Doug Holland’s Branson Critic Magazine gives viewers what they want: honest reviews of the shows. The site has gone on to add annual awards and now a message board. SEO has played a big role in the success of this site.

Name: Doug Holland
Aliases: Big Doug
Single or Married: Married
Kids: 2
Home Site: Branson Critic
Memberships: SEO Refugee

How did you get into SEO?

It was an accident that I stumbled into SEO. I had a construction site that would not show up in Google for its own name. People would have to type the entire addresses of the site into the URl locater.

Well, that did not fly well because in 2002 my main cliental were in their 50’s or older and if you could not type the business name in a big search box it wasn’t going to happen.

So after researching how to do this “SEO” thing my name was at number one within weeks. From that day forward I was hooked…

What other areas do you specialize in? How do they compliment your SEO efforts?

Well, I am a Reflexologist that never used the net for promotion of practice. Running a blog sounded like too much work and too little pay. I have been in sales off and on my whole life, so I think I have a pulse on what might get to the heart of a sale. Sales campaigns are nothing more than advertising with a signature. So SEO’s have the same goal, to get a signature (credit card) for their advertising.

Any favorite projects you’d like to share?

Branson Critic Magazine is my pet project as of today. It is a tremendous amount of work but I hope it truly pays off in the future.

What part of SEO drives you nuts?

Coding! Coding! Coding! What looks great in one browser does not look good in another. If your site lacks proper presentation of Headings, Links, and Tables…well you know.

Next tribulation of happiness would be how unstable Google has been and its apparent mid-life crises. It would be nice if we could pinpoint its modern desire and translate it to improved organic SERPs.

What’s your favorite part of SEO?

Winning the top placement of course. The journey may be undesirable but the moment you wake up one day and punch in your two primary key-words and see your site in the Top 5…well, its better than fine wine.

Where do you see SEO going over the next 5 years?

Automation! Why, because SE’s are taking the basic science of site construction and throwing wild card scenarios that only a crystal ball could reveal. I love to play the SEO game as long as there are rules to be followed. Rules don’t seem to matter anymore to the Big 3.

So after you have done a basic optimization that any SEO worth his weight can do blindfolded, then what? Like I said automation.

Any favorite tips or advice?

Don’t pay to have your sites submitted to 50,000 Search Engines. And don’t trust Google or its spokesman.

How has SEO benefited you the most?

It has allowed me to stay theme focused all the while capitalizing on the momentum a top placement in SERPs can get you.

What industries do you work in?

Construction, Real Estate, Medical, Internet and Wife Control

Do you take jobs or just work privately?

Private, so don’t ask for my number Rand; I am married

Ed: No problem there bud! ;)

What is your SEO Philosophy?

Unique Headings on each page/bold all keywords in first and last paragraph/get relevant back links/and don’t listen to Google’s spokesman on anything.

Doug, your site Branson Critic has become very successful. What tips can you share about building a readership like yours?

It seems that if you can involve people at their root desire they will participate with full vigor and vim. Lead prospects! Create a desire for them to get involved where they feel a personal sense of responsibility for upholding the integrity of the site. Above all else, let them feel victorious for the achievements the site makes. It’s their site as much as it is yours.

Also, I understand you recently changed your advertising. How has that affected the site?

Big things are happening faster than I can keep up, so that by next year we should be doing well.

Since you mainly work on the one site where most SEOs seem to build several sites, how has that effected your progress?

Well, if I had not stumbled so much and had a clearer vision of where this was going (with coding skills) much time would have been saved. SeoRefugee is a great place to keep up on how to polish and shine your vision.

Also, since you are married how has that affected your career progress?

My wife hates me!

Anything else?

Timing is better than ideas…that’s it in a nutshell