Andrew Heenan wrote:
> "canadafred" wrote ...
> > This sounds like very good advice Andrew except that it limits Els'
> > ability to challenge other keyphrase competitors in the SERPs, at this
> > stage of her game. She needs to get her pages to qualify for the top
> > positions in a bigger arena. Sure, she could spend years regimentally
> > standardizing code to her highest calibers and eventually have
> > accumulated a substantial enough amount of incredible standardized code
> > to sustain good SERP positions, The again, maybe not, maybe it'll be
> > SERP oblivion for her web pages. She wants more keyphrases at the top
> > than what she has already established and I would suspect she wants
> > them this century.
> ...
> > Els, do you want to design, optimize or both?
>
> Fred, I hear what you are saying, but I don't agree; short term gains, if
> really that important, can be achieved using standard (and straight)
> paid-for methods.
>
> There's never a need to take a risk with your main site; indeed, nine tenths
> of keyword research and application would be no more useful than simply
> adding quality unique content, ensuring good internal navigation, getting
> into quality directories - and paying plenty of attention to design detail.
>
> Many would argue that SEO=Design=SEO - they go hand in hand. Any time or
> money spent on design that does consider SEO from the outset, could very
> easily be wasted (and often is).
>
> Most of the supplementary listing problems are a combination of bad design,
> poor attention to detail (and basic rules) and not enough content; all of
> which require an SEO with common sense rather than one with risky techniques
> up his sleeve.

hey Andrew how are ya'

I would agree with that, in non-competitive keyphrase environments
only. In more challenging SERP operations wheras the top positions are
occupied with web pages that are well optimized, the one who takes no
risks leaves the party early. Innovativeness is a key component in
separating the good from the great. Sustaining a top position for a
meaningful keyphrase will continuously demand for imaginative
solutions. Implementing solutions is a things that an SEO must figure
out himself as each SERP situation is different.

That's probably why I am so difficult to hear sometimes. I don't have
any easy SERPs. I get no gifts from the search engines. Top positions
in my keyphrase contests are not for the wishy washy. I must get my
hands dirty. Maybe the day will come, when content alone and content
presentation sufficed to determine which web page was most credible to
be delivered for a keyphrase search. That day is not today.

Sometimes when I have a web page stuck, a quick analysis of the
competitors usually reveals both design and SEO weaknesses. An good
search engine optimizer should be able to pick them out fairly rapidly
out of experience. Now he sees an opportunity to progress in the SERPs.
If the SEO wants to exploit challenger weaknesses, he needs to devise a
plan. So he does. What I do is go fishing. The plan comes. Now do I sit
on this plan losing more confidence in it by the minute or do I take
the risk and deploy the plan. In my game, that's the difference. There
is no sitting still. perhaps in yours the case is different.

> Finally (I promise!), some sites do take risks and do OK - or very well -
> but never forget the many, many more that took risks and disappeared. On a
> quiet evening, you can hear the screams ....

.... and also, don't forget the millions and millions more that are
taking risks right now to overthrow your positions. Some of these web
pages will succeed. Ultimately the choice to compete and how to compete
is up to each one of us. Web pages are not intented to attain a
position and keep it forever. I sure wish that was the case. After
reaching the top, a web page immediately begins a downward spiral into
SERP oblivion. I cannot understand how not taking risks becomes a
solution to this. Feeding the spider more content is a risk, not
feeding it is a risk, tweaking content is risky, everything that a web
page has used in optimizing that page is taking a risk. It is all a
risk.

I have had web sites banned before. I am a master of getting out of the
penalty box. ( this incidentally become a specialized skills in SEO ) I
am not ashamed to admit being guilty of pushing the limits too hard.
Failure is a good teacher. Are you afraid to fail?

--
Fred
http://www.rezultz-web-site-promotion.com/