The SEO project - Introduction
This SEO project is the first of several stigmergic system projects being planned to make use of biological strategies in information technology.
It might seem strange that the first stigmergic system project to be started should be centered upon the subject of search engine optimization. Surely, if search engines are designed to optimize searching, they should at least be able to optimize searches for information concerning themselves?
However, trying to find information about optimizing a Web site for search engines exposes the limitations of search engine algorithms. They are not appropriate for handling highly volatile information in a rapidly changing competitive environment.
The table below illustrates the problem. Several words and phrases associated with search engine optimization were entered into Google (15th August 2003). The table shows the number of results that came up for each search. There are tens of thousands of possibilities to explore. Where do you start? Which are the most up-to-date? Which are currently valid?
For this, you cannot rely upon algorithms. You need expert guides who know where important information is located, even though it may not appear in the top hundred positions of search engine results. This is what this project is about.
|
Search query
|
Number of results
|
| "search engine optimization" | 529,000 |
| "search engine optimization services" | 25,100 |
| "search engine optimization tips" | 4,290 |
| + "search engine optimization" + ranking | 134,000 |
| "search engine optimization" + consultant | 29,200 |
| "search engine optimization" + "case studies" | 7,980 |
| "search engine optimization" + "advice" | 61,800 |
| "search engine optimization" + "strategy" | 83,500 |
| "search engine optimization strategy" | 5,880 |
| "search engine optimization" + tools | 154,000 |
| "search engine optimization tools" | 2,610 |
| "web log analysis" | 5,940 |
| "web metrics" | 8,470 |
| "web analytics" | 33,400 |
| "meta tag optimization" | 2,210 |
| "meta tag generator" | 52,600 |
| "meta tag" + tips | 57,100 |
| "meta tags" + keywords | 166,000 |
| "sponsored search" | 5,390 |
| "search engine placement" | 166,000 |
| siteRank | 155,000 |
| "site rank" | 9,930 |
| "page rank" | 50,300 |
| pageRank | 481,000 |
| Forum +"SEO" | 374,000 |
| Forum +"search engine optimization" | 99,600 |
| adsense | 75,000 |
Search results for several SEO queries
More information on this project is available from the links at the top of this page. Technical details and information relating to the theory behind stigmergic systems can be accessed from the side menu.