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Optimizing through community activism

Posted by Michael Martinez on January 8, 2008 in Intermediate SEO

Sharing what you know about search engine optimization resources is dangerous because either the spammers or the stampeding herds of wannabe optimizers inevitably overrun all good resources, abuse them to death, and ruin them for everyone. Responsible SEO sharing requires that you be careful and not endorse any idea or technique that you actually use unless there is some measure of protection for it.

For example, I’ve been telling people for years to get links from professional organizations and chambers of commerce because their membership requirements tend to be restrictive. But there are other places where you can get links that I don’t discuss because — well — they are not so picky about who uses their services. It has always been this way. Back in the late 1990s when people shared resources openly they were quickly ruined by the rampaging mobs.

I can recommend business directories like ThomasNet, Yahoo!, YellowPages, SmartPages, etc. because they, too, at least have some entry requirements (like a physical address). You can’t just buy a link from those guys, you have to be link worthy in their own eyes.

Business directories will link to any legitimate business site that meets their minimum criteria. That gives you, the business site operator (or optimizer) two options: you can find picky business directories that will pick your site or you can modify your site so that it meets their picky criteria.

It doesn’t hurt to pursue both options if you really need the links.

Trade shows, festivals, community organizations, city government pages, mall directories, and even some local shoper guides will link to legitimate business sites that are relevant to their communities or functions. Not every trade show does this. Not every community does this. But if you live and work in a community that doesn’t link to local business sites, you at least have the option of attending the organization or government meetings and suggesting that the local business community be given a little help.

Web volunteerism doesn’t have to begin and end with Ickipedia and DMOZ. You can help your local community promote itself on the Internet through Web Awareness campaigns. That is time-consuming and it may be an uphill struggle in some communities but you might just be surprised at how many online friends and allies you can make in your own backyard.

If your community has a lot of businesses that could benefit from a Web presence but which are not Internet-savvy, you may be able to organize an Internet Marketing Fair where you hold workshops, hand out free resources (you could even print out the SEO Theory Search Engine Optimization Quick Reference Guide as long as you don’t charge for it), give some presentations, and maybe let your fellow local Internet marketers promote themselves at booths.

Make it a Saturday in the Park kind of thing.

You don’t have to ask people to pay you for SEO service if you’re helping them build an online community. The rewards and compensation will come later, after their Web sites are established. You can help your community build a flexible road map for the Web that encourages (but does not require) local businesses to link to community resource pages, that explains the benefits of linking and promoting community resource pages, and that helps people understand the value of promoting their Web site through their business cards, stationary, print and media advertising, and their sponsorships of local sports teams.

Many small business operators already know about the Web, but they don’t know about the power of participating in Web communities. A Web community that promotes a local community is a fantastic resource for people who are traveling to that area, for people who live and work in that area, and for the businesses who participate in the local community.

You don’t have to measure success by how many hundreds of business owners who join your campaign. Instead, measure success by one Web site at a time. Every time you persuade someone to alter their Web site (including city and county government sites) to help promote the community, you win.

If you’re already a member of your local Chamber of Commerce (and many business owners join more than one Chamber), ask about their Web site, what they do to promote their community on the Web, and how you can help. If they have no Web strategy or program, propose one. Ask a few other members of your organization to co-sponsor the proposal.

If your city or county Web site does not link to local community organizations, contact their Web site administrator and find out what it would take to get the links on there. Be as helpful as possible. Do some research. Send them a letter with the information they need to get started. Show them links to other city and government Web sites that promote local events and organizations.

Don’t be afraid to ask your city or county council to authorize Web site content about local businesses and organizations. Be flexible enough to suggest that if they feel it would be a burden or inappropriate that they could charge a small fee to offset the administrative cost of hiring someone to update the site regularly.

If you’re involved in charitable events, if you sponsor local sports teams, if you provide assistance to your community in any way, find every opportunity to tell those with the link-making power that one way to thank their supportive local businesses is to provide links. Help them learn how to link effectively. Help them set up guidelines that ensure the integrity of their linking program is protected.

In short, think outside the Web. The Internet doesn’t exist in a vaccuum. You can help other people and in return ask for their help. Oftentimes, they’ll give that link happily and freely.

Give value for value.