Search Engine Optimization Dilemma Boggles Novice’s Mind!

by G. W. Schuyler

My site just wasn’t getting the traffic required to run a profitable business. As I asked around I heard more and more about what I needed for my site to generate the traffic. It was called Search Engine Optimization.

Being a novice in the area of web site marketing, I asked people who know computers and programming, who have websites, and marketing degrees, how to best optimize my site. I read articles on the Internet, and looked at several options, from very expensive SEO companies to free of charge search engine submission. Being a bargain hunter by nature, I decided to start with free and work my way up the price scale from there as needed!

Comparing Apples with Apples

Well, I found that, although I may be able to select red delicious apples over granny smith apples based on this method of shopping, buying a SEO service is quite another story. For one thing, when looking into optimizing my website, I was not comparing apples to apples. Each SEO company has their own level of service or specialization, and all promise great results. This simply does not hold true.

Take for example a particular company that offers multiple search engine submission. What do they actually do? They offer to, “ optimize and position websites to come up on the first page of major search engines…guaranteed.” Read the fine print. It is found several clicks back in the Search Engine Intelligence Report. This document states that, “Your website does NOT have to be optimized to submit your web site to search engines, directories and link sites.” Even to the novice this should send up a red flag. Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse? In my opinion it is. Many search engines clearly recommend that your site must be optimized before submission.

Furthermore, they do not optimize your site. You do. They give pointers but the actual optimization is up to you. Therefore you must judge for yourself whether you are truly qualified to undertake this task.

Answer: Three Letter Acronym - The Question: What does TLA stand for?

Another glitch to be aware of when signing up for a service like this is the type of search engine to which your site will be submitted. A list of the search engines should be provided for you. One particular company names FFA Farms in their search engine list. Since embarking on this new form of business marketing I have been inundated with initials. I don’t know what most of them mean. There are the common ones; www, URL and HTML for example. Then there are the more obscure initials; php, asp, or the frequently misunderstood, “<a href=.” To me this is a foreign language! It is not surprising that I simply skipped over the initials FFA in a lengthy list of search engines, is it?

There is a danger in this however! FFA farms can get your site banned from Google. This would be a devastating blow to most companies, and one from which it is difficult if not impossible to recover. If you have incoming links from an FFA there is no cause for concern. However if you have linked to them, then you are playing with fire. Ignorance of the rules does not protect you from their enforcement and you could very well be shooting yourself in the foot, or in this case, paying a “search engine submission specialist” to do it for you.

What Is The Bottom Line?

So, what is the bottom line? Search Engine Optimization is a complex and continually changing industry. You would not go to a podiatrist to get your eyelids lifted, or a dentist who served you a healthy serving of whisky to prepare you for a molar extraction. Therefore you are well advised to go to a professional and ethical company that specializes in complete Search Engine Optimization for your web site. I’m talking about a specialist - not a web designer, not a computer repairman. Look for a company who will continue to monitor and update your optimization over time. Check their references and be sure that they have in place a system to monitor your progress in your search engine rankings. You need a true SPECIALIST.

You may have to pay more for the service than the on-line submission companies charge, but it is worth the investment to know your site is operating within the rules, and that you will continue to have traffic driven to your web site without the risk of being banned. This will leave you with a peace of mind so you can go about your business - which is your area of expertise.

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