Reaching the top of the Google.com Search Engine Results is pretty straight foreword with good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as I have proven it wit several websites; Most my own and a few are close friends who are completely clueless about SEO. Once they understand the basic concept, they easily achieve it.  It is challenging, and it even may seem like it’s never going to happen, but with consistent work, it’s ‘easily’ accomplished.

Even more challenging, is staying at the top for years and years to come. It takes consistent efforts of; playing by the rules, staying informed about current methods of SEO, and applying everything you’ve learned thus far.

This morning I was completely surprised that I have reached, once again, the #1 position in Google for the search Term, “DJ in Houston.”

There was a person with extensive SEO knowledge, probably a lot more then me, that went out and did things I don’t even know about, and withing weeks he was #1 on the Google Search results for “DJ in Houston.”

So when that happened, I became #2 and stayed #2 for over a year, which I was fine with. I didn’t stress nor did I try hard to achieve a #1 spot, I was staying busy and I was getting the business I wanted from the #2 spot. I never went lower than the #2 spot.

Today, I opened up the website, Google.com, and as I do about 2 or 3 times a month, I searched for the term, “DJ in Houston,” and to my surprise I turned up to be the #1 result and the person in question was bumped way down, lower than the #2 position.

Now, I have a few theories of why this happened so I will share them with you, in hopes that you can too reach the top of the search engines, just like my friend Audrey, from Events By Audrey, who is now at the top of the search engine results for her targeted keywords.

Theory #1: I’ve Been Doing It The Right Way

Just like everything else in this world, there is a right way of online marketing and there is a not-so-right way of online marketing. The not-so-right way of online marketing is known as Black Hat SEO. These are tricks that work, and work fast, but their practice are usually frowned upon and not tolerated by the major search engines. These tricks include; Hiding keywords into your pages (Example, white text on a white background), Meta Keyword Stuffing, Doorway Pages, and Link Farming. For more information read the Top 5 White Hat and Black Hat Search Optimisation Techniques.

Theory #2: I’ve Become Active Online

I’ve recently started participating in forums where the subject is the DJ industry. As a Wedding DJ, I felt I had something to say and I wanted to get feedback from other DJ around the world. So I researched some forums and started participating and putting my ideas out there to be heard.  Some agree with the ideas and some, strongly disagree with the ideas, even though reason that I provide them with my ideas is to help them out. Some people are so attached to their way of doing it that if you try to suggest to them a way to improve (even after they ask for it), it seems to backfire on you and before you know it, they are attacking not only your ideas, but you personally, without even getting to know you. Being active works on this principle: You participate on the forums, get well known, and people visit your site and Google can see that you are an active leader on your field.  So be sure if you do decide to participate on forums, that you include a link to your website (s) on the signature of your posts.

Theory #3: Uninformed Competition

This is the key to it all. I’ve almost hesitated giving this one out but, I guess if I want to help you out, as my regular reader, I’ve got to give you all my tools. Most people do very little to get to the top of the search engine results. They become complaisant, they stop trying when they don’t get what they want, they are following the wrong tips to getting to the top, they are focused on too many tasks at once, or they simply don’t know anything and don’t care to find out! When I realized that about the DJ industry, my heart and my thoughts started running 199 miles per hour with  ideas, plans, techniques, to-do’s (I’ve never been a to-do list type of person), and so on. I quickly found out how easy it is to get to the top… BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS REALLY TRYING TO REACH THE TOP… and this has been so for the last 5 years, well with the exception of the person mentioned at the top of this article.

I will keep it at 3 theories… I have more but they fall under these top three. One thing to notice is that Facebook had almost nothing to do with the fact that I am at the top of the search engines, and I’ve recently done little to no Twitting so I’m almost sure that had nothing to do with it. I’ve also done little to no blogging on my website, but I have done enough, about 1 post every 2 weeks just to keep the search engines coming back to my website and so they know I’m still active on my site.

Hope it helps you understand a little more. If you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate to leave it down there, and feel free to post a link to your website… as it will definitely help you out!

Happy Bloggin!

|o| Simply Frank |o|
Wedding Marketing Expert

Many people who live in the offline world have a hard time understanding how a blog can drive traffic to their website. Some see blogs as a waste of time and others think it’s hard to keep up with a blog. They lose motivation so they stop posting to their blogs and as a result start to say that blogs don’t work.

The mentality is different from running your business offline and running your blog and business online. And changing your mentality from what you have worked so hard to do over so many years to incorporate new technology is hard, extremely hard as John Chow states in his Blog.

So understanding that Blogs are the Holy Grail to online marketing may be a bit hard to swallow. Well they can be if you work them correctly and understand how they can increase your current traffic.

Here are 10 Ways Blogs will increase Traffic to your Wedding Website!

1. Host your Blog on Your own Domain
   Your blog is going to bring in a lot of traffic, there is absolutely no doubt about that. However if you start a blog away from your domain name, guess where all that traffic will go to? You guessed it, it’s going to your blog, where ever it is. It’s not going to magically transfer that traffic over to your website. Additionally, it looks less professional to have a blog in one place and a business website in another place. It feels like there’s two of you and it could potentially lead to distrust.
2. Participate in Related Forums or Blogs
   Remember you are trying to establish an online presence and provide us with a little bit of your experience. Don’t worry, nobody is going to steal your ides, besides most ideas are not new nor are they original, they are all borrowed, so why not share them back. What it will do is establish yourself in the minds of your readers, whether they are brides or other vendors / bloggers, as an expert in your field. And if your participation is of high quality, then you will gain followers, who want to know what you are all about, back to your blog. Since most bloggin platforms and forums allow you to place a link in your comment, the more you participate in forums or blogs, the more links to your website you will create, and back links to your website are very important in building traffic to your website.
3. Cover topics that need attention NOW
   If you have strong beliefs about a particular topic in your industry or a current event. This is the place to vent it out, express your beliefs on the topic, and share your thoughts with others might (or might not) agree with you. For example, I believe that a DJ’s is very important in the outcome of a wedding, so I would hope and expect that other DJ’s do a lot to prepare for a wedding both professionally and personally. A lot of problems come because of personal misunderstandings, so I believe that wedding vendors should invest A LOT in their personal development. Depending on your topic, you too can voice your opinion on things like that and additionally on current events.
4. Quality Content (Can’t stress that enough)
   Quality content is key. If people can read your blog, understand your view, and feel like you are providing them with a value, an answer to their problems, then they will want to come back for more.
5. Create Some Buzz
   Attending a bridal show? Do you have a current discount this month? Did you make the cover of a local newspaper? Are you launching a new product line? Are you expanding your services? THEN Blog about it!!! People want what’s new and on the cutting edge.
6. Build and use and Email List
   Email Lists… all blogs and online businesses should have one. They are a great source of traffic to your website and for some businesses they are the bloodline to their success.
7. Do an interview with someone well known
   This serves as two purposes. One, you feed the person’s ego, which will motivate him to talk about you and your interview as well as where they can find it (Hint: Your Blog). Additionally, it connects you and puts you on the same level as that person’s perceived image. This is called social proof. Most people feel they can trust you easier if they have proof that others trust you.
8. Be the first in your field to build a quality blog
   Don’t just be the first in your field to have a blog, be the first to have a quality blog. A blog that updates it’s content often and provides answers to problems or helpful advice. Your audience will be brides that NEEEED good advice and help on something they have never done in their entire life. Be the go to person in your field. In turn, they will tell their friends and family about your website and your blog. Again, if your blog is in your website this applies if it’s off site, then chances are they will be directed to wherever your blog is.
9. Join the Social Networking Medias
   Facebook, Myspace, Linkedin, del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, Digg, Technorati, etc… these are all terms you must familiarize yourself with and join these services. There are many more and they all can and will drive a lot of traffic if help them, help you. I got 6 Weddings of Myspace alone, in 2007.
10. Be Patient
    Patience (lack of), the #1 killer of success. If you stop watering your seed just before it breaks through the ground, you will never be able to enjoy the benefits of your hard work. Bloggin Works, I know first hand, and there were many, many, many times where I asked myself; “Am I wasting my time? DJ in Houston: Google #1 Ranking (on 04/29/2008). I’ve had not only online success but also offline success. I’ve gotten calls from newspapers asking me for advice on something related to the wedding industry, which drive more traffic to my website.

These Ten Techniques for driving traffic to your Wedding Vendor Blog are a compilation of what I use to drive traffic and from advice I’ve gotten from other, more established bloggers. One article I read was 5 Ways to Increase your Blog Traffic by Darren Rowse:ProBlogger.com and the other, post is by Seth Godin’s 54 56 Ways to Get Traffic to your Blog, which is also linked to from Darren Rowse’s Blog. Since they helped me out just by reading their articles, I link to them as a thank you and so other readers, like yourself can visit their blogs.

Happy Bloggin!

DJ Francisco, Houston
Wedding Vendor Blogger