What's your best hidden SEO secret?

[PabloGV]

now that's being creative imho, thank you for sharing mate - sometimes I end up in the paranoia tunnel avoiding some obvious solutions -

[IPIM]

HI kaashif, what are your directory sites of choice, do you have a list that fits all such as dmoz types, then a list that fits a few and a list of niche or do you just formulate a new list for each project from scratch.

[JohnFCarroll]

Hi Donnie,

I agree about this idea being a great one.  I just signed up for something called "Google Engage" (it's part of google), where you take a few online classes and they give you 20 $105 Adwords vouchers for clients.  I imagine if you use the 20 and bring new customers they'll probably keep the vouchers coming.

I'm new to it so I can't say too much, but the extra $30 might get you the stats you need to convince a client.

[portalseo]

My best hidden SEO secret would be adding the websites phone number into the meta keywords for the homepage only. If you have a missed call from someone, most people just Google the number however if you have the number in your meta description/keywords it will display your homepage as opposed to your contact page. Once they are on the homepage they will more than likely check the contact us page then hopefully browse the website. I sometimes use an image for the contact number on the contact us page so it isnt picked up by the crawler. Its a pretty small secret but its one of mine

[kaizendc]

Flow

Read this book and it may help you on your quest....

http://www.amazon.ca/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Mihaly-Csikszentmihalyi/dp/0061339202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306272675&sr=8-1

[DonnieCooper]

Hey Nick, I didn't notice this until just now- sorry about that. 
Do you mean the testing process for keyword research in Adwords?
We'll research the most probable keywords for qualified visitors, and then either:
#1. test tons of exact match keywords to see real-world worth of each, or
#2. put a few very short broad keywords in, and then use the tool "see all search terms' once the campaign is over to see what the marketplace is actually searching for

Then of course, we optimize the site and create a link building plan for those phrases.

[DonnieCooper]

Hey John, you're right... an extra $30 does help. We usually add an Adwords budget into our proposals, so that  we can use more than just the $75. We do this because we feel like the best keyword research is pay per click advertising.

Google Engage is great, have you signed up for the Professionals Program?

[nimbledigit]

Just finished with a sales guy this morning that totally fit the onion piece. Funniest thing I've read in a loong time. Thanks.

[raxhuq]

Don't all nets have wholes mate?

[duncan274]

http://www.opencalais.com/   very interesting stuff to do with optimizing community contributions

[duncan274]

please elaborate how will this help do you mean they will link back isnt that link value then lessened for boath?

[EVac]

Constantly search for new ways to build links! Think outside the box.

[samr217]

I have found that just good social marketing has help a solar panels website in south Yorkshire, solar panels south yorkshire. What does everyone think to the google panda update?

[chronicle]

My secret is to work at night and get into my zone.  Really the trick for me is to turn my A.D.D. into a strength and jump from item to item to item.  It is hard to relate to unless you have A.D.D. too.  You are able to hyper-focus into a wide ranged tunnel vision.  By the time I come out of it I have definitely made a mark on the web!

[seoMonk8]

Try procastinating

[TheGrid]

My biggest "Secret" is i prize solid keyword research above all else. All of your efforts are worthless without it.

[TheGrid]

Brilliant.

[FergusonSEO]

Excellent reply, exactly what I was looking for. A breakdown of your day was very helpful.

[jjgonza]

Honestly it's seomoz.

[softclick]

Don't care for your competition. Don't care for the new fancy SEO stuff. Don't care for tricks or the "easy way".

Just do your homework. (site architecture, crawlability, quality links & content)

Here at SEOmoz that means:

1. Kill all the errors in "Crawl Diagnostics"

2. Bring all your keywords to an "Grade A" in On-page

3. Be the peer group leader in "Link Analysis"

Three simple steps ... easy as 1..2..3. Not really