SEO is a State of Mind

SEO Projects are All in the Mind

by John Hughes
of http://www.oyster-web.co.uk

Last updated: 19 Sep 2007

I was reading a post in an SEO blog the other day, and a particular throwaway comment caught my eye. Normally, I read the various SEO blogs for a chuckle, as a lot of nonsense is written in many of them. However, for once I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing with something I was reading.

The author described SEO as a "mindset." It wasn't the only sensible statement in his post, but it was perhaps the most profound.

The state of mind required for SEO is perhaps something we search engine marketers take for granted. We know that you have to understand why you should undertake SEO, and how you should approach the actions it entails. We understand that SEO is one of many considerations when building or maintaining a website (albeit one of the most important ones).

However, the Impression we get from a lot of new clients is that SEO is viewed as a limited-time project.

"How long will it take to get to the top in Google for...such and such a keyword?" has started so many conversations with us, and our answers are generally grounded in describing Relevance and holistic strategies.

However, perhaps the most fundamental discrepancy between what the client is asking and what the reality of SEO is all about is that SEO is not a time-limited activity.

A living and breathing website (if you'll forgive the metaphor) should be allowed to live and breathe an air fragranced with SEO, rather than be given occasional SEO injections.

SEO is something that should always be around the website. It is a way of thinking when planning site updates, Content writing and so on, not something that is bolted on after the event.

In summary, SEO is all in the mind - if you are doing it properly.