Seo | Small Business Blog

Tag: seo

by CB on Jul.15, 2010, under Marketing Your Business

There is no SEO magic wand. SEO is a long-term, ongoing process that requires planning and the ability to adapt. Remember that you are chasing after a moving target: you are building content and links and link bait, while your competitors are doing the same. At the same time, the search engines are tinkering with their algorithms, which always remain top secret. Don’t expect to spend a few hours or a few hundred bucks and be done with SEO. If your business depends on web traffic, then you must have an ongoing SEO strategy and budget.

Anyone can call himself an SEM or SEO expert. Not everyone is. The SEO services space today reminds me of the Sears Auto scandal of the 1990s. If you remember, Sears Auto service advisors were recommending repairs that the customers did not need. They got away with it because they were trusted as experts. This is not to say you shouldn’t trust anyone, but don’t accept advice blindly. Check credentials, ask for references, and be skeptical of recommendations that are offered before you even explain what your objective is.

Being “on the first page of Google” is not the answer to your business problems. Don’t fall victim to the assumption that first-page ranking will radically change your business. It all depends on the phrases associated with those first-page rankings and the mindset of the users who are searching.

SEO is not free. At a minimum, you have to compensate someone for doing the work of writing content, building partnerships, creating buzz, obtaining links, etc. Decide what your search rankings are worth to you and budget accordingly. Understand that you will always have competitors who have deep pockets, and don’t expect miracles on a tiny budget. (continue reading…)