Nothing builds a better search engine ranking than an old-fashioned good reputation, according to a leading Google software engineer.
Addressing the Dublin Chamber of Commerce last week, Matt Cutts said the key to search engine optimisation is building an exemplary reputation in a niche market and reflecting that in website content. He said that subsequent careful keyword selection within that niche could help a developing company avoid direct competition with huge firms.
"If you want to get a reputation, start small, expand in your niche," he said.
He used the example of a small company trying to crack the mobile phone sector, for which generic marketing would be all but useless. His recommendation for such a company would be to use localized, longer-tailed keywords – 'iPhones in London' or 'mobile phones in London' – which would prove far more discerning and productive than just 'mobile phones' or 'iPhone'.
A fast loading website was also a crucial means of optimizing, particularly since Google's search algorithms have been written to incorporate loading times into their search criteria. Mr Cutts claimed that faster sites don't just improve user experience, but also reduce operating costs. 
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