Search Engine Optimization Basic Tactics

[Ninjakreborn]

So far, I have been studying, and working up some tactics of SEO for my site www.freelancebusinessman.com
I have been talking with a marketer (advertiser), about getting a name change from freelancebusinessman to something else.
We have been throwing out some ideas, but I wanted some advice on multiple things.
These aren't questions on how to do things, but people's advice, or opinions, a few ask for things peolpe have gone through, if they think they work or not.

I have recently gotten to number 1 in google for a search on "freelance businessman" this is good, but I am wanting to get better search results for other things, just need some keywords. I am thinking freelance web developer, and freelance web programmer, are already too heavily populated to be able to do anything substantial.  My ideas are below, I just want thoughts or opinions on these.

1. Get a new name for my business, something that really tells what I do, and about me, get a new layout, I have another (layout designer), working on some layouts for me for today & tomorrow.  But mroe advanced layouts, with more graphics, but I have to wait for him to get back to me, For now, I am thinking of a good/better name for my business.  I will still keep freelancebusinessman.com domain name too, and try to keep the search term freelance businessman up to the number 1 spot.  But I want to get another name, try to start seo'ing some other terms.

2. I am thinking of a tactic for seo on my site.  I was wondering the ethical implications of it, advice from people, if you've tried it and it worked, and whether or not it's against google policy or not.  Since I service, all states, I was thinking for a state by state, local approach.  Create a folder called states, have a specific page geared to each state, tehn just have the regular navigation ande verything pointing back to my site.  But not having all the states, linked to my main page.  THen submitting my state pages individually, so google would crawl back to my site, but get the search terms state specific.  I can create an advertisery page, and just change the state names for each other state.  Maybe even do some city specific to get more hits to specific cities.  Then look in for terms like (georgia as teh first exampl)
Georgia web developer
georgia web development
georgia web designer
georgia web coder
georgia freelance businessman
just more specific targetting so it's more likely to get number 1-10 on the search engines for the local searches, than contending for it worldwide.  Is this a good idea, or no.

[.josh]

this is just my own opinion, and I might be totally...arcane (?) in my thoughts, so take it as a grain of salt:

Your logic is that since you service all 50 states, you wish to target local searches.  That seems peachy on the surface, but is it really?  If I go to google to search for something local, it's usually because I am looking to get some physical contact at some point in time.  I want to be able to physically go down to the store; I want to physically be able to meet up with the person/business, etc... that is the mindset I have, when doing local google searches. 

So when I google "georgia web developer," I am looking for a web developer who is close enough to me that I can physically stand in the same place with him(her) to collaborate on a project.  Maybe it's for security reasons. Maybe it's because I just work better face to face with people. Who knows. Who cares, the reason is irrelavent.

So if I google "Georgia web developer," and your name pops up, and I give you a buzz and think you're the right candidate for the job, or even if I wish to interview you in person, and you say "well..I actually live over here in Montana.." then I will scratch my head and wonder why you are advertising yourself as a Georgia web developer.

Now, I would understand that [i]technically[/i] since a web developer does not have to necessarily be there in person to operate, and most web developers do projects all over the place because the internet's boundaries are not the same as the real world's boundaries, [i]technically[/i] you weren't lying when you advertised yourself as a Georgia web developer.

But [IMO] as a customer, best case scenario is that I look at that as being a somewhat shady word game.  Kind of like when you see an ad on TV or in the newspaper and it offers some really great thing for a really low price and then you notice that tiny little * next to it that points to the footnotes where in really tiny print that they make really small because they don't want you to read, they have all sorts of conditions and stipulations that, while [i]technically[/i] don't contradict their big shiny bold offer, are just plain shady. 

I don't know about you, but I feel that even though a company isn't [i]technically[/i] lying, if they resort to "fine print" tactics, I generally try to avoid them.  Which does imply that I generally avoid all businesses, seeing as how it seems to be the standard business practice these days.  I could easily turn this post into a very long essay about my thoughts on practices such as these, but I think my post is long winded enough.

To make a long story short: unless you were willing to travel to my locality to meet me in person, I would advise against giving the impression that you operate locally.  But that's just me.  I'm sure that lots of people have no such inhibitions.  And I'm sure that most, if not all, businesses have no such ethical restraint against using such tactics.  I'm sure most businesses would probably argue that they aren't technically being shady, and besides, you as the customer have not commited to anything, so it's not like you can't say 'nevermind, forget it,' and also they would argue that it gives them a chance to convince you that they are the right person/company for you, and that distance really isn't the issue you think it is. 

<edited for grammar>

[Ninjakreborn]

[quote]this is just my own opinion, and I might be totally...arcane (?) in my thoughts, so take it as a grain of salt:[/quote]
Point taken

[quote]Your logic is that since you service all 50 states, you wish to target local searches.  That seems peachy on the surface, but is it really?  If I go to google to search for something local, it's usually because I am looking to get some physical contact at some point in time.  I want to be able to physically go down to the store; I want to physically be able to meet up with the person/business, etc... that is the mindset I have, when doing local google searches.

So when I google "georgia web developer," I am looking for a web developer who is close enough to me that I can physically stand in the same place with him(her) to collaborate on a project.  Maybe it's for security reasons. Maybe it's because I just work better face to face with people. Who knows. Who cares, the reason is irrelavent.

So if I google "Georgia web developer," and your name pops up, and I give you a buzz and think you're the right candidate for the job, or even if I wish to interview you in person, and you say "well..I actually live over here in Montana.." then I will scratch my head and wonder why you are advertising yourself as a Georgia web developer.[/quote]

This has brought to light some points I had not previously considered.  I will take the things you mentioned up there heavily, that alone is enough for me to refrain for my planned campaign of marketing to all states as I was local to each state.  For one that would be a big campaign, and for another I would end up running in difficulties along the lines you mentioned above. Point well taken.

[quote]Now, I would understand that technically since a web developer does not have to necessarily be there in person to operate, and most web developers do projects all over the place because the internet's boundaries are not the same as the real world's boundaries, technically you weren't lying when you advertised yourself as a Georgia web developer. [/quote]
You are right, technically it wouldn't be a lie, or false advertisement, but the point you made above, is if someone is hunting for someone local, they don't generally mean someone who will service there local area, but more of someone who IS local physically.  That point came across very well.

[quote]But [IMO] as a customer, best case scenario is that I look at that as being a somewhat shady word game.  Kind of like when you see an ad on TV or in the newspaper and it offers some really great thing for a really low price and then you notice that tiny little * next to it that points to the footnotes where in really tiny print that they make really small because they don't want you to read, they have all sorts of conditions and stipulations that, while technically don't contradict their big shiny bold offer, are just plain shady. [/quote]
For some reason the meaning of what you said in this one paragraph didn't make sense to me.  I understand what you mean about stipulations, adn conditions, and trying to avoid things that seem like false advertising, and fine print. I don't understand the relation to marketing locally, what exactly did that mean.

[quote]To make a long story short: unless you were willing to travel to my locality to meet me in person, I would advise against giving the impression that you operate locally.  But that's just me.  I'm sure that lots of people have no such inhibitions.  And I'm sure that most, if not all, businesses have no such ethical restraint against using such tactics.  I'm sure most businesses would probably argue that they aren't technically being shady, and besides, you as the customer have not commited to anything, so it's not like you can't say 'nevermind, forget it,' and also they would argue that it gives them a chance to convince you that they are the right person/company for you, and that distance really isn't the issue you think it is.[/quote]
That sounds true, it's best for me to make sure peolpe readily know my location at all times, so if they want a local developer only, they don't have to go through the hastle of talking with me 2-3 day's before they find out I am not waht they are looking for.  Thank you for the advice.
[quote]
I could easily turn this post into a very long essay about my thoughts on practices such as these, but I think my post is long winded enough.[/quote]
If you had of chosen to write a long essay, it would have been just as educational as the short excerp.  Next time if you feel you want to, feel free. Good advice is hard to come by, the more the better.

[.josh]

[quote author=businessman332211 link=topic=121121.msg497561#msg497561 date=1168023414]
[quote]But [IMO] as a customer, best case scenario is that I look at that as being a somewhat shady word game.  Kind of like when you see an ad on TV or in the newspaper and it offers some really great thing for a really low price and then you notice that tiny little * next to it that points to the footnotes where in really tiny print that they make really small because they don't want you to read, they have all sorts of conditions and stipulations that, while technically don't contradict their big shiny bold offer, are just plain shady.
[/quote]
For some reason the meaning of what you said in this one paragraph didn't make sense to me.  I understand what you mean about stipulations, adn conditions, and trying to avoid things that seem like false advertising, and fine print. I don't understand the relation to marketing locally, what exactly did that mean.
[/quote]

I was basically saying that by you living in Montana, and yet advertising yourself locally in Georgia, to me, it would be the same as those ads with the little * at the end of it.

example:
[quote]
[i]<While Crayon does a search to find someone locally to collaborate on a project with, he comes across this:>[/i]

[size=5]I work locally in Georgia![size=3][sup][color=gray]*[/color][/sup][/size][/size]

[i]<Crayon reads the footnote, rolls his eyes and moves on, wondering how many people out there didn't bother to read the fine print and called this place up>[/i]

[color=gray][size=1]* well, I don't [i]really[/i] live in Georgia; I live in Montana, but I can do it on a 'local' level through the internet! But that's okay![/size][/color]
[/quote]

Yeah that sort of thing. 

[Ninjakreborn]

Perfect.  thanks for all the help.