Optimizing an Established Site

Optimizing an Established Site

Read an interesting post over at UKBF today where someone was asking about optimizing an established site that is already doing well but wants to go to the next level.

It was the sort of question which sums up exactly why I don’t really do SEO for other people anymore.

The reason why I don’t do SEO for other peoples sites, especially well established sites, is that I have always considered SEO to be a form of gambling.

Basically we are always doing as much as possible to gain those top rankings, but always have to rein things in a bit so as not to overstep the mark with the google webmaster guidelines.

Now if I’m optimising my own sites I am still gambling, but this time gambling with my own property, if I’m stuck in number 7 on google, but are determined to get top 1 or 2, it is up to me if I push things a little further, i.e. do a bit of heavy link building, write some anchor text link rich articles, a bit of blog commenting, forum posting or pull in some favours from various networks.

Although these things are technically against the google guidelines you can bet your bottom dollar the 6 listings above you are doing similar and if you want the top spot you have to decide if it’s worth taking the risk, and if you do take it, just how far you’re prepared to push it.