Online Traction

Finally business leaders are connecting the dots. A recent series of articles (thank you Tracy) in the New York Times (free registration required) and elsewhere point to an emerging realization of the importance of search engine optimization (SEO). Face it. We are now in a world where more and more of our interests and activities can be conveniently solved by search engines: real estate, driving directions (and send to your cell phone), calendar, and news.

The fact is that getting found on the web is mostly thanks to marketing combined with basic site optimization. Onsite optimization in the form of keyword-rich content and html tagging and offsite optimization in terms of strategic linking, site submission etc. are only the essential ingredients in what it takes to getting ranked in search engines today. Staying found is a lot more nuanced, has more to do with usability, reliability, relevance and facilitating user goals and objectives.

In a world where the quantity of websites, content and opinion is growing exponentially the key questions are how can I make my site stand out, how can I encourage repeat customers and how can I grow my client base. SEO considerations certainly add another layer of complication to these standard tactical issues, but the fundamentals remain the same: serve your customers with compelling content, generate value (confidence in reported facts, entertain), market your (self, product or service) (but don’t overdo it).

To which I would add: help your busy readers accomplish their objectives (work on usability (note: most readers scan text in an ‘F’ pattern) and facilitate return routes to your site (bookmarks, RSS, newsletters etc.). In writing this I’m thinking particularly about online content, news and magazines because of a current client. But it can also be extended to function-oriented sites such as real estate where users want to see listings fast, are buying a home not a unit of property, want to know about neighborhoods and want to know what its like to deal with the realtor. Client testimonials, links to neighborhood associations and local community websites, images, schooling information. Buying a home is an emotional as well as a financial, logistical decision. In real estate as in other business the design of the website needs to cater to the objectives and decision criteria of the site visitor.

One of the most striking characteristics of the emerging breed of web sites is the power of sharing. Open source software (let’s not forget real player, adobe acrobat, firefox), viral marketing and the whole world of Web 2 is based on some simple and common premises: usability, shareability and sociability.

In conclusion, the lessons to be learned from the last ten years of the web are impress me, help me find what I’m looking for - I’m in a rush, don’t overdo the advertising, don’t make me scroll down before you engage me, let me trust your information, let me tell my friends, and tell me what other people like me think of your product or service. Websites are tools, brochures, communication media where the user is always right, usually rushed, and doesn’t like surprises. When building or rebuilding a site its important to strike the right balance among these factors.