Customer Reviews

Search Engine Visibility (2nd Edition)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Not even halfway through this book and already my sites are getting more visitors. Now I understand why certain changes didn't work out. Worth reading before "updating" your site.

The field of Internet marketing is really coming into its own.

There is a science behind designing websites that achieve top rankings in the search engines.

I've found one book that is easy to read, easy to implement, and extremely well researched.

Search Engine Visibility by Shari Thurow is the benchmark by which all other guides are measured.

If you have a website and expect anyone to find it, you should get this book.

I highly recommend it to all of my subscribers and Yellow Pages advertising clients. It helps the people you're trying to find get to your web site.

The author and I have both been speakers at Search Engine Strategies conferences, and she consistently draws the largest crowds. She puts the highest levels of search engine marketing ethics into everything she does.

After having read the book "Search Engine Optimization" back in 2002, I hadn't run into anything as useful and concise to help with the SEO (Search Engine Optimization, in case you're wondering) functions. The beauty of the book by this long time consolidated Web Marketer is that it is general while still being extremely useful. True, it doesn't focus on Google, but I think that is precisely its biggest strength, because there's life beyond Google.

As much as we'd like to think that Google is the ultimate Search Engine for which you need to optimize, the truth is that there are several others, any of which, if you do your homework, following the advice from this book, you will get the traffic you deserve... specially, considering the shakedown that the Search Engine industry will be submitted to during 2004 and 2005, as Yahoo! dumps Google and Microsoft strikes back with a propietary search solution.

All in all, I appreciated the information by Ms. Thurow and the structure it was given. It is one of the two best books out there on the topic.

I run a web site that gets quite a bit of traffic (#270,000 in the world according to Alexa), and I know a little something about how google works. The problem with this book is that it doesn't talk about google. At all. A search engine visibility book that doesn't specifically get in depth on google. Look people, NO OTHER SEARCH ENGINE BESIDES GOOGLE MATTERS. OK? Thinking otherwise is "so 1997", :-) If you have a web site you know what I'm talking about. Look at your server logs. Plain as day. Google won. 87% of my search engine traffic comes from google. 11% more from Yahoo, using google's results. The numbers are real.

Anyway, why would you want a book with outdated information? For thirty bucks no less. Get something good like google hacks, and a copy of learning perl. Then you might really get somewhere. Google hacks has an AWESOME section on getting good search engine rankings. Best I've ever read in fact.

I am a Search Engine Consultant myself and I got to know about this book from the SEO Conference Handbook. It was nice to see this book recommended by them and I immediately got on the web, purchased it and soon after it was delivered to me, I read it all and I must say this is value for money for all those who want an insight into SEO.
Get this book and start reading and drop a thanks note to the author. Good work. You can reach me at http://www.nakulgoyal.com if you need any more info about me or about this book.

For those of us who are drawn to the subject of Web Site Marketing, and in particular Search Engine Optomization (SEO) I find it difficult to fault this book. It's written in an easy, understandable style and takes you methodically through the subjects, from simple to more complex. Part 1 (Before You Build) is particularly helpful in presenting a 'top down' view which helps you to get your bearings before launching into the 'meat' of the book. How often has an expert explained something to you that he/she thought was simple and you found difficult? Shari does not fall into that trap. I also greatly appreciated her overall message that ethics and openness play an important part in this SEO game - despite what all the tricksters would have you believe! It has certainly got me started on the right road into SEO.

This book does not work on the specific details of algorithms. If it did, it would be quickly outdated. Instead, this book is based on the fundamental concepts of the web. As search engines get more advanced, they will be more able to emulate the end user.

This book is simple and straightforward. Another positive part of this book is that it overlaps other issues a little to help you understand that there is more to a website than search engine marketing.

This book does not cover in detail some of the wordarounds for dynamic website configurations. Other than that its a good book. I believe those intersted in dynamic workarounds were not the target audience for this book anyway.

Those who have written that this book is misleading etc are seeing things too much from their own point of view. To be honest, there was nothing in this book I did not already know. But how long had it taken me to learn all that knowledge? I think the author has done a great job of producing a comprehensive product that will take a person who wants to learn SEO from knowing nothing to the point were they know the basics. And the basics are really what counts in this business. I am employed full time as a Search Engine Optimization Specialist by a multi-million dollar company and no, this book is not for SEO professionals but it is definately the best book for beginners and the small office/home office crowd (and there are quite a few of them).

This book is enough for small business owners but if you want to progress as a professional after mastering this book then I recommend "Web Metrics: Proven Methods for Measuring Web Site Success" by Jim Sterne.

The answer is NO. I bought this book because of good reviews and wasted my money. The teaching in this book is either lacking or the author assumes that you already know everything. So why write a book? What is missing is clarity! I waddle around in Oolong Tea coming out of my ears, but where are the precise steps I have to take to make my website visible? You know, like A, B, C, and D. This book is extremely hard to find a beacon to guide you through. I am a college graduate and I know a good teacher when I spot one. This book .... well, you will forever try to find a clue to become visible.

A friend of mine recommended this book, and I am glad that he did. I have seen results in getting better search engine rankings on Google using the information in this book.

It's VERY important to note that search engine rankings require a LOT of work. You're not going to get good results today and expect to stay up there tomorrow. Your site needs constant tweaking to stay near the top. But the information in this book will help you with that.