In order for
your business to rank well on search engine results pages, it will take time
with steady work, just like getting in shape does.
While at first glance it
seems the two have nothing in common, both the SEO and the fitness industries
share many characteristics:
1. No
Guaranteed Results. SEO consultants
and Fitness Instructors can only do so much as far as planning and execution
goes. When it is all said and done, it
is truly up to the client to get the results they are looking for. Hard work and making the initial move comes
on their end, and cannot be delivered by the consultant or instructor.
2. Both
Follow a Long-Term Plan. Great SEO
as well as a great body do not happen overnight. Optimization initiatives as well
as a workout plan that is implemented over time will bear long lasting results.
3. No
Short Cuts. If someone tries to tell
you there is one, it will not work over an extended period of time and it will
cause some serious side effects. Just as a diet pill will not make a lazy
person an olympic athlete, neither will an automated link-building program make
an SEO campaign rise to the top of the SERPs.
4. The
Playing Field is Not Level. Not
every company nor person has what it takes to be number one. That’s why there is only one number one! Know that your business might not ever be the
number one ranking local SEO company in the area, but still try hard and
achieve great results.
5. Motivation
is Important. In both industries, motivation should not be brought on by
the need to win approval of others. In sports, a person should be motivated to
live a well balanced lifestyle and to get his or her body in the best shape
possible. In SEO, there may not always
be success with each and every search engine. However, optimization for search
engines will help in short-term setbacks.
6. Measuring
Progress is Key. Without any sort of metrics, it is impossible to know how
far you’ve come. Measuring is absolutely
necessary to know the progress you have made.
7. If
it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be
true. Just as aspiring athletes
should not fall for quick fixes and over night weight loss pills, SEO users
shouldn’t rely on black hat SEO and gimmicks.
