| More and more companies
are beginning to understand the importance of expert search engine optimization in their
overall marketing efforts. It is typically harder for them to understand, however, why the
discipline requires an ongoing effort for long-term success.
Companies often fear that they are paying
ongoing fees for one-time work, and, unfortunately, these fears are often justified. Many
so-called "expert" search engine optimization companies charge setup fees, then
add on steep ongoing fees, when in reality the work for the campaign was done up front,
and the "ongoing" component consists of running a simple ranking report every
month and dressing it up for the client. Fees for these reports can be thousands of
dollars, making it potentially the highest margin business since the repeated sale of the
Brooklyn Bridge.
In reality, expert search engine
optimization really is an ongoing process. It is a process of honing and refining while
simultaneously expanding. It is a process of protecting and bolstering while also
minimizing the risk of setback. Recurring costs for search engine optimization should go
primarily toward increasing the value of the campaign over time – not maintaining the
status quo, or, worse yet, simply reporting on the state of the union.
Enter Campaign Expansion
Quality optimization providers put the
launch of an expert search engine optimization campaign in the proper context – as
the beginning of the data collection and campaign refinement process. The purpose of the
data collection is to see what is working and what is not, and to expand the campaign in a
more targeted direction. There are numerous benefits to this approach:
The "freshness" factor:
Search engines are interested in
"fresh" content – to the point where they often give newer pages a
temporary ranking boost in search engine results. Engines seem to have a disdain for
stagnant websites. The underlying logic of the engine algorithm makers is that if a
website has not been updated in quite some time, the content must surely be dated, or, at
the very least, not the newest available information. Websites that are updated more
frequently are placed in higher regard – a primary reason why industry portals, with
their rapidly updating content, often dominate search results for competitive terms.
Moreover, the engines visit frequently updated websites more often. This means new pages
will be included in search results more quickly.
Increasing value:
An expert search engine optimization
campaign will target a variety of key phrases at the outset. However, no matter how
carefully these phrases are chosen, some will perform better than others. Some may not
perform at all. Using web analytic software, a quality optimization firm will track the
conversion data from each individual phrase (simply put,this means the phrases that are
bringing in the traffic that takes a desired action on the site). It is often the case
that the phrases that are sending the most traffic to the site are not particularly
valuable, since very few of the visitors from the phrase are converting. By studying the
individual key phrase conversion performance, an expert search engine optimization firm
can target additional phrases similar to those that are performing best. This refinement
process never stops, and the end result is that each expansion is more effective than the
last. In fact, after several expansions, it is not uncommon to see the newer group of key
phrases (chosen after data collection began) outperform the entire list of key phrases
targeted at campaign outset. Results like these are hard to ignore.
Addressing new business concerns:
Most businesses are constantly evolving.
New products or service offerings are perpetually in the works. New vertical markets are
targeted. Directives are handed down from up high that demand more business in more areas.
If your search engine optimization firm's "management" package primarily
consists of a ranking report, it may be time to look elsewhere. Part of your management
package should be the opportunity to routinely address new business challenges without
paying more setup costs.
More Rationale for Ongoing Management
There are additional reasons that expert
search engine optimization management, done properly, is a necessity. These include the
need for ongoing link building to protect and improve positions, careful competitor
monitoring (both to see how your search engine performance compares with theirs and to
make sure they aren't violating any search engine rules), and careful monitoring of the
industry to reveal any new opportunities or potential dangers. Of these, however, campaign
expansion and refinement may be the most crucial. The most effective campaigns are
routinely expanded based upon what has been successful in the past. It's hard work, and it
takes passion and dedication, but it always pays off. |
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Scott Buresh is the CEO of Medium Blue Search Engine Marketing. He has
contributed content to many publications including Building Your Business with Google For
Dummies (Wiley, 2004), MarketingProfs, ZDNet, SEO Today, WebProNews, DarwinMag,
SiteProNews, ISEDB.com, and Search Engine Guide. Medium Blue, an Atlanta search engine optimization company,
serves local and national clients, including Boston Scientific, DuPont, and
Georgia-Pacific. To receive internet marketing articles and search engine news in your
email box each month, register for Medium Blue’s newsletter, Out of the Blue. |
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