Principles of Advanced Search Engine Optimization

Posted by Michael Martinez on March 12, 2008 in Advanced SEO

Dana Larson reviewed SEMPO’s ‘Advanced SEO’ Course in February. The course covers five topics:

  1. Advanced Keyword Research
  2. SEO Diagnostic & Audit
  3. Advanced Link Building
  4. Editing & Optimizing pages
  5. Reporting & Analytics

This is actually intermediate SEO. Why? Because I arrogantly say so.

Not that I’m the final arbiter of advanced search engine optimization but the really advanced stuff is based more in theory and less in application. It’s the 9th level of Shao Lin. Not everyone is ready for Kung Fu of that sophistication. Not everyone is ready for search engine optimization with that kind of depth.

An advanced SEO is more interested in mastering the trends and less concerned with studying the day-to-day tasks associated with optimization. You know how to write good content, you know how to get links. Advanced SEO is not about link building and analytics, it’s about resource building and metrics.

You create resources rather than build links in advanced SEO because you want to leverage your resources for as many opportunities as possible.

You define, test, and change metrics in advanced SEO because you need to look at search results, user query trends, and content creation styles from a higher perspective. You cannot let Google Analytics get in the way of effective analysis. You cannot obscure your vision with fluctuations in specific campaigns.

If you’re capable of doing advanced SEO you don’t need SEO tools because you can always find them (and you know better than to pay for anything that is openly promoted on the Web). If you are doing advanced SEO you can eyeball a search results page faster than a room filled with internediate SEOs.

If you’re afraid to form and express an opinion on whether a site has a chance to rank despite the fact it has few or no external links, you’re not ready for advanced SEO.

If you’re not only willing to take a risk with an opinion but feel confident you can back it up with experience you’re ready for advanced SEO, you may be doing advanced SEO.

If you look at a search results page and say, “We have a problem” you’re at the intermediate level. If you look at a search results page and say, “Well, stuff happens”, you’re doing advanced SEO. Forcing yourself to say that doesn’t put you in the advanced category. Keeping your cool, not panicking, knowing that everything will work to your advantage eventually — that puts you in the advanced category.

You cannot teach that kind of SEO in an online course.

Advanced search engine optimization is strategic and focused on the long-term. Intermediate SEO worries about what will happen in the next two months. Advanced SEO really does care about what will happen in 12 months.

So, with that preamble, here are the principles of advanced search engine optimization:

  1. Advanced SEO plans for a minimum of 12 months (or 4 seasons)
  2. Advanced SEO is driven by query trend analysis (rather than keyword analysis)
  3. Advanced SEO focuses on building resources (rather than building links or content)
  4. Advanced SEO shapes Web sites (rather than optimizing them) to achieve specific results
  5. Advanced SEO pays equal attention to all the major search engines, not just Google
  6. Advanced SEO prefers custom-designed tools and tool sets to the stuff you find on the Web
  7. Advanced SEO uses metrics that have not yet been implemented in analytics software

Anyone can do one or even a few of these things. Many experienced SEOs do implement several of these principles in their work. But to be a true master you have to forge ahead of the crowd. There is no test for advanced SEO but if you want to know whether you’re in the advanced category, honestly appraise how much of the advanced stuff you’re really doing.

To move beyond the field you have to take on tasks that are not being taught to everyone with a checkbook. You have to accomplish things that cannot be measured by simple analytics. You have to set goals that are not covered in the SEO tutorials and tip sheets.

Advanced SEO is advanced because it’s cutting-edge, theoretical, research-intensive, and it challenges all the axioms and assumptions that intermediate SEO technicians are comfortable with.

Not everyone gets it. That’s the point. That’s why it’s called advanced SEO.

9 Comments on Principles of Advanced Search Engine Optimization

By MikeBradbury on March 12, 2008 at 3:15 pm

The irony here is that you have no described ‘advanced SEO’. You have described advanced marketing. SEO is about driving search traffic. Marketing is about driving traffic.

The only thing you’re missing is user testing. Not analytics or metrics, but qualitative, one on one user testing.

By Ian-RKNET on March 13, 2008 at 7:17 am

I work for a fairly typical corporate entity, and the higher-ups enjoy a limited and unscientific understanding of SEO. I have had to stick to my guns on a number of occasions, when I knew my opinion was unpopular. Time has proven me right on almost every occasion, but there were a few days when I thought I was crazy or something, because I didn’t share everyone else’s hysterical outlook. I have found that this blog gives me additional validation, and posts like this really hit home. Thanks Michael!

By Carlos on March 13, 2008 at 8:10 am

Some of your posts on Advanced SEO seem very tongue-in-cheek. Referencing things like JRR Tolkien’s Sunday drives and now the 9th level of Shao Lin. Do you feel that this Zen Gardener approach is applicable to real-world optimization?

Your principles border on the too vague to be helpful. But, on the whole a good post.

By Michael Martinez on March 13, 2008 at 8:17 am

Carlos: “Do you feel that this Zen Gardener approach is applicable to real-world optimization?”

Michael: Metaphor and applicability are two very useful modes of communication. When you’re dealing with abstractions, it sometimes helps to veer a little off course to make a comparison.

By mugile on March 13, 2008 at 8:23 am

I think that the majority of the clients (or employers) will not pay you for advanced SEO.
Practicing advanced SEO is a privilege in the SEO industry.

By Carlos on March 13, 2008 at 9:07 am

Mugile: Well then, Michael better hold on to his job. :)

By Michael Martinez on March 13, 2008 at 3:11 pm

mugile: “I think that the majority of the clients (or employers) will not pay you for advanced SEO. Practicing advanced SEO is a privilege in the SEO industry.”

Michael: I agree with you to a certain extent, although Carlos raises some good points on his blog. In fact, a lot of PPC managers would probably argue that some of the advanced principles I lay out here (such as planning a year in advance) are part of core PPC requirements.

I think that the more strategic SEO positions are still relatively few in number but they are growing. For example, in my opinion, Directors of Search should be capable of doing more than just managing basic SEO and/or PPC campaigns. They should be looking down the road as far as they possibly can and anticipating needs that in-the-trenches SEO technicians are too busy to focus on.

By mugile on March 13, 2008 at 10:54 pm

Michael: “Advanced SEO focuses on building resources (rather than building links or content)”
Mugile: Can you elaborate on this topic? Did you mean - building resources for links?

By dahmak on March 29, 2008 at 6:28 pm

Hi Michael,

I have really enjoyed reading your articles, and so far I must say that this is the best SEO literature I have read so far. Obviously no one in the SEO world is giving out the exact recipes of how to achieve good results. Like you I have been developing my own tools which I keep closely guarded while I can’t help but smile when I see posts about page ranks and some of the spammy linking tactics that most everyone writes about. I have been able to get good results mainly from onsite optimization, offsite optimization is definitely important but it needs to be done correctly. I believe that to be successful in this field you have to come up with your own strategies and not follow what everyone else is doing, being a visionary certainly helps.

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About the Author

Michael Martinez is the Director of Search Strategies for 1st Query, an Internet Marketing firm offering organic SEO and PPC services.

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