What's your best hidden SEO secret?

[AtoZion]

A marker board schedule.

I am not allowed to do anything (self imposed) that is not on my marker board for a specific time period. That makes me focus and get done what I need done.

Personal Facebook time takes a backburner when I need to do SEO.

[Wayne76]

One of the best SEO secrets I've learned (which took a while) is how to implement what works best and leave the rest alone. Trying to read and stay abreast of everything regarding SEO is a futile venture--it's as much art as it is science, and few 'secrets' exist.

There are large components of SEO that are open to grand interpretation and it's often hard to separate good information from mis-information from out-dated information from just plain flase information. (If you ever get the opportunity to attend PubCon or an SES conference and listen to the bevy of conversation and opinion happening all about you, the quickl realization is that there are few fast and hard rules.)

There are several camps that will advise you a bit differently in all aspects of SEO: some will claim that their methods are proven, others will be more humble and offer a "best-practices" approach sans the 'guarantee'. I often believe I'm only as good at SEO as the success I had yesterday.

Try to find what works for you inside your vertical and then cherry-pick tips from the rest of the SEO community as you see fit. Translation: there is no magic bullet!

Here's to future success!

[Thos003]

In order:

Secret #1 - Work + Time = Awesome SEO

Secret #2 - Core Group of SEOs to work and share with.

Secret #3 - Keeping secrets secret.  ... Sorry had to add that one.

Actually I should probably add that I don't believe there are many true secrets to SEO. Time and work will get you the best long term results.

[AlanMosley]

good to hear that i am not alone.
I can avoid a job day after day after day. but once im on my way, the sun comming up tells me its time to quit

[AlanMosley]

The Microsoft IIS SEO Tool Kit
I am yet to find a site that does not have a pile of errors, I get all my sites free from violations, this gives me a head start (how big that head start is is debatable)

If your technical side is not perfect all your SEM is discounted. Its like fishing with holes in your net.

[Blargh123]

SEO jobs in general put you into positions with business people, and profesionals from all varieties.  Great networking profession! one of my favorite job perks!

[Blargh123]

Niche SEO marketing is how alot of us got into the field! building portfolios much like the one you discuss   What kind of conversions are you seeing from your portfolio?

[Blargh123]

Your correct our jobs would not exist if SEO was easy and automated!  the "easy" button only helps you defeat those who dont know how to press it!  once your past that your normallty competeing head to head with other skilled SEO's for the top spots often one link can be indexed and change me from 1 to spot 3, because the link profiles have grown so similarly between competitors.

[LauraThomas]

very true! and I'll add...keep focused.

[dennis.globalsign]

I find the secret to getting there is to find the smallest possible task related to the work need to do. Start small and build up momentum - the key to having one of those magic hours.

[Kozmo]

Love your reply!  And the "Zone".  It is a great place to be.  I guess you can't be in the "Zone" everyday.  Then it really would not be the "Zone".   Just another day

I think being a part of this community and others is really the best SEO secret.  Learning from others, making mistakes and networking is the key and the secret to success.

[ChrisMacNaughton]

I suppose that my biggest thing is good analytics and figuring out what your specific KPIs will be for a specific site.  After figuring out the best KPIs, work on those, don't get distracted by keyword rankigns, those can change all to easily when Google decides to chagne the ranking algorithm.

Focus on why we want rankings: to get converting traffic.  If you're spending hours or days working on something, it had better effect the bottom line for the company or it isn't woth doing.

[MozMan2]

I wish I knew what you were talking about, it sounds interesting but not very clearly explained.

[LuminConsutling]

As I read through these down the page, this is by far the best answer yet IMHO

[Dan-Petrovic]

Agreed, community is something that can not only educate but get you going and inspire to do more and better. It does get a bit lonely if you are hiding under a rock for too long.

[seoforward]

SEOMOZ and the web in general teaches me so much everyday, and I know it's basic but to write for the audience not the engines

[kaashifk]

My best SEO strategi is to get moving and to stop consuimng infomation..in the begining i used to buy way to much SEO stuff, an dofun dmyself suffering from infomation overload.. Till one day i just formulated a plan and got cracking..

My plan..

effective keyword research

identifty top 3 competitors and opensite explore them

cheack,check and double chek ALL your onsite meta data

recheck all onsite meta data

proceed to offsite

first and foremost submit to directory sites

then spend and hr each day to build backlinks, aiming to build 1 extra link than the day before BUT also take a gap day on a random day each week inbetween, use this day for admin tasks like checking analytics,rank checks,check if any of your links have been indexed etc but above all, use this day to go back to your 1st day of the weeks links you tried to build and check up on them etc etc

Also try and get a guest blog op for yourself on a blog in your niche.

Finally,stay far away from anything remotely dodgy!

hopes this helps and good luck!

[petrakraft]

Hi Kaashif - thank you for sharing your "secret".

[seospain]

Not so much a secret but for me it's build a quality site for users and not for engines, don't rely solely on Google and other organic search traffic (use multiple channels like newsletters, blog commenting, link bailt, blogging, social etc) so that if you organic rankings are hit, it doesn't take out your business completely. Work hard on converting the visitors you do get by making good use of Google Analytics, usability testing and conversion optimisation. Ok, so that was more than one but I couldn't help myself.

[HiveDigitalInc]

1. Create a bunch of blackhat, auto-genned spammy sites in your space...

2. See what they automatically get long-tail traffic on...

3. Write content on your site targeting those keywords...