ST. LOUIS – Associated Geos continues its series of interviews with outside vendors and Web experts by exploring the vital and topical subject of SEO.

Jeffery L. Smith is the CEO of SEO Design Solutions, which is a Chicago-based company specializing in SEO issues with new approaches and solid advice for GeoDomains.

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Associated Geos: SEO is one of the hottest terms in Web development today. What’s the definition of that term for your company? How do you approach it differently?
Jeffery Smith: Our approach differs in the depth of analysis and execution. This ranges from the architecture of the Web we assess to determine the thresholds for relevance.

This process of analysis ranges from how information retrieval works, what relevance model search engines use to gauge and assign a relevance score as well as what thresholds are needed (from the standpoint of on-page and off-page optimization) to overcome the authority of the competitors presently occupying the top-ranking keywords we are targeting.

Being able to implement SEO as a facet of development means building best practices into the actual content management system instead of going back “after the fact” to optimize content, site architecture or links. Consider it SEO by design. 

AG: What are the top three considerations of a new Web site launch today?
JS: Creating relevance, understanding how to manage expectations while the process cultivates authority and knowing what to do, when to do it and why. It’s about referencing the amount of content required, how to structure internal links and how to provide enough link flow to make pages buoyant in search engines.

AG: On your Web site, you talk about “value propositions” and “call to action” for maintaining users. How does that apply to a typical Web site and a GeoDomain today?
JS: Post-click marketing is equally as important as the promotional format utilized to secure that visitor. If you manage to generate 100,000 new visitors to your Web site and 99,999 leave (due to a lack of usability, a clear offer or a lack of relevance), then the process of promotion is a moot point.

Conversion is the bottom line. Competitive intelligence coupled with value propositions can differentiate an action/reward modality for new prospects.

For example, “enter your name and e-mail address to receive our special report that’s worth $499” can differentiate getting your foot in the door to cultivate additional conversions or losing that prospect to another competitor not providing any significant value.

AG: In looking at GeoDomains, how do you envision their user interaction today? Where do you see that interaction going in the future?
JS: I see that interaction being a considerable asset from two perspectives. You could consolidate top-level domains that are GeoDomain specific by using subdomains with keyword-rich anchor text as prefixes.

This can cater to a broader array of consumers as well as build multiple monetization models within the site. These could be sold for a sizable sum to someone interested in segmenting that traffic.

AG: What characteristics in basic tracking and analytics do you offer? Why is it an advantage to your customers?
JS: Google Analytics is sufficient for most Web sites. However, I also like Hittail, which is built by Mike Levin from Connors Communications (the originators of PPC for Amazon.com). Hittail provides real-time statistics and suggests new keywords based on traffic patterns to uncover hidden, long-tail gems.

Analytics is really a secondary component. It serves to measure benchmarks that determine which keywords are worthy targets for acquisition through intensive research and competitive intelligence. Analytics allows you to fine-tune optimization and is crucial for distinguishing profitable keywords from keywords that attract tire kickers and waste valuable resources and time.

AG: What are the newest and hottest ways to monetize traffic on the Internet today?
JS: In my honest opinion, affiliate marketing through all-encompassing authority sites is one of the hottest ways to monetize traffic. Observing Like.com provides a clear example of a Web site that ranks for everything but virtually owns nothing. They pass that traffic along (with obvious commissions earned from affiliate revenues from the target sites).

AG: What does the term “Web 2.0” mean to you? Are we in the thick of it or have we passed it?
JS: To me, Web 2.0 means that crawler technology from search engines has redefined the signals of search it considers relevant. Directories were big seven years ago and then they were considered a threat to search engines and devalued. Social media is now the new buzz for online promotion.

Regardless of what you call it (i.e. Web 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0), it all goes back to relevance, editorial value and promotion and which one poses the least amount of spam for search engines.

AG: GeoDomains are primarily still tourist-oriented destinations. In developing the Web sites further, what evolutionary direction would you recommend?
JS: Aside from tourism, you could implement a niche-specific shopping model or a comparison site such as finding the best deals in any given category.

If you have the ability to rank for any GeoDomain-targeted key phrase from the strength of the domain, you may as well find the niche with the highest natural appeal and margin. If you must focus on volume, think about thrift and saving people money. Our economy has made deals the hottest new marketing medium online.

AG: What are some of the latest tools in SEO science that older Web sites may not have access to?
JS: The ability to assess the link graph for off-page SEO using MajesticSEO.com is still one of the most effective indicators for why a site ranks the way it does. Though they started mapping out the Web prior to Google (with an index half Google’s size and they’re privately held), they hold some of the most powerful insights into what type of footprint a Web site has and why.

Also, Compete.com is a great tool to investigate which keywords are driving traffic to your competitors. As far as the other private tools, I will have to keep it close to the chest and stay tight-lipped on that one. 

AG: What’s the best way to determine a client’s potential customer today using SEO techniques developed within your company?
JS: Common sense, trend analysis (excluding seasonal data) and looking for root keywords with a baseline increase in trajectory annually (such as 20 percent) is one method. Aside from that, you need to dig into the web and look past traditional methodologies.

Focusing on modifiers (words used to augment keywords) can yield twice the conversions with half the competition targeting them. What’s the takeaway? Don’t overlook the long-tail or mid-tail keywords that are charged with consumer intent. While more competitive or broad keywords usually have more searches, how many people are looking for a definition versus a product or service?

Hone your modifiers and target the entire market rather than just a segment from obsessing on a narrow array of phrases. Our tactics devour market share and promote keyword stemming through logical internal linking, selective deep links and theming and siloing content.

It’s merely a matter of time before competitive keywords are acquired and just another keyword driving relevant traffic to test for optimal conversion and conversion optimization. SEO is great, but once the traffic arrives, you still have to convert that traffic into customers.