Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing?

If you are like most people , the phrase "Search Engine Optimization" (SEO) isn't much more than a buzz word people like to throw around to sound more "techy." While SEO is a cost effective solution to market your company on the Internet it can, as the next couple of paragraphs illustrate, be as dangerous as it is helpful.

Like anything else, there are legitimate as well as illegitimate ways to market a web site on the Internet. The illegitimate ways are designed to unfairly exploit search engine technology and produce what appear to be good results in record time. But search engines have established rules to penalize those who use these unfair practices. As you've probably already guessed, it's the not the Internet marketing firm that gets punished, it's the owner of the domain name.

If your website is blacklisted or permanently removed from search engines, your company has no legal recourse against either the search engine that blacklisted you or the SEO company whose tactics put your company in hotwater? It's a buyer beware market and, unfair as it may seem, when anything is buyer beware, all of the wolves come out.

So how do you make use of this great technology and still protect your company? Be an informed consumer. If you don't understand what your "SEO" provider is talking about ask. A proper, ethical SEO provider will always let you know what they are talking about and verify that you understand what you are getting for your money.

Choose a responsible Internet marketing company

Here's some practical information that may help you choose one.

1. Internet marketing companies that solicit you by e-mail are just as bad as the people who send you all the "overnight" weight loss pill e-mails.
   
2. Internet marketing companies that guarantee their rankings don't exist. No one can guarantee a ranking in a search engine. Search engines are consistently re-developing their code to maintain good results that people searching want to see.
   
3. Internet marketing companies that use "secretive" tactics and are unwilling to explain how they intend to increase your listing should be avoided.
   
4. Internet marketing companies that require you to link to them, aren't doing you a service.
   
5. ANYONE who tries to sell you on "special" software or the ability to type keywords into a browser are selling you NOTHING. This functionality is built into the browser.
   
6. Be clear on where your money is going and what it is being used for.
   
7. PROTECT YOURSELF – you need to protect yourself in the contract. Always make sure that a way out is clearly defined in the event you are not happy with the service.

Why do I need it and how do I know if I need it?

First, ask yourself a few questions;

1. Is my website consumer or public based?
   
2. Am I looking to generate new business?
   
3. How is my current traffic?
   
4. Are people coming to my site and then leaving? If so what is the percentage? Is it high and if so do I want to turn those people into customers?

Once you've answered these questions, it will determine if you need just a technical SEO person, a web copywriter or a designer. Maybe you need all three.

After you've determined what exactly is needed, you should do some basic research with the assistance of your hosting company or just by reading some articles yourself. A great resource for some articles and on this particular topic is at webpronews.com.