to think most SEO appeals more to left brain people. Details. Some folks eat that up. I've seen plenty of newbies here talk about SEO as being easy. Ugh.

I understand SEO very well but DO NOT enjoy going through the motions. I'd rather do what I like which is write. I sometimes make arrangements with others to provide traffic to my offers in exchange for my writing. It works well for both parties.

[kstark]

Originally Posted by travlinguy

I tend to think most SEO appeals more to left brain people.

Yes! That's what it seems like.

For some reason though, I've always been under the impression that SEO is the thing to do if you're "serious". Don't know where that idea came from. Always been aware of other methods but always thought that everyone did them AFTER they tackled the big G.

[RevSEO]

Honestly I wouldn't recommend learning SEO intimately unless you are gonna take it seriously and really learn the fundamentals inside and out. I'd start with the basics though and then outsource the rest. Learn a little bit about onsite optimization so that you can setup your content properly and then outsource the rest to someone that knows what they are doing.

[Aussie Edwin]

Whilst there is no doubt that SEO works I do not bother with it really.

When I am writing or creating I write for people so that they can learn and get the information they need.

I do not write for the search engine .

Just as an example

If I am doing something about guinne pigs I then write about guinne pigs and make sure that I write articles about everything that someone who is interested in guinne pigs would like to know about.

I believe by doing this google will automaticly find you and so will other trafic sources that will help your organic rankings.

Just MY opinion and for the record I do not write about guinne pigs

[jushuaburnham]

Well for me I 'd rather introduce to them first the SEO and how important it is for the IM so they find ways to learn on their own and keep on asking and collecting ideas.

[Ben Armstrong]

If you're going to rely on SEO in any way (eg. outsourcing it) then you have to at least learn the basics of it.

I've spent the past 7 months learning the basics and now have enough money coming into the business that I've started outsourcing it.

If I had not learned the basics myself first, I'd have no idea what I was paying someone else to do.

[Troy_Phillips]

You are either going to write a lot of content or pay for a lot of content if you stay online any amount of time. Why not learn a little about keyword research and competition analysis and kill two birds with one stone.

Anyone who can write for the reader can optimize that article and turn a win into a win win .

[Tony W]

IMO newbies should learn the basics, like Ben said.

Here's the SEO strategy I'm experimenting with at the moment: THE Backlinking Strategy That Works | The Smart Passive Income Blog

Unless you have an SEO business, just stick to the basics. Instead, I would recommend newbies focusing on developing a working business model and marketing.

If you're on this forum, you're mostly likely an internet marketer.

And rather than spending a zillion dollars to learn the gurus latest tricks, why not just go to your local library and study a classic book on marketing? Check out Dan Kennedy, Jay Abraham, Robert Cialdini, Ogilvy.. just a few names that come to mind. I'm sure if you do a search you'll find a good list.

[travlinguy]

Working keywords into articles and Web content is elementary stuff. As one poster already said, if you're writing intelligently about a topic you're bound to be using many of the right keywords anyway. And if you want specific long tails, that shouldn't be a problem either.

I'm talking about more advanced stuff and all of the detail work that goes into it. I realize that making relevant comments on high PR blogs is a great source for backlinks. My issue is finding those blogs and actually going there and making the comments.

I know there is software to help with this and other SEO tasks but I don't find any pleasure in doing anything beyond keyword optimization. To me it's tedious. It's nice to see there are many people who like doing it. Variety makes the world go round.

[duetzFanz1]

SEO is easy to understand but hard to execute. It is extremely tedious and time consuming. My suggestion is to learn the basics to make enough income and then outsource it.

[Hotness]

Hmmm... I particular love SEO so I really can't see the other side of the story

I believe that SEO is a very critical component of my Internet Entrepreneurship, so you'd at least need to have a good understanding about it.

To me, my business is like driving - and without the knowledge of SEO is like lacking the ability to read the road signs, thus it could be:
- pretty dangerous, or
- going nowhere.

Try getting a new site and start experimenting everything you have heard and learn, test the water!

Haruka

[Targeted Traffic]

Well SEO is important in PR...and a PR determines the vale of your website...people these days are comfort oriented they want to get what they want fast...and thus of course the first best result gets the hits...in IM SEO can not be denied...definitely learn the basics at least

[Justinpage]

SEO is very broad thing to talk to. For newbies, there are lots of sources if you want to learn the basics. SEO is a long term process there is no miracle in doing SEO, you have to be patient and keep learning.

[Alan Ashwood]

Originally Posted by Aussie Edwin

Whilst there is no doubt that SEO works I do not bother with it really.

When I am writing or creating I write for people so that they can learn and get the information they need.

I do not write for the search engine .

Just as an example

If I am doing something about guinne pigs I then write about guinne pigs and make sure that I write articles about everything that someone who is interested in guinne pigs would like to know about.

I believe by doing this google will automaticly find you and so will other trafic sources that will help your organic rankings.

Just MY opinion and for the record I do not write about guinne pigs

Just as well really, coz it's spelt Guinea Pig.
I like your attitude though, because I find it very difficult to write posts/articles for people to enjoy, which search engines will find.

G'day

Alan

.

[myseoclub]

Yes i would just as long as they didn't go near the cowboys as some prices that people quote for seo is stupid.

thats why i have started an seo course (see sig) so that newbies can learn it and get their rankings straight away instead of waiting six months.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by travlinguy

I'm talking about more advanced stuff and all of the detail work that goes into it. I realize that making relevant comments on high PR blogs is a great source for backlinks. My issue is finding those blogs and actually going there and making the comments.

Ah my friend you've bought into the farce that states that SEO has to do with self backlinking. Truth is from what you have written in this thread you are already doing what a number of professional SEOs do - negotiate with other webmasters.

If you like to write then write. If you make deals with people to write for them and get traffic just ask them to give you a link as well. If you are good at it then you don't even need to go searching for blogs to comment on. Thats not advanced SEO. thats one dimensional SEO.

In the end SEO just makes sense no matter what anyone says. If you write decent content on a consistent basis then your site is going to be crawled by the search engines. Why would you ever not think about maximizing the exposure you are already getting?

[georgefuller]

well of course you need to know first the capability of the beginner for example. is he an internet savvy? does he has a patience? how strong is his analytical thinking? is he interested? then if yes then you should introduce the proper SEO way.. the white hat way.. from the very basic to advance..