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It’s true.  Google is not the only search engine out there.  Nevertheless, search engine optimization professionals spend the lions’ share of their time trying to get their clients websites to rank on Google.  And when they’re not doing that, they’re trying to figure out the latest changes and updates to the algorithms Google uses to determine the order in which websites will be listed on the SERPs.

So, why are we SEO professionals so focused on Google?  There are countless reasons why Google gets so much attention in terms of optimization.  First, they really wrote the book on…well, on the most common practices of all the major search engines.  You can almost guarantee that if Google makes a major change to how it determines rank, the other websites will quickly follow suit.

Regardless, of these reasons there is one overriding fact that makes SEO professionals disproportionately focus their efforts on Google.  The reason is market share.  According to Hitwise, of all the searches done on the Internet in the United States from mid-March to mid-April of 2010, 70.57% of those searches were done using Google.  15.14% of the searches for the same period were performed on Yahoo, while only 9.57% were done on Bing.  When people conduct searches on the Internet, they are usually using Google.

That doesn’t mean that you should stop all efforts to rank on Yahoo or Bing.  You can spend anywhere from six months to three years trying to rank for common keywords on Google.  Rankings on Yahoo and Bing are not necessarily easy to come by, but these sites are definitely less competitive than Google.

Where should you put your energy?  Weigh your options.  Getting a high ranking on Yahoo or Bing could be just the thing to get your company the exposure it needs while you continue working towards ranking on Google.  Think of it this way, there are a few hundred million searches done on the Internet every day.  While Yahoo and Bing have a small amount of market share, it’s still one colossal market.

Long tail keywords are the keywords phrases that usually utilize more than a few words and are therefore, more specific.  For instance, someone might search for “laptop” this is a very generic search term.  “Dell laptops” is a little more specific.  However, a keyword phrase like “Dell Latitude D520” is quite specific.  When people search for very specific keywords it’s clear that they know what they want.  They’re not looking for generic information.  Oftentimes, they are ready to buy.

To be clear, phrases at the top of the graph like “shoes” are being searched for millions of times a month.  Phrases like “men’s shoes” that appear in the middle of the graph are generally searched for tens of thousands of times each month.  Phrases that appear in the long tail represent phrases that are searched for between 0 – 10 times per month.  However, the long tail makes up the bulk of what people are searching for.  If you need a pair of running shoes, which of the three above keywords would you search for?

The problem that many businesses run into is that they put so much time and effort into common, simple keyword phrases.  While ranking for those phrases is very possible, it can often take 6-9 months of diligently building a strong SEO portfolio of blogs, links, viral marketing, and much, much more.  You could spend hundreds of man hours trying to rank for 4 or 5 common keywords.  On the other hand, if you spend those same man hours trying to rank for dozens or so long tail keywords, you’d see a drastic increase in your ROI.

If long tail keywords have not been a part of your marketing strategy they need to be.  You’ll convert more prospects while doing less work.  What makes more sense than that?  For a look at how SurchSquad used long tail keywords to get a #1 listing on Bing, check out this post.

Here at SurchSquad we spend a lot of time helping businesses achieve first page rankings for their websites.  At the same time, we’re always working to increase our own rankings on the major search engines.  Late last week we achieved the top place position on Bing for the search keyword phrase “SEO for small business.”

Our #1 ranking on Bing is a terrific example of the SEO process at work.  These results didn’t happen overnight.  We achieved them by using the proven SEO strategies that we talk about on this blog and in our Small Business SEO guide.  They’re also the tools we use for our clients every day.

One of the most effective tactics we used was to think outside the box when it came to exploring our keyword options.  The most obvious keywords for our business are phrases like “SEO” and “SEO companies.”  However, the competition for these keywords is fierce.  Ranking for them could literally take a year or more.

So, we got creative.  By focusing specifically on three and four word phrases, we were able to come up with keywords that worked for our business, but had a lot less competition.  Don’t get me wrong, there was still a lot of work to do in getting to that #1 position.  Bing lists almost 4 million results for the keyword phrase “SEO for small business.”  Getting to the top meant consistently using tried and true SEO tactics like taking the time to conduct extensive keyword research and building a comprehensive link building campaign.

We can’t stress enough how crucial it is to know which keywords to focus on when you set out to optimize your website.  Here are a few ideas of what you can do to determine which keywords you should emphasize to increase your results with the search engines.

1. Get creative with your keywords. We focused on three and four word keyword phrases that had less competition than our main keywords.  Utilize keyword research tools like Google’s Keyword Analyzer to find relevant modifiers to your main keywords that will be most effective for your company.
2. Get more bang for your buck by focusing on specific geographic locations. Geography is a great modifier for companies that sell and operate locally.  For example, focus on a keyword phrase like “New York City Plumber” instead of “Plumber.”
3. Examine how most people navigate to your website. Google Analytics or your server logs can help you determine which keyword phrases people are using to navigate to your website.  You might be surprised at the keywords on your website that drive your traffic.
4. Use Paid Search campaigns to analyze conversions. One of the best ways to know which keywords are the most profitable is to run Pay-Per-Click or Paid Search campaigns and focus on the keywords that have the highest conversion rates.  Use these high converting keywords to build your SEO campaign.

Getting a #1 ranking on a major search engine is not impossible.  Decide now that you will take the time to implement proven search engine optimization tactics.  You will see better results and you will see your business grow.

We’ve all seen them, the SEO ads that guarantee overnight success.  They promise that your website will be listed in the first position on the major search engines within 24-72 hours of hiring their firm.  Many business owners who are just beginning to explore their SEO options will logically think that it makes more sense to hire a company guaranteeing first page or first position placement almost immediately as opposed to the company that is offering this same level of success in three to six months.

Here’s the problem.  No company that utilizes ethical SEO techniques can guarantee immediate first page results.

One of the most important things to know when you begin thinking about how to optimize your website is that there are several SEO techniques that will get your site banned from the major search engines.  Google, Yahoo, and Bing may refuse to list your site at all for an extended period of time.  Unfortunately, SEO companies that guarantee incredible results are most likely utilizing techniques that will get your website banned.  You’ll still need to pay for their services because they delivered on their promise, even if your website was eventually pulled from the major search engines.

Optimizing your website for the long haul is not like turning on a switch.  It requires employing a series of tactics and strategies on your website and elsewhere on the web.  It requires extensive research and keyword testing.  To put it plainly, it requires patience.

Almost all of our clients have and continue to achieve first page rankings for their top keywords however, these results occurred over the course of months not hours.  To read about the kind of success our client’s have achieved, check out our free SEO guide “6 Tips on How Search Engine Optimization Can Help You Grow Your Business.”

No matter which firm you hire for your optimization needs, make sure to choose one that’s not going to get your site banned or damage your brand.