30 replies to this topic

[wassim]

Hello,

I saw someone writing the statement: "An SEO Expert is invisible".... In fact, I think it's true. But I was wondering why is that? Why don't they share what they know to the public?

An Expert SEO person (who is a friend of mine) told me that, if SEO Experts tell the public about all the secrets, there wouldn't be anything special about SEO/SEM anymore. I disagree with this! I think it's always good to share what you know. After all, SEO rules are all related to a search engine, and if a search engine changed its algorithm widely, then even the secrets of those experts will become useless!

Is it possibly that SEO experts are afraid that more people will know SEO and it will become harder for them to get new projects? Are there really SEO Secrets? and does Jill tell us about those secrets in the private lessons?

Least but not last, how can someone become an SEO Expert?

Regards,
Wassim

[BBCoach]

Not true. SEOs are not secretive as evidenced by all of the accurate information written and posted on this site. The problem is newbies wanna believe there's some secret sauce that'll give them a short-cut to success. The truth of the matter is you can find most (if not all) of the "SEO Secret Sauce" on this forum if you'll read it.

Least but not last, how can someone become an SEO Expert?

You'll know you're an SEO expert when you find yourself continually learning SEO. Nobody has learned it all and have arrived. Most people on this forum have been doing this for 10+ years and do freely give direction and how-to info. My opinion is that a good SEO is not secretive, but can articulate the "why something works." The secret sauce is in being able to evaluate a website and having the experience to guide a company to conversion success. Not something that lends itself well to writing a few paragraphs and claiming "that's the answer." Why? Because each website is a unique case (with some similarities) that needs an experienced SEO to point the way.

[SEOreports]

I agree totally with BBCoach.

I think the issue mainly revolves around the fact that Search Engines are always evolving and changing their algorithms. And because of this SEOs need to adapt and modify their strategies and tactics on client websites And hence the "SEO Secret Sauce" is always changing.

Part of this is the belief that SEO/SEM is a "Static" never changing process. Which of course, true SEOs know that this is not true. How many of us still get the phone calls from "Reputable" SEO Companies, telling you they can get you top Rankings in Google by updating your keyword meta data? I got one today, like where have they been for the last several years...

[wassim]

Not true. SEOs are not secretive as evidenced by all of the accurate information written and posted on this site. The problem is newbies wanna believe there's some secret sauce that'll give them a short-cut to success. The truth of the matter is you can find most (if not all) of the "SEO Secret Sauce" on this forum if you'll read it.
You'll know you're an SEO expert when you find yourself continually learning SEO. Nobody has learned it all and have arrived. Most people on this forum have been doing this for 10+ years and do freely give direction and how-to info. My opinion is that a good SEO is not secretive, but can articulate the "why something works." The secret sauce is in being able to evaluate a website and having the experience to guide a company to conversion success. Not something that lends itself well to writing a few paragraphs and claiming "that's the answer." Why? Because each website is a unique case (with some similarities) that needs an experienced SEO to point the way.

Well, I have been learning SEO since almost a year and half and reading in High Rankings since a very long time. I am not a newbie.

Well, my "secret" term appeared as if it's a synonym to "magic", which is not what I meant... I simply wonder that I know people that are so good at what they do (SEO/SEM), and they never want to share what they know... I never meant anything against HR members, because honestly speaking, it is one of the best forums that I joined ever....

Thanks for your tip anyway and I hope you didn't get my question in a wrong manner, and if it appeared so - then kindly accept my apology.

Regards,
Wassim

[circleck]

i think that it also has to do with the fact that so many people are so technically illiterate about things like SEO and the internet in general. i feel like your average internet surfer treats the internet like they do electricity...they don't know how it works, they don't care how it works, they just know that when they flip the switch - there it is!

but while there's probably no "secret sauce" i do think that - like any industry or thing - some SEO people are probably better at it than others - whether it's talent, luck, work harder, whatever.

[BBCoach]

No offense taken wassim nor was my reply meant as one either. If a quote "SEO Expert" won't tell you why or how they're doing something, then run as fast away as you can. It's these kind of experts legitimate SEOs have to contend with when making bids for jobs. The secret sauce is a lot of hard work over a 12-36 month time frame, but companies want rankings NOW and will fall for these so-called experts with their smoke and mirror pony shows. When they fail to get those kind of results, then these same companies go looking for someone else making those exact same kinds of promises in hopes of hitting the SE lottery. I've ran into this so many times it ain't funny. It makes me wanna

[wassim]

No offense taken wassim nor was my reply meant as one either. If a quote "SEO Expert" won't tell you why or how they're doing something, then run as fast away as you can. It's these kind of experts legitimate SEOs have to contend with when making bids for jobs. The secret sauce is a lot of hard work over a 12-36 month time frame, but companies want rankings NOW and will fall for these so-called experts with their smoke and mirror pony shows. When they fail to get those kind of results, then these same companies go looking for someone else making those exact same kinds of promises in hopes of hitting the SE lottery. I've ran into this so many times it ain't funny. It makes me wanna

hehe yes I know what you are talking about
Some of my clients told me about this problem several times - I think SEO can be a real art. You know, I learned so many things in the past years like Programming, Designing, Animation, and even some 3D software.... I became so good at most of these things. What kills me about SEO is that I keep learning and learning, and reading and reading, and I feel I am still standing where I am hehe... Anyway I have achieved really great results and improvements in terms of SEO, and I can optimize my pages and rank them really high in SE for even competitive keywords, but I wished that I could do similar jobs like those big companies that are specialized at SEO, I wished that I could find a job at one of them so I can take a close look on how these guys work... And it's only for learning purposes.
I am trying to masterize SEO this year, since it is my last year at college and then I will graduate and won't find alot of time to learn... You know... Life

Thanks for your prompt replies I wish you all the luck

Regards,
Wassim

[Randy]

Your number one clue...

If anybody ever refers to themselve as an "Expert", they're at least 50% full of .

If other people refer to them using this term and they deny it, then they might be one.

Seriously, there is no secret sauce or anything remotely like it that applies across the board. There is no such thing as SEO-by-numbers. Each site and each market is too different.

There are however some best practices --like you'll see in the [url=http://www.highrankings.com/forum/index.php/topic/833-tips-for-new-seos/]Tips for Newbies[/url] and pinned thread you'll see here at HR-- which if applied diligently will provide 95% plus sites with significant gains. But at the end of the day it's the experience and artful application of ideas the person or persons responsible apply that will drive even those 95% into a top solid, time tested top 5 position.

[zephyr]

"An SEO Expert is invisible".... Why don't they share what they know to the public?

Perhaps what they meant is that a well-optimized site does not appear to be "optimized"...
like a great musician, the technique becomes transparent

I have found most people in SEO to be extremely helpful & open in sharing knowledge

[Diablos]

I have found most people in SEO to be extremely helpful & open in sharing knowledge

Only the good ones

I think I understand the meaning of a good SEO is invisible because a good SEO shouldn't make a site look SEO'd, it should be natural and not forced, just as zephyr said.

There are lots of things bad SEOs do that make sites look crap and we all know that those tactics don't have a long term gain.

I think it is very important to be open with your clients about exactly what you are doing but in the long run many don't wan to know that much.

[Julien]

I think SEO expert work is invisible. IF you go to a page and it looks like they tried to optimize it for SEs, then it's probably not well optimized.

As for SEO "Experts" don't share their knowledge, i will have to disagree as well. I am on a couple of forums and I see very skilled people sharing good advices and tips. Sadly, I also see a lot of SEO "Experts" sharing a whole load of misinformation. It takes a while for someone new to SEO to learn to separate the relevant information with the rest of the information posted by the links dropper who believe a sig link is going to make their website #1 on Google.

I am still fairly new to SEO (I have been learning it for about one and a half year and working in the industry for 6 months now). I wanted to take advantage of this thread to thank SEO experts on this forum. I haven't written much on this forum because it doesn't seem that I have much to add yet. However, I have been an active reader and learned a lot.

I guess I'm going off topic so I will make myself invisible for now.

[Jill]

I think the issue mainly revolves around the fact that Search Engines are always evolving and changing their algorithms. And because of this SEOs need to adapt and modify their strategies and tactics on client websites And hence the "SEO Secret Sauce" is always changing.

This is another SEO myth.

Most SEO companies want you to believe that's true, but it's simply not. If you're making your website be the best it can be for your users while also keeping the search engines in mind, that never goes out of style nor changes.

It's true that we (as SEOs) may figure out more ways that the engines determine relevancy, but stuff simply doesn't change the way people often think. You don't have to constantly SEO your site in order to keep up with changing algorithms, the way some people think you do. You simply don't.

As to their being any secret SEO sauce, we give it out all the time here, in the newsletter, to our clients and in our classes. Everything you need to know about SEO is freely available on this website. It's just you may prefer it packaged up neatly in one place in some sort of order, which is why people might want to take one of our classes or do some SEO consulting with us. And others simply don't have the time, inclination or patience to do their own SEO work, even though all you need to know is here. That's why I'm happy to give out as much info for free as possible. High Rankings was one of the first to do that, and now you'll notice most other SEO companies do it to a certain extent as well.

[wassim]

You are right Jill - I think High Rankings forum is one of the best forums ... Almost 99% of the times I asked questions here, I got the right answer... the thing that never happens in most other forums. Thanks a million Jill

[donp]

I got your secret sauce:

Here is a typical prospective client sales presentation-
Client: "Here's what I want and....."
Me (interupting): " Excuse me, Mr. Potential Client, your website should always serve what your potential customers want; not what you want, not what I want. If we design a site to meet the needs and wants of our customers - we both win.

Now, I rarely use this on potential clients quite that way, but believe me, I make that philosophy the core of my efforts for any site.

[daxmonster]

I don't believe in expert SEO being invisible. I have been an active member on different forums although I'm new here and I see lots of this SEO "experts" sharing their knowledge and secrets. Besides, I personally believe that this people became as so called "experts" because they have been around earlier than others and they also have learned from those who are doing it earlier than them. Its just passing the knowledge to newbies who will be experts in the future. That is what I believe. I didn't know anything about SEO before. I have been doing web design for years and I have no interest in SEO. But when i did, I started reading, downloading, doing some testing, experiments until i found a way that is I think effective. Now I can say i am no newbie but I cant also say that Im an expert. There are lots of things to learn in SEO, and besides, SE algos are changing so different approach is needed to stay alive. That is just my idea of of course..some will agree and some will not...Cheers