Or is it search engine optimization? It occurs to me that the publisher of our book, Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP, picked the title for us. Usually I give more thought to titles. The title does contain the key phrase "search engine optimization," but it's not clear to me whether we can target "seo" as well. If not, which term is more desirable? The book will be listed in Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. It could make a difference!
Here's what I've gathered:
1. "Search engine optimization" is probably more desirable aesthetically on the book binding. I've done no empirical testing, but this seems more reasonable to me; it's more official-sounding.
2. According to Wordtracker, "search engine optimization" receives more queries than "seo." I question this however, because I see some strange repeated numbers in the query counts. I also know I type "seo X," not "search engine optimization X" when forming longer-tail queries.
3. Ideally, I could include both "search engine optimization" and "seo" in the title; but how is not obvious to me.
Can anyone think of a better title? I have a bit more time to change the title, perhaps add a subtitle. Suggestions are welcome -- leave a comment!
If you do come up with something better, I'll send you an autographed copy. Just think of the nerd appeal ... 
October 12th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Website Search Engine Optimization with PHP
- SEO Tools and Tips
Feel free to place "Professional" in the front if needed. Am I the only person though that feels that putting "Website" in there would make someone browsing go "Oh yeah! That book is about websites!"
Although perhaps it's marketed at people who already know SEO and PHP are for websites =)
Sid
October 12th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP
SEO for Developers
October 12th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
I say you need to think of your target audience and the words that they would know and use. I dare say that anybody programming in PHP is going to know what "search engine optimization" or "SEO" is. On the other hand, if you take a more general public sample, the meaning of "search engine optimization" might not even be clear enough. I like the idea of subtitles, so on one end of the spectrum you could have:
SEO with PHP
- Search Engine friendly PHP design techniques
on the other end you can have:
Website promotion for programmers
- Search Engine Optimization with PHP
or
PHP design from the search engine optimization perspective
or any permutation of the above. Other things to think about are: if PHP programmers are the only target audience, what about Perl, Ruby, ASP, JSP? Are you interested in people that are only considering learning PHP now? The wider you cast your net, the more fish you will target, but even more will get away.
Another thing to consider is if your target audience is looking for your book, or perhaps you need to target a different crowd. For instance, are you interested in a scenario where a marketing person buys the book and gives it to the programmer – "here, it's time for you to read this"? I think that there are more a strategic considerations here than just the keywords, but only you can really answer where the proper balance is.
-Paul
October 12th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
SEO WITH PHP - The Secret Techniques used by Search Engine Optimization Professionals
(yes it's long, but rich!)
October 13th, 2006 at 5:27 am
I published a book, and gave it an extra-long keyword-rich subtitle. I made sure that the publisher included the subtitle as part of the official title, and it now appears fully in Amazon - TITLE : SUBTITLE. All searchable!
October 13th, 2006 at 5:29 am
If you really want both in there:
SEO with PHP. (Website) Design for Search Engine Optimization.
or
SEO with PHP. (Website) Design with Search Engine Optimization in mind.
or
SEO with PHP. (Website) Design from Search Engine Optimization Perspective.
or
SEO with PHP. Search Engine Optimization for Programmers.
OR
Search Engine Optimization with PHP
oh, wait... you already got this one... I actually think that you strike a good balance with you existing title, so I would not rush to change it at the last minute.
-Paul
October 13th, 2006 at 7:03 am
SEO using PHP. Professional search engine optimization.
October 13th, 2006 at 8:44 am
SEO: Search Engine Optimization with PHP
October 13th, 2006 at 11:58 am
What an insightful post!
“It occurs to me that the publisher of our book, Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP, picked the title for us. Usually I give more thought to titles.”
You’re a genius man. I’m sending this post to all my friends!
October 13th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
"SEO SERP Dominance: Search Engine Optimization with PHP" - though that may be too much alphabet soup for your liking. How about putting SEO Egghead, in parenthesis, beside your name?
October 14th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
The title of your author comment on Amazon includes both SEO and Search Engine Optimization, plus it sends the message that it is for a "professional" and a "technical" audience. And even though PHP doesn't appear until the subtitle, as long as you do what Leo did (above) and get both title:subtitle included as part of the official title, that might be ok. So I'm going to nominate this:
"A Technical Guide to SEO: Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP"
David
October 19th, 2006 at 7:59 am
Great effort with the initiative of a book for the subject.
Looks like you have finalised the title ?
When is the book coming out ?
Cant wait to read and review it