David vs. Goliath

Everyone starts small.

It just depends how much time and/or money you want to put into this niche.

IMO, and this is just mine, Google is gearing towards more specific results. What I mean by that is if there's a site targeting every Dog related keyword out there even though he has tens of thousands of backlinks the guy who is only trying to rank for "dog training" will push him off #1.

Wikipedia's traffic has dropped 25% over the past few month. Why? Well for reasons just like this.

I'd recommend picking, for example, 5 keywords that get around 20,000 a month and 1 that get's 100,000 and than have an axle backlink strategy that puts the big site in the middle with all the sites linking to it. (But not the main site linking back out.)

I'm lazy and I hate just guessing **** like competitiveness. Go pick up Brad's Keyword Elite 2.0 and do the thing where it tells you how competitive a search term is. (It'll give you a number.)

It hits a pretty good number out and as long as you aren't seeing anything over 60 your good to go. For all of them.

In your original post you neglected talking about using articles. Although by your sig clearly you know a lil' something, something, about them. Anyway this is crucial. Content truly is king for getting ranked because content is a great way to get backlinks.

Pick up UAW, unless your product is nearly the same, and start working some magic there. (Use it only for the backlinks, don't worry about traffic.)

Deep links are crucial. For every link your homepage has a page on your site should have a backlink.

It's not like you won't be making any money until your on page 1. Although you'll make much more when you are.

By adding backlinks to other pages you'll rank for crazy keywords you haven't even optimized for at all. It's just how it works.

With SEO you'll never really fail. Unless your stupid and get sandboxed. (No, it's not a myth.)

By just plugging away at it you'll make it eventually, guaranteed.

The main thing is that people over think SEO. They go OMG I need to interlink these pages, SB them, and then hit them with some directory submissions.

Think logically. Google wants to see natural things happening. Even though no site is "naturally" done.

If your site looks like maze with links going out to nowhere and coming in from thousands of little, new, directory's Google is gonna say "WTF this site is just full of fail why should I trust it?" (Or something similar.;-)

Concentrate on straight links from common sites that have respect in Google's eyes.

Sites like these are article directories. (Most of them)

Web 2.0 sites.

Video sites.

And high PR sites where you can get your link there forever. (Sites like wesellpagerank.)

Of course this is just the tip of the ice berg and there's no hard and fast rules. But the main thing is that people get caught up in these WSO's offering a 1000 links for 8 bucks.

So if tons of people buy these packets and we aren't seeing some overnight millionaires what's wrong? I guarantee I can outrank them by putting up 4 quality links and also putting some content out there.

Anyway i'm sure i've rambled and contradicted myself plenty by now.

Hope this helps a bit,

Zach

P.S- It's sad that threads like these go without any answers and fall down to nearly the end of the page while all these "I want coach.....will pay 3 dolla" threads have a 100 replies and 10,000 views. Hopefully the WF goes back to the way it used to be...

P.P.S- If anyone wonders what tools I use they are UAW, Traffic Geyser, and need-an-article. And of course I got a few guys over seas doing data entry and links wheels.

P.P.P.S- Obviously, looking at your sig, you know what your doing and nothing i've said is earth-shattering. This post was more of less written to everyone, not you in general, because i'm sure you know what your doing and deep down know you want to tackle those keywords.

BINGO!

Like he said, start working the long-tail from the outside in, as your site matures and ages it will gain authority and it should bring you a lot closer and faster to reaching your initial goals.

Going right after the 'big boys' is likely to end up in frustration and failure.

BTW... make sure this is a niche you are passionate about and willing to stick with, it could take some time to reach your goals but in the end it's worth it.

Start w/ long tail KWs and then work it to a two word phrase. Also, be patient. It's worked for me.