Search engine optimization (SEO) and search
engine marketing (SEM), also called internet
marketing, have
become a big part of what I do. The first thing to note is that
SEO and SEM are two different
topics.
SEO and SEM both take a considerable
amount of time
and
work
when
done
properly.
I hear so many
stories from clients who have been contacted by someone trying
to sell them high rankings in the search engines. Whether
you use my services or not, here's some free advice... don't
waste your money! Unless you're dealing with someone you
trust, or an established company, you're probably going to
get taken for a ride. Don't
make the mistake of letting someone, or some company, "buzzword" their
way into your pockets.
What exactly do I mean by "buzzword their way
into your pockets"? Well, the thinking behind it goes
something like this. As long as I know more acronyms and
catch phrases
than you do, I can make you believe that I know what I'm talking
about. That may sound like a funny thing to say, but it happens
more than you might think. By the time you realize this on your
own, you've spent (insert $$ here)
and have seen
no
results.
I’ve seen web design/development
companies claim to offer SEO services and their own site isn't
properly optimized. If you look at the code behind the websites
they produce for clients, they do not even follow
basic SEO techniques. If you really
want to know how good someone is at SEO there’s a very
simple test that anyone can perform. Ask
for examples of proven results! No matter how many acronyms
someone may throw around, or how intelligent they may sound,
if they can’t show
you results, then you need to move on.
Another word of advice
on picking a qualified SEO person/company. Don’t let
someone give you a persons name to
search for as an example of their skills. My
nine year old can rank high for a search phrase that specific.
This is especially true with real estate agents, because many
agents use their name as a domain name. Ask for general search
phrases that real people would use to find a product or service.
Also, don't be fooled by listings in the side bar of search engines and the tinted
bar at the top. Those are paid links that anyone with enough
money can aquire. That IS NOT search
engine optimization. That
is part of search engine marketing and there is a huge difference.
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