Tag Archives: Business on the Web

SEO is easy

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Yeah, Search Engine Optimisation is easy. Dead Easy.  Super easy even.  That´s why everyone is number 1 right?  But hang on, everyone cant be number 1 in Google can they?  No.  They cant. There will always be a number 2, 3 ,4 and so on.  Its the way of the world and its the way search engines work. Period.

To be brutally frank, people piss me off when they say that applying Search Engine Optimisation is easy.  I see it alot on forums and in blogs about how “simple” it is to get to number 1 in Google and make money online.  People are being approached all the time with marketing focused on their need and greed with blasé statements like  ” Become a millionaire in 24 hours!” or “Make 100,000 dollars a month online”, “Number 1 in positions guaranteed” and “”all for 5 dollars a month!”. These unscrupulous marketeers only serve to feed the flames of misinformation regarding the whole concept that is taking a website and making it work on a search engine with the aim of reaching a number 1 position, the true meaning of Search Engine Optimisation. Funny how it sounds rather similar to running a business don’t it?

SEO Search Ranking Factors

SEO is easy

The next time you meet someone who says its easy and cheap, ask them to explain this SEO Search Ranking Factors post on SEOmoz, one of the most prominent reliable sources of Search Engine related information on the web.  Based on the opinion of 37 proven  SEO experts they have created a rated list of what`s important and what’s not so important in creating an optimised website.

In total, there are 53 individual points covered and rated.  YES thats 53 points and yes I counted them.  These points all add up towards creating an optimitised website for search engines based on what they speculate are Googles ever changing requirements.

Yes, they SPECULATE.  Let me say it again “SPECULATE“. Get it?  Even the experts who have proven and successful track records cannot definitely say what it is that makes a website work really well in Google and reach that desired number 1 spot or at least they cannot reach a uniform and united consensus.

Take a little time to read through it the SEOmoz Search Engine Ranking Factors article Its not easy to understand, and you will see quite clearly that they differ in their opinions throughout the points covered. Thats also why I say continually that people who profess to be Search Engine Experts are only practising, much the same as doctors and lawyers are always practising their profession as new develops or changes are continually being discovered and implemented… just like SEO.

Really the point is this.  Search Engine Optimisation is not easy or cheap.  Its not quick either and its not defined.  Its something that needs to be studied, analysed, tested, applied and implemented to every facet of a website and it all needs to be done consistently and in-line with the requirements (and demands) of good old Google and your visitor (because they can change the way they search to…or didn’t you know that?).

And that’s only the start of it, after that you have to have the design studied, analysed, tested, applied and implemented to suit the traffic you are getting and ensure that you are benefiting that traffic to the greatest degree, otherwise the effort will have all been wasted.

After all, whats the point of marketing your shop to the number one position in the highstreet if when people are coming in to browse and purchase you have all the stock in boxes, in the back store room, which is locked and bolted, and has a key which happens to have been lost under a rock somewhere in Canada… Much better to have the right stock in the right place and available for the right people, because I can guarentee you they wont wait around… would you?

*the sarcastic bit now*
All this adds up to a really cheap and easy package that anyone can do obviously.  No seriously it does, I mean I would do all of this for 5-99 a month in about 2 seconds cause I have a contact at Google.. seriously  I do! Who cares that he works in the canteen.

…yeah right. I have tried to explain some of the simple complexities in my previous post on SEO Marbella or SEO Spain but I still think most people just wont get it and if you think this is me going of on a rant, just dont get me started.  There will be much more to come.

5 reasons why you should have a website… what you dont already have one?

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If anyone ever asks, and believe me they will, remind them just what the reason for a website is, how beneficial it can be and what they will be missing out on if they DON´T have one and the competition do!

1) Always be available for business:
You don’t have to turn customers away when its closing time. A website can make any business 365-24-7. Which is better, leaving a note or voice mail saying your closed, ultimately sending them elsewhere, or letting them know they can find the information they need, or even make a purchase through your website. There is NO other medium that is always available, interactive, and this affordable.

2) Save money on materials:
You can lower your printed material costs by making them available on a website. This not only benefits you with reduced printing and mailing costs, but your website visitor as well, now having instant access to your material anytime they need it. Other traditional materials can be handled online as well, such as job applications, contracts, training materials and much more!

3) Improves customer relations and perceptions:
Customers today expect an established business to have a professional website. Saying you don’t have one “yet”, isn’t a good signal to send. Beyond that, a website can provide news or details about your business, and special offers to its visitors, strengthening your name recognition and most of all your credibility. A website provides the unique opportunity to tell potential customers what you are about and why you deserve not only their trust and confidence, but their business.

4) Provide convenience to customers and prospects:
A website can provide clients contact information, a source for feedback, complaint resolution, and even handle billing transactions. Making things convenient isn’t only important to keeping customers happy, prospects need convenient access to information as well.

An ever increasing number of shoppers use the internet for pre-purchase research. The most convenient way to do this is searching for products or services online of course. If your not there, you may be seriously missing out. How will they decide between you and your competitors.

5) Market expansion, and diversify revenue sources:
A website serves as a great place to refer potential investors. Growing your business yourself? The unique advantages of the internet has allowed businesses to break geographical barriers. Your business can go from local to reaching more people in your area, to nation wide, or even virtually any country in the world by potential customer with Internet access. You could also provide online only products and services, or sell ads on your site, or share your expert knowledge to diversify your revenue in addition to your traditional offline business.

What is an internet specialist…and where do I find one?

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Saying your an internet specialist is like a doctor saying they are a body expert or a lawyer saying they are a law expert… its just not true because its not specific enough for a professional today who works in the internet sector. It never has been actually but the general public are certainly not aware of this it seems.

Lets break this down a little. The human body is the market sector. Its covered in general by a GP (General Practice) Doctor. Thats the local man in the white coat you go to at stage one for a diagnosis of a problem or symptom. These doctors are the guys who look over the body in general and make the initial recommendations on reaching a solution. So what next…

Well that all depends…depends on what?

If you need your teeth fixed you get a dentist, heart surgery a heart surgeon, brain surgery a brain surgeon, burns a burns expert. Guess what, the internet is pretty similiar in regards the differences in expertise. God knows you would NEVER let a brain surgeon do heart surgery or a dentist fix a broken leg and YES its the same when choosing an expert for completing a job on the internet.

Thats not to say that heart experts dont know about the brain and vice versa (and this is where the lines blur) but its not something they would take on and they would not be able to do it correctly, nevermind the fact that you might die…

So when someone says “I’m an internet expert” I immeidatley assume they are a web user who knows what they are doing SURFING the web, not someone who works directly on it. What you need to find is an expert who does the specific job you require doing… makes sense no? Well guess what, not many people do it they simply assume that the person who makes websites is also an expert in:

Hosting, emails, coding, designing, programming, SEO, marketing, security, development, navigation etc. The list goes on!

And the problem can be that the website builders may not correct the client that THEY are not the experts in this particular area that needs addressing and this is cimply a recipe for disaster!

So how would a client know what choice to make when selecting the right professional for the job. Its not a big secret to be honest, its common sense, but it continues to astound me how many people will skip these all important sensible points when they are doing business.

Check these simple points out before you hand over any money to an “internet expert”

- Reputation
There are two aspects of reputation to check. The “real world” reputation as to the professionals conduct in general and the online reputation, what they are associated with, who they work with and who they are partnered with are examples of reviewing a professionals reputation.

- Testimonails
Client and business testimonials are excellent ways of assessing a professionals professionalism. That is, if the testimonials are REAL. This is something that happens in any business where an apparent glowing confirmation of a business was submitted by someone who never has, and never will exist so NEVER be afraid to check up on these testimonials and speak to the people who have supplied them.

- Portfolio
Some web companies are unfortunately restricted from publishing the work they do for clients and allowing it to be seen in their portfolios (this can be for a multitude of different reasons) but its no excuse. Web Design businesses should have a range of clients to show off in a portfolio.
*NOTE – portfolios are subjective, you might like the work you may not, but the work is examples of potential outcome and also bear in mind clients can, on occasion, have to much input into a design, thus potentially destroying the work in professionals eyes but leaving the client happy.

Follow these few steps and though there are no guarentees, it will help to ensure that the decision you make is more than liely correct and the investment in time and money wont be a waste.

I have plenty more to write around this type of subect so bear with me as I get it together.