"Without search engines, one could even argue that the rest of the Web is pointless. Yahoo! first tried organizing sites in a directory. While that still exists, it's practically become a novelty instead of a utility. The way to find anything on the Web is via search.
A select few among search industry executives and media cynics who quote them have recently cited paid search as the one and only way to market a business via search engines. It's like saying that the only way to attract attention in a news paper is via advertising, as opposed to public relations... Readers will blissfully keep reading The New York Times even if the advertising were to disappear entirely."
The above quote was extracted from a very popular newsletter focused on the SEO industry. It is articulate, appears well thought out, and sounds undeniably logical. Too bad it's complete garbage. You want the inside scoop on search engine optimization? Here it is -- treat it like any other investment. Diversify, consider it an avenue you should explore, but by no means waste all your resources on it. If anything funds and time spent on SEO work should be among your smaller investments.
Pursuing SEO is akin to chasing the proverbial carrot. Every time you get close enough to nibble on it it will inevitably be yanked back and you'll have to begin the chase anew. There is a growing number of companies that spend tens of thousands of dollars every year on SEO services. Likewise, there is a growing number of companies suing search engines like Google for "mysteriously" dropping their results from their top pages. Do you really want to repeat their mistakes? Can you afford to?
Where does that leave you? First and foremost you have to ask yourself, "Why do I want to optimize my site for search engines?" The answer is invariably for customers. You want people to know who you are. You want people to know where you are. You want people to know what you sell and why you are better than the competition. Most importantly you want people to buy from you, be it services or products, be happy with what they got and come back for more. If you do what you do really well they may even begin referring others your way.
To call 8020 an SEO firm would be a misnomer. Although part of what we do for our clientele is geared towards improving your search engine exposure, our primary goal is not search engine optimization -- it is website promotion. Google mania has your competition clawing away at each other vying for premium spots in its search result lists. For those who succeed victory is fleeting at best, and soon auto-personalization of search results on an individual level is right around the corner -- which will make any money you invest in SEO now worthless.
Contrary to popular public opinion getting ranked well in search engines is not the only way you can ensure your company does wel. There are plenty of ways to skin a cat and we will make sure all potential avenues for building your exposure are explored. You must take a step back and change your focus to what really matters -- growing your business. Don't buy the media hype - SEO firms want you to pour money into their coffers.
We will show you how to increase your visitor --> sales conversion ratio. We will show you which of your products and services should be your focus. We will show you your top competitors and how to capitalize on their weaknesses. We will show you how to build your brand. We will show you how to build good qualified traffic. We will show you how to build your client base. We will show you how to build your business - because in the end that is all that matters.
Our experience in this industry is unparalleled. Use that experience to your advantage and let us help you evolve your online venture into what it has the potential of becoming!
