Search engine optimization is like the poor stepchild of online marketing efforts – no matter how hard the industry tries, it gets shunned and kicked down; SEO is an unloved and often overlooked field.

And you know what? A lot of that negativity is deserved – because there are unethical SEO efforts taking place within every single industry on the internet. Spammers manipulate the search results, pay for unethical inbound links to their sites, and generally bring a bad name to the legitimate SEO industry.

Let’s, for argument’s sake, call this the “dark side” of SEO.

Legitimate and ethical SEO efforts, on the other hand, are the complete opposite of spam. Ethical SEO-ers only optimize their sites for the keywords that actually help searchers find correct, legitimate, and targeted information. The optimization tactics are straightforward and websites build honest and gradual inbound linking campaigns with an aim toward increasing organic search rankings.

For arguments sake, we’ll call this the “light side.”

Using the Jedi Force

I think you see where I am going with this. Just like the Jedi Force in the Stars Wars universe, there are two sides to SEO, and one side is actually useful, ethical, and even needed.

Now let’s take the Star Wars analogy just one step further (only one more, I promise!). The Force enhances the natural physical and mental abilities of a Jedi Knight. SEO is just like that – it’s a way to enhance the potential that already lies within your website.

One of the best ways to perceive SEO efforts is to look at optimization as a way to help the search engines better categorize your site. You have the power to tell the powers-that-be (in this case Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) precisely and succinctly what your site is about. And if you’re being honest, fair, and ethical, then SEO is actually helping make the Web a better place.

The entire purpose of a search engine is to return relevant search results for any given query. Determining relevancy though is tricky – that’s why Google has an incredibly complex and ever-changing algorithm that constantly alters the way it classifies websites. Small online businesses and bloggers using ethical SEO enhance their website’s existing structure and content so that the search engines are better able to classify the site and then send genuinely interested searchers (ie. potential customers) their way.

So what does all of this mean for your website?

Well, if the search engines accurately classify your site (through specific and well-chosen keywords) your site will return better organic search results for these relevant keywords. Spammers will take any keyword traffic; small businesses and bloggers using the light side, though, benefit from funneling targeted search traffic to a useful website with high quality products and services.

Ok, this is the point, where, if I were a sleazy SEO spammer, I would tell you: you’re going to die if you don’t optimize your site for the search engines.” Or perhaps: “you’re going to make thousands of dollars just by using SEO on your site.”

But then I’d be using the dark side the Force, and I’m a good Jedi Knight. So instead I’ll say this: if you haven’t optimized your website for the search engines then you are missing out on an opportunity to enhance your existing content and bring more organic search traffic to your site. You’ve worked hard to build a high quality website with great content and SEO is, quite simply, one of the most underused online marketing sectors within the travel industry.

So, which side are you on?

• Maybe you’ve optimised your site and with the “dark force” and waiting for the day Google pulls you from the rankings.
• Maybe you had no idea optimisation was possible or even necessary.
• Maybe you really want to optimize but don’t know how or can’t afford a lot of money to do it.

If that’s you, then you probably should have a look at the latest TOP Mastery Guide: DIY SEO: Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimisation.

What’s in this Guide?

We’ve included everything you need to get started making improvements to your search rankings. Here’s just a few of the handy hints and tips we’ve gathered for you:

• Why all the acronyms can cause confusion, and an explanation of the terminology you need to know
• How to play by the rules and a warning about ethical practices
• How to build an effective SEO strategy for implementing your hand chosen, market-specific, keywords.
• How to find the specific phrases or words that your potential customers are using in the search engines
• How to make technical changes to improve your website
• Why inbound links and directories can improve your rankings and how to get them
• How to monitor and incorporate search-friendly practice into your everyday routine

It might sound like a lot of information, and it is. But we’ve made sure that everything is written in easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-implement language, just like all of our other TOP guides. There’s also a half hour audio guide to explain how it works, including the worksheets which help keep you organised and on track.

We are expecting these to fly off the shelves as we receive questions almost daily about the search engines, so head on over to the Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimisation page to find out the details and get your copy today.

After all, who wouldn’t want the good Jedi force on their side?

Haven’t you noticed? The good guys always win.