Search Engine Visibility is about designing, writing, and creating a web site primarily for a site's visitors, and helping them find what they are searching for via the major search engines, directories, and industry-related sites. This book teaches developers, designers, programmers, and online marketers what pitfalls to avoid from the beginning so they can provide their clients with more effective site designs. It includes up-to-date information on new developments such as blogs, video and podcasts, web applications and more.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 36 Ratings

Overview AND detail - 2007-11-09
Reviewer Rating:
In this recent 2nd edition, Thurow includes both overview material and the details of how to accomplish this critical goal for commercial sites. It's conceptual and it's useable -- a refreshing combination in this field. I found it immediately applicable, and also well-written.

A Must Have for SEO Beginners - 2009-01-14
Reviewer Rating:
I read Thurow's original 2003 edition way back when, and that is what I am commenting on now. The earlier version was the absolute best approach to take at the time when I was brand new to SEO and website design in general. It was very helpful, easy to read and non-technical. While I do not do SEO professionally, after applying the info in the book, the sites I maintain are ranked on page 1 for their keywords/phrases and get a lot of relevant traffic.

If you have a small business, then you will quickly realize that you don't need to hire an expensive SEO expert, because you can do this yourself. If you have a large company or are in IT, etc., and you need to hire someone, then you will have a pretty good idea of what kinds of firms/persons to avoid, and promises to be wary of.

Some of the suggestions in the earlier version are dated now, but hopefully these have been edited out of this edition.

I read some of the other reviews that were complaints. I doubt the following: 1) those people realized that it was a book for beginners before starting, and 2) that they actually read the ENTIRE book.

A very good foundation reference for web professionals - 2009-02-06
Reviewer Rating:
Shari Thurow's Search Engine Visibility is a very good foundation reference for web professionals. I read the book and after reaching the midpoint, I realized the book could actually be a very good source material for training people who are in the IT or marketing industry to learn about search engines and basic search engine optimization.

Thurow's approach is very methodical and deliberate-- She first creates a framework for understanding search engines and tackles each component is a very thorough manner. If you ask me, the book strives to make the reader more educated on information architecture, web usability, web copy and general search engine strategies. This edition is also more relevant with content pertaining to Web 2.0 fixtures: blogs, podcasts, online videos and Adobe's PDF format.

Another thing, the book is good explaining common SEO terms that would scare away the newbie internet marketer. SERPs, CPC and click thrus's are just some of the SEO terms folks take fro granted, but are explained here well.

If you are looking for a hard-core SEO book that will instantly land you the top spot in Google or Yahoo!, this book may not be appropriate for you. The book spends a great deal in making the site work for people first, search engines second. That's the thesis of the book-- people-friendly sites are naturally search engine-friendly.

Clearly Dedicated To The Beginner - 2008-05-18
Reviewer Rating:
This Book is clearly dedicated to the beginner to search engine optimization!! I read this book over the weekend and it was like a flash back of reading the original "search engine visibility" first edition. I'm not knocking this edition, simply stating this is not for the advance search engine optimizer.

I was shocked that the book didn't dedicate anytime on how to best optimize multi country sites and the 2.0 buzz of the many social media tactics to capture additional organic traffic.
I would say if you're new to SEO great buy the book, if you have any experience pass in the fast lane.

Benjamin Burns

a must have book - 2008-04-25
Reviewer Rating:
This is an excellent book, well written and very detailed, a must have for anyone starting a website and SEO

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