I received a call from a man telling me about a client of his asking how much it would cost to rank first place in Google for a specific search term in their niche.
Money was no object, he claimed; he simply wanted to rank first place.
That’s the dumbest, most short-sighted goal you can have for your website.
The man shared his client’s website URL with me. The owner of the site offers agents in his niche the opportunity to list on his website for free, a significant difference from a competitor (who, by the way, rules search) who charges a premium.
Basic SEO
Yet, a quick glance at his website reveals that he doesn’t have basic SEO in place. And let me assure you, the basics are important.
Headings weren’t used correctly, for one. There were other SEO blunders, but that’s for another post.
List building
Furthermore, he doesn’t have a way to build a list from his site.
Those loners who might happen upon his site looking for what his agents have to offer, will enter the site, and not be given the chance to sign up for a newsletter or alerts.
Instead of making it easier for himself by turning his website into a traffic magnet, he’s deluded himself into taking the one dimensional approach of grasping onto the simplistic idea that ranking for a specific keyword is the only goal worth pursuing.
The moment he starts thinking correctly, he’ll enjoy the benefit of not having to worry about jostling against competition who outclass him in every way.
That’s the tip of the iceberg. We’ve not touched on the importance of long tail ranking, something this man would not be interested in, since he’s led by an overactive ego that thinks money gives him more power than Google is willing to let go of.
In conclusion
Don’t take a one dimensional approach to your online marketing, more specifically, your website.
A website is a great lead generating tool, but only if you consistently get the basics right and focus on the long game.
