SEO companies are struggling for a new business model now that Google has released the Penguin Update; and frankly it is about time. Those impacted by the Penguin update are scrambling to find answers and insights in order to hopefully stay afloat. Building a business purely with SEO no longer works. So many websites have concentrated on fighting the system that they have completely lost sight of the purpose of search engines altogether. For those that need a quick reminder…people use search engines to find information that they require. To break it down a little further, let’s look at what Googlers are NOT looking for.

• The site with the most backlinks
• The site with the most ads
• The site that has the same information as a million other sites
• The site that tries to sell them something completely unrelated

I have been doing SEO for many years and I always seem to skip the negative effects of Google’s updates for one simple reason…I do not try to cheat the system. When it comes to any sort of business, there are surely going to be people that find shortcuts or advantages to get to the top. However, getting to the top and staying there are two different things. It is safe to say that Google will continue to make updates that will offer a better user experience. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to look forward to the updates instead of fear them.

• Provide useful information to readers. (wow does that sound familiar) Forget about how to get the info to the top of the search engines and create the best content possible. Leave the ranking of that content to the pros (Google). If it is worthy it will get there.
• Concentrate on your on-page SEO. Proper use of H Tags to show what is most important in your content. Use bold, italics and underline to add noticability to the terms most searched for that your content clearly describes.
• Use Latent Semantics. This is the use of different words to say the same thing. Ie. The blue ocean. = The azure sea. Latent semantic indexing has a powerful effect on search engine rankings. It shows that the writer is actually writing for the reader instead of trying to rank for a specific search term.
• Write content to be read by humans….not search engines.
• Build links naturally. The best way to have links built is by people sharing your content. How do people share? They reference them in their own blogs that contain the same content. They share the info through social media.  Don’t blast your backlinks all over the internet. It does not work any longer.

The penguin update is not the last by any means. Be prepared for the next one by simply giving Google what they want. You will be rewarded greatly in the end.   Author Bio: Mike Collins is an author, copywriter, internet marketer and travel writer. For the past 30 years Mike has been traveling the world (mostly by sailboat) and living a life of adventure. You can find more on Mike on one of his many blogs such as his JV Giveaways

You have to have a way with words in order to increase the traffic on your website. Sometimes, the most intelligent people in the world can have a problem communicating with others. When those intelligent people or great businesspersons develop a website that would blow your mind with great inspirations and benefits, they may not know exactly how to get across their message to their target audience. Learning to communicate with the right words to get your point across clearly and without rambling is an important skill that takes some time to acquire. You can take the time to learn communication skills or you can hire a consultant to help you get your point across to others. Sometimes the simplest things are right in front of you.

When writing to produce more website traffic, you will want to make your website easy for others to read. It is better to write in laymen terms than in long scientific or technical mumbo jumbo. You want people to be able to read the pages on your website without getting a headache and without having to refer to a dictionary. Visitors should not have to learn how to translate your website in order to understand what you are trying to say. A hard to read or hard to understand website will be abandoned quickly.

When writing, be sure all content is relevant to your website. Only write the information that readers are looking for and that is relevant to your website and products. When you begin writing your first paragraph, try starting with paragraph with your conclusion. By getting to the point right off the bat, this could grab a reader’s attention and keep them reading. Keep your paragraphs and sentences short and to the point. Readers do not enjoy long, wordy web pages that take too much time to read through. Avoid writing in a passive voice. Readers want action words and a strong voice to tell them what to do. Keep your writing in a steady flow. Always read your writing aloud and listen to the flow. In addition, reading aloud can help catch those nasty little typos that will drive people away from your site. Proofread your writing before posting it to your website.

Understand that your website will be accessible to viewers all over the world. Although visitors from other countries may be able to view your website, they may not understand the language or the content. If your website is not for worldwide viewing, then you should specifically list the regions that can best view your website. You can add the intended region(s) in the page description or keywords. This way, if someone in Canada is looking for a veterinarian, he or she aren’t frustrated by looking through all the veterinarian web sites that only cater to pet owners in Paris, France.

Even some regional topics hold value to worldwide viewers. Perhaps a person in Italy will be visiting your hometown and would need to speak with a veterinarian about traveling with their pet. You may wish to provide general information on your website that will appeal to visitors outside your specified region.

Most of the websites on the Internet are in English, but that does not mean that English is a first language throughout the world, it just means it is easy to translate. Never use slang when writing on your website. Slang is not an internationally understood language and can be difficult when translating.

Also, take into consideration money and number conversions. If you are listing a price for services on your website, be sure to list the currency you will accept or will be using (USD, pounds, yen, etc.) The same goes if you are listing measurements or sizes. Always list the conversions or provide a link to a website for conversions. When in doubt, hire a professional translator.

Your goal is to increase the traffic to your website to benefit you or your business the most. By using the World Wide Web, you will be able to reach an audience of millions, all to your benefit. However, reaching all of these people, in the far reaches of the world requires good communication skills. You must be able to explain who you are and what you can do for the people. Tell them why they need your services above all the others. Be concise and to the point.

Capt.Sekhon