Are you a marketing manager who wants to make the most out of your investment in search engine optimization? Then pin this essential list of do’s and don’t’s on your cork board:

DO:

1. Target your SEO marketing geographically. By focusing on niche or local markets, you can actually beat the “big dogs” – even on popular keywords

2. Link build with relevant sites and blogs. Two ways to speed up this process: 1) create info-rich content and an easy interface to attract traffic naturally. 2) Garner “reciprocal links” by reaching out to other great sites in your niche community.

3. Update your SEO content regularly. The search engines LOVE fresh, relevant copy.

4. Test your online marketing search engine optimization ideas early and often. Be brutal. Find the flaws before you “go public.”

5. Use web analytics to track how users respond to your site and how/when leads convert. The more data you have, the more finely-tooled your SEO marketing strategy can be.

DON’T:

1. Duplicate website copy to “fool” search engines like Google and Yahoo into thinking you have more relevant information on your site than you actually do. Search engine spiders use powerful algorithms to “sniff out” bogus or duplicated content, and they will actually punish you by lowering your rankings.

2. Choose your keywords willy-nilly. If you aim too broadly with your keywords, you will burn money unnecessarily by going up against irrelevant competitors, and you’ll reduce the percentage of leads to your website who are likely to convert. If you aim too narrowly, you will overlook segments of your consumer base, and you’ll yield a bad ratio of dollars-spent to visitors-attracted.

3. Switch domains frequently. Search engines typically reward sites for longevity by giving them a ranking boost.

4. “Borrow” copyrighted materials or content from other sites without permission. The search engines and/or the pillaged sites will find out, and your reputation (online and offline) could suffer.

If you’d like instant feedback on your SEO keyword strategy, get a free keyword ranking report through www.SEARCHmar.com, the Bay Area’s leading provider of online marketing solutions since 2001.