SEO: Can it be all so simple

Regarding search engine optimization and positioning, Seth Godin writes:

"If you want to be on the front page of matches for 'White Plains Lawyer', then the best choice is to build a series of pages that give people really useful information."

— Seth Godin in Building 43

Can it really be so simple? Yes, of course it can.

When we kick off a web project, one of the first things we try to impress upon the client is the importance of their content.

Write for people: Put yourself in the user’s shoes. They’re staring at your “Hours and Directions” web page. What do they want? What other pages might interest them? Write your content so it’s easy to cross-link and direct the user to other pages of interest.

Write for search engines: Use phrases that you think people will use in search engines. Perhaps you run a museum and think people will search for “history of shipbuilding”. Use that exact phrase where applicable. Instead of some fancy marketing lingo like “learn 18th century boat building traditions in our…”, rephrase that to “learn the history of shipbuilding in our…”. Decide on 4–5 key search phrases and lightly repeat them throughout your content.

Implement with standards, text, and hierarcy: Once you've written smart, informational content, any competent web developer should be able to edit your content for the web and design a standards-based, accessible website with clear hierarchy.

It's not rocket science. Google is clear about what they want.

Do you read your own website? Does it make sense? Is it useful? Did you like it? If you answered "Yes" to all of these, then your website content is probably in good shape. It's that simple.