Why Danny Sullivans "Don't Depend Solely On SEO" Is Mis-Used..

[MyRentals]

I was disappointed to see companies quoting Search Engine Land's Editor-in-Chief, Danny Sullivan's advice to not depend solely on SEO following Google's Penguin update.

It wasn't the quote of Danny's that got under my skin. It was the skewed perspective used by the PPC advertisers quoting Danny as an authority for pushing Pay Per Click advertising consultancy/services. Unsurprisingly, the advertisers focus on PPC services to generate their own incomes.

Taking a closer look at the context in which Search Engine Land's editor was commenting, I whole heartily agree with his findings that too many people think SEO is basically about creating back links. Back links of good quality, poor quality and pure web spam. Hence, the Penguin update showed up this specific area of misuse of back link generation and finally Google has introduced intelligence into their algorithm that wipes out what it considers to be link spam. Resulting in Danny's reference to hearing lots of screams from the link spammers who have seen their sites take a dive and learning 'the lesson'.

If SEO was all about back links - then explain why a search such as "Nerja" (a vacation town in Spain) shows such a wide top 10 list of websites on Google's organic page one results? Some of the sites at the top of the list have a lot less back links than some of the sites at the bottom of the list. What's even more interesting is a site like Wikipedia is not even at the top of the list ! An example of a site with an unbelievable amount of back links good and bad.

For those who think SEO is all about back links, then sure - DON'T RELY ON SEO.

If you think that SEO is a varied box of tools and methods (which includes back links)
as an answer to helping search engines identify what is relevant and valuable to their
search results - Then I have a different message. RELY HEAVILY ON SEO for your success and don't be tricked by those espousing otherwise.

I give about 40% of my energy to working out ways of how to extend back links and get other useful websites to recommend or talk about my websites. That means that the other 60% of my energy is focused on other aspects of making my clients and our own websites successful.

A proper thought out set of objectives for PPC advertising with clearly defined targets is good news for a business and will usually generate profits from the activity. For those site owners who don't have the time to follow through Google's own training program and online video series - then yes, engaging a PPC consultancy to do it for you and charging you a percentage for their time is certainly fair enough.

The big problem with throwing cash at a PPC campaign is that when the budget runs out - so does any visual listing of the website at the front of the search engines! So when you stop spending cash - you watch your sales dry up just as quickly!! I call that catch 22.

Would you prefer to spend 29%+ of your revenue to keep customers clicking into your website via PPC, or would you prefer to spend around 6% via SEO that continues to have a visual listing in the search results 24-7-365 when its managed properly ?

I don't believe that efforts on either PPC or SEO have an end point. The internet is constantly evolving, the first 10 positions on any search engines result take more than 90% of all clicks in a search engine!! This means that your competitors will always be trying to get onto the first page of the results. The more competition in your market sector - the more efforts are needed to maintain your position. A successful website is the result of many things... SEO and PPC play their part. In every project I have ever been involved in, I can live without PPC being in the mix, but I couldn't have had long term success without on-going measurable SEO activities supporting the operations of the businesses.

For those new to PPC, there are two different reasons for running a PPC/PPI campaign. There's Direct Response PPC ads where you can plot the activity of site visitors and hopefully get a response to get them into your sales funnel. Then there's Branding PPC/PPI which is a whole different objective and not so easily followed. Without a clear understanding of your marketing goals - PPC becomes a lot more expensive than the percentages I've mentioned above and SEO then wins hands down.

Martin Sansone

[SteveGerencser]

I have always said that SEO / traffic from search should be a small part of the overall plan. I also think that PPC sucks the Google has the prices rigged these days. It can be nearly impossible for low priced items to perform on a PPC campaign with Google's auto pricing model.

Relying heavily on SEO is what leads to closed businesses when there is a major algo change or a formerly acceptable method has been deemed unacceptable. I get skittish when search traffic exceeds 30% of overall traffic and start looking for new sources of traffic when that happens.

[MyRentals]

I have always said that SEO / traffic from search should be a small part of the overall plan. I also think that PPC sucks the Google has the prices rigged these days. It can be nearly impossible for low priced items to perform on a PPC campaign with Google's auto pricing model.

Relying heavily on SEO is what leads to closed businesses when there is a major algo change or a formerly acceptable method has been deemed unacceptable. I get skittish when search traffic exceeds 30% of overall traffic and start looking for new sources of traffic when that happens.

Steve, you make a good point about low priced items problems for PPC. It is weird how Google makes out that the unit price is what it is for such items. Your 30% organic traffic level comment has got me thinking. We regularly run 45% ish with a varied marketing mix.

Many folk don't fully read the search engines rules which they publish for all to read. Google does keep to its original goals regarding what its looking to do with its organic results. I admire that, and a good SEO practitioner should always be mindful of the full rules and their implications. Penguin and all the other tweaks are all in an effort to gain back control over creative abuse of the system giving biased results. Of course, we all tend to follow trends and the majority to keep up, but the clever ones keep an eye on Google's real goal to avoid the "business has closed" sign as you put it.

I do think Facebook will continue to out perform per $ on Google with tighter target control too.

[weegillis]

Off topic: A word about polls

To get a more complete picture of the audience being polled, we need to account for that segment that may not be informed enough to answer, 'yes' or 'no', in which case a third option, 'don't know' would fill this requirement. Just a thought.

[MyRentals]

Off topic: A word about polls

To get a more complete picture of the audience being polled, we need to account for that segment that may not be informed enough to answer, 'yes' or 'no', in which case a third option, 'don't know' would fill this requirement. Just a thought.

Hmm! Good point. It was my first poll

[SteveGerencser]

Steve, you make a good point about low priced items problems for PPC. It is weird how Google makes out that the unit price is what it is for such items. Your 30% organic traffic level comment has got me thinking. We regularly run 45% ish with a varied marketing mix.

So the question then is, if you lost that 45% tomorrow, would your company survive? What amount of damage would it cause? Would people lose jobs?

[MyRentals]

Steve, my response has to be YES it would damage things for sure. Hence, I never underestimate the power, rules and ruthless determination of the Big G to stay on top and deliver the most relevant search results possible.

I see the relationship between G and SEO pros as a love hate relationship: They need good websites to be coded using latest WC3 standards, with clear structure and content to help them to identify and reward the good sites with genuine content etc etc. which the public will appreciate. That's where SEO pro's come in. However our very nature leads us to see the SERPs as a challenge and we are creative in the ways in which we attempt to help our clients and our own sites within the rules as we interpret them. Big G clearly only puts up with so much and redefines the playing field in which we play every now and then.

I agree totally with you.... bringing visitors in from as many streams as possible is clearly the way to minimize impact from a Google change. Giving them credit, they do give a bit of advance warning to the industry usually, and fully diversifying to avoid the Google drug takes time, expertise and eventually deep pockets to develop a brand that can survive without search.

[SteveGerencser]

I agree totally with you.... bringing visitors in from as many streams as possible is clearly the way to minimize impact from a Google change. Giving them credit, they do give a bit of advance warning to the industry usually, and fully diversifying to avoid the Google drug takes time, expertise and eventually deep pockets to develop a brand that can survive without search.

I was doing this before there were search engines. I'll be doing long after they are gone. It's actually easier to get good, targeted, traffic from other sources and just let the search engines do whatever they want with a site. You give up a little traffic, but search traffic converts so poorly when compared to other types of traffic it's okay.

[deepsand]

Many folk don't fully read the search engines rules which they publish for all to read.

Of what value vague generalities, many published long after the fact? Most of Google's "guidelines" are no more useful than their Patent claims.

Google does keep to its original goals regarding what its looking to do with its organic results.

Would those be the "original" goals from Larry & Brin's days at Stanford? Or, the "original" post-PSO ones?

Penguin and all the other tweaks are all in an effort to gain back control over creative abuse of the system giving biased results.

Panda and Penguin were a recognition, forced by mounting public criticism, of the fact that Google's "quantity trumps quality" approach was no longer being as well received by users as was once the case.

[weegillis]

Off topic: Poll results don't lie?

So far, it would appear the third option was not necessary, or the audience is only made up of seasoned pro's. There is a resounding 'No' on all responses thus far.

Thanks for adding in the third response. As unimportant as it has proven thus far, it is it still important to capture.