In the Beginning, there was the internet…
In 1997, the internet really began to take flight and with the invention of this information highway came the emergence of innovative business avenues. The internet became the primary means by which many companies marketed themselves. The Web meant more exposure on a global basis and it became the primary means for many companies to market themselves. But for many companies, success was not so easy and the biggest question was how to use this novel technology to grow an online business. From this new demand for online marketing sprouted the Search Engine Marketing (SEM) industry to tackle all the problems businesses faced by contributing their sites to billions like theirs on the Web. SEM got the little guy a voice and allowed companies to differentiate themselves from the pack.
What’s the problem with the search engine marketing industry?
Since Google’s famous IPO in 2004, everyone and their brother seems to have started an SEM firm. In fact, it has been such a lucrative industry that some large ad agencies are opening their own firms. Companies have shelled out millions to educate and train their employees on every aspect of optimization, pay per click, link bu
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ilding and internet marketing. Everyone is hungry and scrambling to get a piece of the million dollar pie.
The upside of this exponential growth is that search engine marketing is finally being accepted as a valuable marketing channel, but have the strategies and tactics used to build a successful and “white hat†adhering firm been sacrificed all in the name of money?
To delve into this question one first has to look at the basic structure of a good SEM campaign. There is so much research that goes into each campaign beginning with understanding the client’s company. Once an SEM firm knows how their client operates, they can create a unique campaign to decide whether to utilizing keyword selection, content creation and/or link building will convert visitors into customers and positively impact the ROI.
Unfortunately, some SEM firms lack the patience, knowledge or funding to correctly implement the fundamentals of a good campaign. To make up for their shortcomings in SEM expertise, some firms may throw out a presumptuous “guarantee†ensuring the number one spot in organic search for a website in order to seal the deal with clients. In SEM, however, there are no guarantees. Search engine algorithms change frequently, so the chances of one website dominating the number one spot for more than a few days can NEVER be guaranteed.
SEM firms cannot always be to blame, as software is also suspect. Software has undoubtedly eased the way most SEM firms approach construction of complex paid search campaigns, but some agencies aren’t looking at the data and making smart business decisions. Software cannot think strategically. In order to manage a successful paid search campaign, understanding the financial metrics of a client’s company and installing strategic business rules are crucial. It’s not enough to just do, firms must test and measure, then test and measure again. It’s important to think, analyze, test and strategize to ensure that the campaign is the best it can possibly be.
In “natural†or “organic†search, some SEM firms seem to lose sight of what they are really doing for their client. These firms will hide behind the complexity of SEO and keep clients in the dark, blaming the lack of results on “changes in the algorithmsâ€.
Taking over accounts of clients who have previously been misguided by their former SEM firms is sometimes a depressing reality. It allows the new firm insight of what the former firm did incorrectly; whether it’s discovering that the wrong strategy had been employed or actual results were being construed, it’s embarrassing for “white hat†SEM firms to clean up the messes of malpractice.
So how can this all be remedied?
The key to having a successful SEM campaign means knowing basic terminology. Clients that are educated in good SEM practices can never be steered wrong.
There are three keys to optimizing a site properly to achieve top, natural search engine rankings – keyword selection, content development and link popularity.
Choosing good keywords comes from an SEM firm’s knowledge of what their client’s company does and wants to accomplish. Without this knowledge, choosing correct and targeted keywords proves difficult and could lead to a disastrous campaign. Take, for instance, a large site like AutoTrader.com with a Google PageRank of 7/10. They will be able to compete for the most competitive keyword phrases, such as ‘used car’ because their site is bigger with more content linking “used car†back to their site. However, for newer, smaller online businesses, targeting niche keyword phrases, like “Atlanta used car dealership†may prove more successful. Picking keywords that are most likely to convert into sales that have relevancy to the website are a vital part of a good campaign.
In natural search, content is king. To be found for 100 keywords, then write at least 100 pages of website content covering each target keyword phrase. This may mean bringing in a content writer to optimize each page so the target keywords and phrases will be found by Google and Yahoo; slapping on a page title and a META tag won’t do the trick.
Finally, link popularity is critical to top search engine rankings. A link from ‘site A’ to ‘site B’ is like a vote from ‘site A’ for ‘site B’. The more votes a site has from other sites, the higher it will rank in Google. The problem is, some SEO firms don’t do link building (or content development). They plug in some titles and tags and hope for the best without knowing what a great asset link building is for their clients. To achieve top search engine rankings, link building is incredibly useful.
The bottom line, to be successful in paid search and search engine optimization, start with the right strategy; before hiring a search engine marketing agency, do the homework. Ask a lot of questions and hold the SEM firm accountable for bottom line results. Remember that there are no guarantees in this business; there is only strategy, which if done right, will lead to great online successes.
Katy Orell
Ethical, 'best practices' approach to SEO empowers the search engine optimization company to earn top positions for its clients on the major search engines. The resulting increase in sales from successful SEO campaigns never goes unrecognized.
Atlanta based SEO company, Medium Blue Search Engine Marketing has been declared as the number one search engine optimization company in the world. Being named the top SEO company in the world is a great honor for the company. Both SEO and customer service sets the firm apart from its competitors. The SEO Company also uses its industry expertise to educate the general public on search engine optimization. The SEO Company recently released a whitepaper to teach marketers how to work search into a company's marketing mix. This instructs readers on how to get buy-in within the company, control company assets, and prepare for challenges before executing search marketing strategy.
PromotionWorld is the leading news and information source for the search engine marketing industry. The SEO Company earned the number one spot in the list of the best search engine optimization companies in the industry. Each search engine optimization company that is chosen for inclusion is selected based on criteria such as offered services, website popularity, package diversity, customer service, and feedback.
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About Author:-
Bergstrom-seo.com is an emerging SEO Company that delivers exceptional search engine visibility through its strategic search engine optimization marketing to its clients who are located around the world. Its services entail keyword-based content development, website optimization, strategic link building, and social media optimization.
Log on to www.bergstrom-seo.com to choose a strategic SEO plan based on your specific business goal.+
sarda Sheldon
We live in the century of speed and technology Everything is done with the help of machines these days and all important systems are computerized (banks, public institutions, everything). But computers brake down and they need fixing. This is how another business became necessary: computer repair. Of course, in addition to the hardware industry, the software evolved as well. But, it doesn't stop here. The Internet gave birth to endless possibilities of development. From web design to online advertising - everything can be done.
Having a successful online business is the job of a lot of people. As web sites are portals to information and they are the focus of every person that uses the Internet, they create the first impression on the available online companies. Their images are the first encounter of the public with the companies on the market. So, someone has to take care of their web design. This is perhaps the most intelligent business of the moment - taking care of other people's business images. A company that is well known and appreciated in this field in Atlanta is Bosco Systems. Its goals are to satisfy their customers by offering computer services of all types: computer repair, web hosting, web design, SEO, SEM, website marketing and many more.
A lot of people don't understand what web design is. The World Wide Web didn't just appear one day. The familiar internet images we now kno
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w have a rich history and a lot work has been put in their creation. Hours, even days of concentration and a lot imagination for web design are behind every site. Some websites may not even seem like much, but their making consisted in a lot of effort. There are many things to consider when creating a website: what programs to use, what to write, establishing the targeted public, writing the code, offering a certain web design, putting it up, promoting and advertising it. The clients, who own a business themselves, want the best for their websites. Their image, meaning their web design, is very important and this is the main reason why this Atlanta Web Design company tries to give its best. Web design isn't just putting some colors on the web page. A web page has to show personality and represent a certain company. A pleasant environment has to be created so the visitors feel good when they surf the page. It has to be able to attract people and keep the customers interested in the offers without being inappropriately designed. It's all about packaging, and this Atlanta web design company knows that.
So, if you want someone to be interested in what your website has to offer or in the material presented on the site then you have to make it pleasant, fun and interactive. People are first hooked by the image. Then they start being interested in the material. And, even if they are interested in the material and they don't like how the site looks, then they will leave. So, you see now why web design is such a difficult and important matter and why the above mentioned Atlanta Web Design company pays extra attention to its clients.
Another important aspect to consider, when thinking of a certain web design, is the targeted public. If your site targets young people then you should make the site dynamic, interactive and fun, but, if you target older people, then you have to make the site conventional and easy to use. Their time is precious and their patience isn't the same with someone in their twenties. An Atlanta web design company, a good one at least, knows all of these things and many more and will make sure that the designed site meets all demands.
Computer repair is another important aspect that the Atlanta web design company won't forget. Of course computer repair can be done by any person that knows a thing or two about electronics, but you are advised to go to an expert Atlanta computer repair company because they can fix anything and you don't have to take any chances. If you are thinking that trust is an issue, you can be sure you can trust an Atlanta Computer Repair company more than anyone else. Computer repair is a tricky business because it has to be done properly. There is no room for second guessing. Your computer parts are going to be treated with care and the information in the computer won't be violated.
Computer repair is less expensive than web design, but this is only natural as there are more people who own a computer in Atlanta than who own an online business and need web design. Because our age is one that depends on the Internet and on computers, it's easy to understand how necessary Atlanta computer repair is. Almost everyone uses a computer to work or study with its help and, as they are used everyday, they are bound to brake down from time to time. So, computer repair is an important business for the clients and the people that work in this area are indispensable.
Not only in Atlanta, but all over the world, everyone's attention is focused on computers. Since the IT domain is the future, it's only natural that the industry develops in this direction. Atlanta computer repair and web design are proof of the usefulness of technology and of the lust people hold for knowledge. Atlanta is known for the persons it has provided for the IT industry, either for web design or for computer repair. So, if you have problems don't hesitate to ask for the help from an Atlanta computer repair company or from an Atlanta web design company (depending on your needs).
A successful business starts with the proper image. Atlanta Web Design Company will give your web site the face you've always wanted. And Atlanta Computer Repair will alleviate your computer's headaches. It will work side by side with you just because it wants your business to thrive.
Robert Wilson