What’s The Next Big Wave?

Posted by Laura Bergells

April 5, 2005

I got lucky.

I took advantage of free Yahoo listings in 1995…and over time, it paid off. And when Google started getting buzz in 1998, I learned SEO - search engine optimization - and engineered my site to get good rankings. I even showed other people how to do it and made a good living.

I’m still profiting from SEO on my own sites (as well as others) — but it’s a much different game now than it was in 1995. The big bang for the buck that you get from diddling with your own code a little is pretty much over.

Today, the biggest onsite factor that affects your position at the search engine is CONTENT. Offsite factors (PR and inbound links) are gaining more importance than onsite factors (content excluded).

What’s REALLY important is getting in on the next big wave before it crests. Now that’s what “surfing” is really all about!

So when people continue to call me about SEO, I’m likely to tell them to think for the long term. And I’m also inclined to tell them to consider their entire internet marketing plan….and to look for the next big wave.

Don’t look longingly at the wave that’s passed you by! Look at what’s new and what’s next. Look at stuff like RSS. XML. Podcasting. Blogging.

Hint: they’re all pretty much CONTENT related, aren’t they?