Google is the web’s most powerful player and the person at the party everyone wants to become friends with. If the web was a high school prom, Google would be the girl everyone tried to dance with. Too many people don’t understand enough about Google to ever really have a chance of success with it, just like the popular girl at the dance.
You see Google is very elusive. Entire blogs, forums, and websites are dedicated to understanding how Google works and more importantly how to be successful using it. There are more rumors about Google then about Barack Obama’s citizenship, Brittany Spears mental health, and who the father of your child really is 
.
The reason being that Google is tight-lipped about much of its business and especially about how its algorithms work. For this reason Google is mysterious, which leaves the blogging community as knowledgeable about mastering it as a 10 year old is about asking out Megan Fox.
Current Theories on Google
Currently websites offer a variety of information on how to use Google to drive traffic to your blog/site. One of the best (although graphically lacking) tools is the Google Ranking Factors. Produced by Vaughns, the article breaks down Google’s most important factors for ranking sites based upon 200 SEO elements. Google also has its own page to help webmasters better understand what they are looking for. Both articles are an important read for better understanding search engine traffic. Additionally a simple SEO starter guide is available for download through Google.
Terms to be familiar with are SEO (search engine optimization), SERP (search engine results page/position), white hat theories (safe, long-term theories for SEO), black hat (unsafe, temporary theories often banned by Google), and Black Hat vs. White Hat.
White Hat theories are all about building long term traffic to a website through acceptable techniques to the terms of service for search engines. These techniques are built around the concept of legitimate and organic (natural) link building and are preferred for any legitimate business/blog.
Black Hat theories use spam comments, email, and trackbacks to temporarily produce excellent traffic results before being banned by Google and other search engine providers. Black Hat theories are not legitimate business practices for bloggers who are looking to make a living working online. The benefit is temporary and the potential problems are great. Also, your image is tied to the work you do online forever, so make sure its worthy of being on your resume.
How to Get Your Chance with Google
Understanding Google really means only one thing… quality. Megan Fox or the girl you always see after 5th period probably are not going to talk to you if your hair is not done, your teeth are not brushed, and you have no friends to prove that you are worth spending time with.
Google is looking for a clean blog that has quality content and lots of natural friends. The way these two factors are determined are through keywords and links.
Keywords
Quality content not only reads well and is interesting but also is easy for search engines to find. Creating this kind of quality writing can be difficult, so make sure to read up on using the best seo practices for writing content. A good way to learn how to do this is by reading 4 SEO Blogs in particular. Another factor that too many new bloggers don’t understand is the concept of duplicate content. The general rule is that if you have posted it online somewhere, then don’t post it again. It can hurt your blog and minimize the potential quality of the article.
Links
Getting links can be difficult. Especially good quality links from blogs that are both relevant and interesting. Guest posting is an easy way to get links from blogs with lots of traffic and similar topics. The more readers you have the more likely you are to get links. This effect then creates more traffic and more links. If you are now getting it.. the concept for success is to get over the initial bump required to start getting links and traffic. Then the traffic continues to grow and grow more rapidly.
Links can be built most easily by writing quality content. If what you write actually improves the reader, chances are they will refer to your post in an article or social media outlet. This is why writing is so valuable in blogging successfully. Another important tip for getting links is by having a great headline. We compiled an amazing resource for writing excellent headlines. If you have a good headline and excellent content your articles over time are sure to be linked to.
Google Magic
The moment when your blog finally starts getting Google Magic, you will know. Google Magic is the term I made up for the moment your blog hits ‘critical mass’ or when your traffic begins to snowball. Its easiest to see when the magic has come through the following example from one of my clients:
My blog recently reached the goal we set of getting 500 subscribers! Its exciting for me, but what is most interesting is the fact that I am getting more traffic then ever before! Search engine traffic is up, referrals are happening more than usual, and I’m seeing more stumbles and tweets. Its been a really exciting week for me to see so much traffic. Its like a dam burst and the traffic is starting to pour in! Thanks for all your help!
My client points out some good things you should know. First off its important to understand the first couple months are the hardest. It takes time to build a community and establish a brand. The most difficult thing is actually building enough content to be link worthy and search-able.
Google Magic is the breaking point when traffic stops growing at a steady rate and begins to grow exponentially. You see when you have worked hard to provide quality content and link worthy articles your blog will begin to get noticed around the blogosphere. Over time (a few months) your traffic will grow to a point where your readers start promoting you better than you do. This is when Google Magic strikes. Your links are being built and your traffic is increasing and suddenly you begin to get more search engine traffic from Google. What has just happened?
Your blog has just become recognized as being a leading authority and in the next few months you will begin to grow much faster. Its like going from the new kid on campus to having one pretty cool friend. After you get one cool friend other cool kids will meet you and eventually they will introduce you to more. Quickly you will be invited to parties, events, and opportunities to meet more and more popular people. In almost no time you will become a popular person yourself. When that happens you are now able to really be rewarded for your efforts.
The Conclusion
Focusing on quality content through keyword rich articles and excellent links will lead you to breaking the dam and starting to receive lots of traffic from Google Magic. Your traffic will start building exponentially and Google will recognize your authority and popularity online. Over time Google will be coming to you with traffic and opportunities to grow. So think about how you can improve your SEO through keyword rich content and link promotion to break the barrier to more traffic. Then Megan Fox will be asking you out!
The Discussion
Leave a Comment Read Again?Awesome article, I’ve RT’d it. Really enjoyed reading it, and liked the thing about Megan Fox, lol
.-= Simon | Teenius´s last blog ..Tips For Making Changes On Your Blog =-.
Glad you enjoyed it! I hope it helps everyone put it into perspective!
.-= Seth´s last blog ..Google Magic and Dating Megan Fox =-.
Great article.
Thought you were going to hook me up with Megan Fox when I read the title! Still feel like I have gained something anyway.
Will Retweet!
.-= David Shaw´s last blog ..6 Benefits Bloggers Can Gain From Twitter =-.
I’m glad you learned something! Using Google to gain traffic is a necessary part of building a successful blog. Glad it helps!
.-= Seth´s last blog ..Google Magic and Dating Megan Fox =-.
I agree with you there seth! Seems everyone is following google even Bing. lol
.-= Blog Tips´s last blog ..Blogging Tips and Techniques =-.
Hi Seth,
You said: “The more readers you have the more likely you are to get links.” I agree 100% with you. More readers= more bloggers read your amazing content and want to share it.
There are more reasons to explain this situation, for example, get noticed by the linked blogger, etc.
I’m trying to improve the quality content of every post I publish because, as you say, content is really important to have any chance to succeed, not only blogging but in everything we do.
I want to get my chance with Google (Megan Fox)
Thanks for your good tips.
See you Seth.
.-= David | ilcantone.com´s last blog ..HOW TO OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE YOU FACE || 4 STEPS METHOD =-.
Right! Quality content goes a long ways to make your site more worthy of Google. The more links you have the more likely you are to get traffic from Google. Quality content is always the best thing to focus on with your blog. Then when that happens everything else starts to fall in place.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..Google Magic and Dating Megan Fox =-.
Hmm, you must not have got the memo … there’s a new rule in town: You’re only allowed to use the words “Megan Fox” together in a blog post, if the same post contains at least 5 pictures of the aforementioned person.
Now you know
.-= Klaus @ TechPatio´s last blog ..Caroline Wozniacki’s Breasts Are Really Popular =-.
I guess I didn’t
But from just typing in her name I realized there are a million pictures of here online already, so you wont have any trouble finding some.
Hope the post helps develop the concept of becoming popular enough to get some Google traffic and eventually break the plateau into massive traffic.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..Google Magic and Dating Megan Fox =-.
Great tips and links Seth, but I do have to agree Klaus here, the post needs more pictures of Megan, at least couple good ones at the end. I love the topic and read the whole thing, but (my) brain needs rewards after going on overdrive and reading the post. But in all seriousness, perhaps we can live without and just take the massive traffic from Google instead, right?
.-= Antti Kokkonen´s last blog ..Help Me Help You (with Your Questions) =-.
Seth,
If you boil down all the complicated algorithms – a simple way to put it is that Google is like a democracy where users vote on utility and relevance. But people don’t cast ballots, they vote for relevant and useful content by sticking around and reading the content or going somewhere else on the page or to one of its links. They vote against useless, irrelevant content by quickly exiting. Google is constantly looking for the factors that drive this experience. There are lots of “tricks” that can fool voters in the short run, but eventually the campaign promises ring hollow and Google penalizes those that use them. Content eventually wins
Mike that is a fantastic and very relevant way to describe the way Google works. Thanks!
.-= Seth´s last blog ..Google Magic and Dating Megan Fox =-.
Great article Seth. I like how you write the complete review of google search engine and what we can do to deal with it. And you surely have dating megan fox keyword in this article.
.-= Dana @ Online Knowledge´s last blog ..Google Adsense Plugin For Atahualpa WordPress Theme =-.
I’m not sure that Google is that elusive.
They have a whole webmasters area full of hints and tips, what they value is a site, what they will write off as spam, there are plenty of blogs – both official and by their employees. And, you can actually talk to people there!
Sure, they don’t give up the detail of their search algorithms, but I wouldn’t want to know it anyway. What works today might not work tomorrow but if you build your site on the same core values that Google rate then you will be successful. Build quality usable sites (and why would you want to build anything else!) and trust them to rank you accordingly.
Once you understand that Google is trying to pick out the best most relevant site then it becomes easy to set your goal. Realising that goal may not be easy, but if you aren’t prepared to put that work in then do you deserve to be ranked at the top?
Good luck!
.-= BLOGERCISE´s last blog ..How Much Money Do I Really Make Online? =-.
I agree with BLOGERCISE. You can’t expect to be ranked top if you’re not prepared to work for it. It’s a lot of hard work but the rewards are worth the time you spend writing fabulous content that offers value to your readers, tweaking to optimize SEO and also visiting Google to find out what they really want. Black hat theories are cheap tricks not worth any serious blogger’s time. Thanks for a post that attracts attention Seth. I’m still working towards achieving my Google Magic AND dating Megan fox. I won’t wait for her to ask..
.-= David Walker´s last blog ..First Webinar (Almost) a Success! =-.
Using Google to gain traffic is a necessary part of building a successful blog. Glad it helps!
Basically, getting in good with Google is having solid social proof. The more traffic you get, the more inbound links pile up, and the more content you have for Google to index, the more Google becomes attracted to you.
Before you know it, you have to start beating Google Nerds off with a stick and have to get a bodyguard to keep your adoring fans from trampling you or humping your leg…
Maybe not. Either way, I think it’s funny that people get all these crazy ideas about how to rank on Google. Google spells out exactly what you have to do in order to get Google love. Why not try to cheat the system for temporary gain and build the right way. It pays off in the long run.
.-= Blake @ Props Blog Reviews´s last blog ..Twitter Testing ReTweet Button (With RT Tracking) =-.
“Lots of links and quality content.”
True as it is, it may be a little misleading, not to mention dangerous as is to the less learned.
The links themselves should be of better quality as well, or those less learned I speak of are prone to “buy 10,000 links for 50 cents on the promise of a 1st page listing.”
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..IS An Advertising Page Really A Good Idea? An Interesting Opposing View… =-.
I loved the reference to the knowing one cool kid and having that expand. You really put it into perspective right at the end. You spoke of linking, i think that having retweets with your link in them is really important in getting your content circulated well.
lol…Seth you are a very talented writer btw. Quality content does seem to be the common factor in doing well in the Google ranks…I think people just have to put out quality content and contribute to their niche and be patient at the same time. I checked out the link for ranking facotrs in your post, it’s pretty wild!
.-= Basin Blog´s last blog ..You’re feeling warmer!!?? =-.
First, let me just say that this is a killer title. Its actually what brought me to read the article in the first place, and I’m glad I did because I’ve struggled creating a successful blog and this post should be a big help.
Google is every webmaster goal, but it’s not an easy catch, yes its just as when you go to a date, web development has its standards which should be followed or else…
I think patience is important. Everyone wants hundreds of backlinks quickly, but what you’re looking for is quality. 200 carefully placed and written backlinks are better than 500 poor ones, so take your time. I set myself a target of making five quality backlinks a day – imagine, that’s 150 a month so they build quickly enough that way.
Yes John, patience is also a factor in optimizing a site, especially using SEO tactics. SEO using gives result at the long run, quality and relevant links are important and they should be constant…
.-= Link Exchange Forum´s last blog ..Tips regarding Banner Exchange =-.
Google is mysterious, but that’s part of it’s appeal, is’nt it?
With Google constantly changing I’d like to know what you think of Google instant and how that will affect search engine results.
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