The Art of SEO

Foreword

John Battelle

Ross, California, September 2009

More than a decade has passed since the World Wide Web has risen to prominence in nearly all aspects of our lives, but as with nearly all significant technology-driven shifts in our society, most businesses have been slow to react. If you’ve already put your business online and begun the journey that is your ongoing, online conversation with customers, congratulations!

But if you count yourself as one of those still in the slow lane, fret not. There’s never a bad time to get started, and with this book in hand, you’re already well on your way.

In fact, starting now might even be to your benefit—over the past decade or so, much has been learned, and many mistakes have been made. New technologies have risen to prominence (Facebook and Twitter come to mind), and old ones have fallen by the wayside. The web is far more mature, and the rules of the road are a bit clearer. In addition, an entire industry of professionals in search optimization and marketing has also matured, and stands ready to help.

Just five years ago a hotshot startup with a funny name went public and, armed with a customer based in the hundreds of thousands and a user base in the tens of millions, proceeded to grow faster than any company in history. In less than a generation, Google has become a cultural phenomenon, a lightening rod for controversy, and a fundamental part of any intelligent businessperson’s customer strategy.

But Google is really a proxy for something ...