SEO/SEM Formulas, Whitehats in Black Clothing and Predicting Search Engine Placement and Outcomes

I listened to some SEO/SEM and PR experts talk about the SEO/SEM world recently, about SEO Blackhats (I didn't know such things existed), about getting high rankings and good placement on search engine listings, and that no formula could do what SEO/SEM experts do.

Just so you'll know before you read further, this column is an experiment. I'm studying how people search for things online and I'm doing it in my typical NextStageish way. This column is really a continuation of the Searching for Search blog arc over on BizMediaScience.

I was at a Boston Social Media Club's The Search for Results: Social Media and Search Marketing panel discussion. Once again I'll emphasize that I know nothing about search, search engines, optimizing, indexing, listing, ranking, anything like that. I'm the fellow who knows I know nothing and readily admits it.

I asked only one question because time didn't allow for more, "Can SEO be formularized?", meaning "Can one create a mathematical expression that determines what needs to appear on a page, where, etc., in order to get high search engine ranking?"

As always, its not the answers, its the way the answers come that provides the most information. I think it's safe to say the answer was "No." One of my favorite answers was a statement that the search engines regularly change their ranking formulas just to prevent such a thing from happening.

I probably wasn't making myself clear. And I know I don't think like most people do.

But the concept of a formula that is in use being undeterminable truly baffles me. I'm not throwing down the gauntlet here, I'm merely recognizing that there's no lock that can't be picked.

Right now and for a while my time will be focused on working with Eric Peterson on The Engagement Project. I'll be working with Eric and WebAnalyticsDemystified to develop an equation that will satisfactorily measure whether or not a given population, audience or individual is "engaged" when they're interacting with digital media.

When I'm done though -- oh, heck, knowing me it'll be simultaneously -- I'll be devoting some cycles to this.

And because I know I don't know anything about it, your comments are both appreciated and welcome.

Please contact NextStage for information regarding presentations and trainings on this and other topics. Upcoming Trainings:

• Know How Someone's Thinking in 10 Seconds or Less Half-day training at Toronto Emetrics Marketing Optimzation Summit, 3 April 08
• "Know How Someone Is Thinking in 10 Seconds or Less" Half-day training at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, 13 June 08

• Toronto Emetrics Marketing Optimzation Summit, 31 March - 2 April 08
• New Communications Forum 2008, 22-25 April 08 at The Vineyard Creek Inn & Spa, Sonoma County CA
• San Francisco Emetrics Marketing Optimzation Summit, 4-7 May 08
• SUNY Marketing Professionals Conference at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, 11-13 June 08

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