In the early stages of my website development and digital marketing journey, I found myself at the crossroads of a new and burgeoning field: Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. The year was 2009, and while the Internet was already home to countless websites, the science behind ranking in search engine results was still a relatively untouched territory for many. As with my previous endeavors, I found myself intrigued by this enigma and took my first steps into understanding and leveraging SEO.
My initiation into the world of SEO was through a series of tests and trials. I experimented with keywords, meta tags, and website architecture to understand how they impacted a website\’s visibility on search engine result pages. These initial experiments, although rudimentary, laid the groundwork for my subsequent understanding of SEO.
Around the same time, Google, which had already been a dominant player in the search engine landscape, was steadily revolutionizing the way search engines worked. While many other search engines primarily focused on keywords and the density of these keywords on a webpage, Google was creating a more sophisticated and holistic approach.
In a well-researched comparison, while most search engines of that era were like an old card catalog system in a library, merely indexing web pages based on visible content, Google was more akin to a discerning librarian. It was developing a nuanced understanding of not just the content of a webpage but also the context, quality, and relevance of the information.
One of the game-changing features Google introduced was its emphasis on backlinks. Backlinks, or links from other websites pointing to your site, were treated as votes of confidence in your content. The more quality backlinks you had, the higher your site would rank in Google\’s results. This approach drastically differed from the then-common practice of keyword stuffing and brought a new perspective on creating meaningful and share-worthy content.
I remember implementing this strategy on one of my websites in the construction materials business. After a thorough overhaul of the site\’s content and building a network of relevant backlinks, I started seeing a marked improvement in the site\’s Google ranking. It was one of my early victories in SEO, underscoring the effectiveness of Google\’s new approach.
The years 2009 to 2012 were transformative, not just for me but for the entire digital marketing landscape. Google\’s advancements were setting it apart from other search engines, placing it in a league of its own. The algorithm updates were turning more complex, prioritizing organic engagement over manipulated metrics. It was a turning point in my career as I realized the importance of keeping up with these rapid changes and continuously refining my strategies.
Looking back, I see those early years in SEO as a period of exploration and discovery. The lessons I learned then continue to shape my approach to SEO and digital marketing. But as the adage goes, change is the only constant, and the field of SEO is no exception. I look forward to sharing more stories from my journey in the coming articles. Stay tuned!