Published on March 11, 2005, by Loren Baker, founder at Foundation Digital, this Search Engine Journal article offers a direct beginner’s guide to ranking in Google. The piece is structured around three actionable steps intended to help site owners achieve measurable organic visibility without chasing overly competitive keywords.
The first step focuses on keyword selection: Baker advises targeting moderately searched terms rather than ultra-competitive phrases, using the Google Toolbar to assess competitor PageRank and identify achievable ranking opportunities. The second step covers on-page optimization, recommending that target keywords appear in title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and anchor text, while also constituting approximately seven percent of all on-page word count. The third step addresses link acquisition, emphasizing one-way inbound links over reciprocal arrangements because Google scores one-way links more favorably.
Baker provides specific guidance on link sourcing, noting that high-PageRank one-way links could be purchased through auctions at approximately $50 for a PR7 link, and that directory listing submissions can produce visible results within days. Full ranking effects from link building are estimated at six to eight weeks. The article recommends patience and monitoring, advising site owners to adjust keyword targets if initial selection proves too competitive.
Throughout, Baker stresses concentrating keyword usage in structural HTML elements including title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and anchor text as the highest-value on-page signals. The article is positioned as a plain-language alternative to technically complex SEO resources.
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