What urged me to write this enlightening article about top search engine rankings and link popularity, is the dodgy disorder and misinformation, when it comes to promoting a web site on the Internet.
Let's break down some myths that devastate your promotional efforts and eventually cut-through the puff to ultimately... design search engine alluring web sites fast and effectively.
~~ Myth #1 ~~
You can achieve top search engine rankings with masses of doorway pages
Nothing could be as falsely as this way of thinking... you see, search engines have become so intelligent and refined, that this tactic of funneling them with masses of doorway pages, can actually demolish your promotional efforts and rankings.
Nowadays, search engines are for most webmasters, surprisingly sophisticated. Techniques that made use of "Doorway Page Generators" which create "instant content" and optimize tenths, even hundreds of keywords "on the fly", is a thing of the past.
Most high-trafficked sites, if not all, are a derivative of well-linked and unique content. Another crucial factor to top search engine spots is the strategic structure of a web location and internal web page connectivity. Visualize the "perfect" web site structured just like a spider develops its' netting - it's so "symmetrical" and "connected" unlike a labyrinth.
~~ Myth #2 ~~
The More Links your Sites Receives, the Better the Search Engine Ranking...
Forget about exchanging links with numerous web sites, even in your industry. The latest trends on search engine marketing among webmasters today, is to extensively trading links and hosting a "links" page to boost link popularity... guess what...
Even 1, or 2 External Links are Ample to Rejoice Top Search Engine Rankings and Optimum Link Popularity!
Search engines are quick to recognize "artificially generated link popularity" due to link trading. However, savvy webmasters exchange unique content by forming joint ventures and strategically placing their links within the text.
~~ Myth #3 ~~
Start an "Awards Program" to Boost Link Popularity and Search Engine Rankings
The only objective you'll achieve with an "Awards Program" is high-rankings for those keywords only. Webmasters who solely developed such schemes to elevate link popularity via "awards", never accomplished their obvious goal which was to receive targeted + quality traffic. Unless your site promotes awards, this technique is entirely obsolete when it goes to luring targeted and quality traffic.
~~ Myth #4 ~~
Posting to Forums and Guestbooks using a virtual "signature" will add to your Link Popularity
Again, search engine robots seem to "ignore" this abused "strategy". Don't worry, you won't get your site banned, but also don't anticipate measurable results.
~~ Myth #5 ~~
Using Search Engine Submission Services and Software will Skyrocket your Search Engine Rankings
If most search engines offer a "free submission" option, what would be the benefit of paying for a submission service to promote your site? Obviously no benefit.
Since search engines are programmed to "spider / crawl" your web site through the links it receives from other web locations (sites), any additional promotional effort is evidently futile.
~~ Myth #6 ~~
Search Engines don't Index Dynamically Generated Pages...
Top search engines like Google and Altavista (and not only) do index dynamically generated pages / links, but don't necessarily count them as a "good hub" towards optimum link popularity. Dynamically generated hyperlinks / web-pages like affiliate links and certain database-driven webs, can be "spidered" and actually appear in search engine indexes. It's up to a search engine's algorithm to "decide" how high will a web page appear in its' results.
Enigmatic Hint: A selected few savvy webmasters are acquainted with a little-known, yet legitimate technique, that is based on a specific search engine algorithm to generate thousands of dollars in affiliate marketing commissions.
Combining the forces of link popularity and a strategic usage of meta tags (oh, yes... meta-tags are *still* important), will turn any web site literally hot wired and competitive. However, you'd need more than conventional search engine marketing methods to vie with your competition.
Many webmasters have resorted to submission software to boost rankings and automate the indexing procedure. These tools are promoted aggressively by marketers who promise to produce superlative results. Yes, these "tools" were good but... once upon a time. The main purpose of using such tools is to automate your search engine submission, but you'd better resort to other, self-promotional avenues by... enriching your knowledge.
Since we "debugged" 6 of the most shattering search engine marketing myths based on top ranks and optimum link popularity, the "comeback" is almost obvious...
The postmortem of the whole chronicle, is that the search engine marketing savvy is a priceless "virtual" asset. No matter how classy a website is, if it isn't search engine optimized, only a strong budget can bring-in visitors (add "prospective" before visitors) -- an everlasting "marriage" with the advertising companies.
About the Author
George Papazoglou is the Creator of the Search Engine Pro-2001 Marketing Course and ex-Web Site Optimization Veteran.
Author's web site:
http://web-site-promotion.gr 
