Hi,

With easing lockdowns everywhere, I’ve finally started thinking about travel. I was searching for options online and going down the rabbit hole search engines offered me.

​​Have you ever wondered how search engines work?

And how to find the right information – something that’s not driven by an agenda or commercial motive?

Let’s discuss both these – because they are important for SEO and everything else we do.

How search works

How does the search engine answer your question: “What’s the best coffee?” How does it determine what sites have relevant information? How does it organize everything and present results in a manner we can understand?

Google has the answers – as usual!

Google has an excellent mini-site that explains how search works. Since we’re learning SEO – and also because we make important decisions based on search – it’s useful to go through the entire process. They have a video too – “Trillions of questions, no easy answers”.

At the minimum, I recommend you study how results are automatically generated. It covers search engine ranking algorithms – meaning, relevance, quality, usability and context. There are lots of things to learn here.

For instance this para:

The most basic signal that information is relevant is when content contains the same keywords as your search query. For example, with web pages, if those keywords appear on the page, or if they appear in the headings or body of the text, the information might be more relevant.

Understanding these things will help you adapt your content for better SEO.

Plus it provides background for the SEO topic I want to cover in the next week’s email.

So please read this – before the next class! 😉

How to find the truth on the web?

Google has the answers but can you rely on them?

Side note: I switched to Brave as a browser and DuckDuckGo as a search engine a few months ago. I’ve been happy with the shift in most cases. I still use Google for searches when DuckDuckGo can’t just understand what I’m trying to achieve.

We both know the web is full of misinformation, agenda-driven content and traps. Just like people in the real world actually… but this is not the time for a rant…

So how to find the truth on the web?

For starters, take everything with a pinch of salt. Then apply your own analysis and judgment.

Here’s a 12 step truth seeking process Tyler-Jensen follows when reading news and other such content. It’s valid for all other quests where you see opinions.

Lead magnets, opt-ins & GDPR

Email still works. People still subscribe to newsletter opt-ins. Lead magnets and content upgrades still help build your brand and convert users.

Then there is GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation. Most of us aren’t properly complying with it either.

No, it’s not limited to cookie consent and consent checkboxes on forms.

Here are four useful resources for you:

• Lead magnet best practices and 50 insanely high converting real world examples
• The definitive guide to lead magnets in 2022
• GDPR for entrepreneurs: what you need to know from Amy Porterfield
• An interesting exploration: Can you still use lead magnets for list building under the GDPR?

How the powerful clean up their digital past

Information on the web shapes people’s opinions. So when powerful people spot (and leave) litter on the web, what do they do? They hire a reputation laundering firm to clean up their digital pasts.

Read: Exposed documents reveal how the powerful clean up their digital past

A writing prompt

✍

Call or text someone you have not spoken to in too long. Report back to the journal.

How do you find the truth online? How do you manage your reputation online? What did you learn about SEO today?

Reply and share! I love reading your responses!

Take care,