Is SEO Still as Relevant as it Was in the Past?

By Jan Shimano

There is no denying that it can be very beneficial to optimize our websites. This will bring us much appreciated targeted and free traffic. The alternative would be attract traffic using pay-per-click (PPC). If we were given the choice, I imagine that we would all choose the free traffic over the paid. The problem is that many become overly dependent on SEO and when the search engines make major changes with their algorithms, overnight we see our free traffic dry right up.

That being said, SEO, in my estimation is still a very worthwhile skill to develop. Many think that this is something that is very difficult to learn, but in my experience I have found it to be more straightforward than coming to grips with all the intricacies of pay-per-click. Even when I first started out, it took very little effort on my part, in all instances, to reach the first page of Google with my articles. The first time it happened I thought it must be a fluke, but then it happened again and again. I then realized that the little I did know about SEO was sufficient to get me on page one of Google each and every time.

As a beginner, I was under the impression that there were well guarded secrets to ranking well with the search engines. I thought I would have to take a few courses to be effective at it. That was not the case. There is so much free information available on the Web, that a person can be educated and ready to take action in no time. I also searched on YouTube and found a number of instructional videos that helped me a lot. I now actually have people asking me what my 'secret' is.

Please do not relying entirely on search engine optimization for your traffic. I suggest that you acquire an understanding of pay per click advertising. You could also learn about affiliate marketing for other products or companies. This does not cost anything and there are many who only specialize in affiliate marketing and make a very healthy living at it. You can register at Clickbank for free and with next to no training you can, very quickly, be on the Internet selling someone else's product and making money.

It's a great idea to actually create a product of your own. That might sound quite intimidating to most of you, but producing a monthly newsletter or an e-book is not as difficult as you imagine. You could even list your e-book on Clickbank and have other affiliates sell your product for you.

So, you don't have to rely entirely on search engine optimization to get high rankings on Google or the other search engines. For me personally, it is still my favorite way to easily rank. However, I am aware that things could change very quickly, so I have involved myself in some alternatives.

So is SEO still the powerhouse it used to be and is it still as relevant as it was in the past? My answer to both of these questions is a big YES. Obviously, there might be some changes in the future, but if it is free traffic that you are looking for, then I think getting a good understanding of SEO and puting it into practice is essential.

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