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Search engine optimization is a critical piece of web integration as it relates to any commercial, customer driven portal. The history of search optimization, and today’s SEO industry is testament to the importance of the process. SEO is a set of steps and design processes that can greatly improve website visibility.
Most of the web developers working in the industry today understand the importance of SEO - it's given at least lip-service by any developer who has any reputation whatsoever, but there's a problem. Most of the developers tout a 'cut and paste' approach to SEO. A quick 'included in the price' solution.
A recent email I sent to a colleague outlines some of the issues: SEO work is a lot more than plug-ins. The most effective optimization work is a pretty deep process. As in everything – you get what you pay for.
1) The most expensive solution for a client is to hire a consultant. This is the also the most effective method of achieving results.
Likelihood of success 80-100%
2) The second most expensive is to purchase a method, or take training, and follow it religiously. This is the second most effective solution and only works if the client is
a) Smart
b)Committed
Likelihood of success 50 – 80%
3) The least expensive is to use a ‘built in’ or ‘cookie cutter’ solution. Quite simply – if this seems to be working, it’s because of dumb luck.
Likelihood of success 0 – 20%
Really, it’s the same as setting up a server – you can have someone do it and be sure it’s done right, if you’re really smart you can learn to do it (but that takes a lot of time), or you can rely on drop-in solutions that are anything from very cheap (very poor and insecure) to very expensive (relatively well built and safe).
As well, to guarantee someone a top spot in the results pages without a firm contract that explains the cost of that relative to the difficulty, is offering an ongoing charitable contribution to their cause. It takes a lot of effort to get to #1 with a desirable set of keywords, and it takes a lot of effort to stay there. The challenge is that there are a lot of people offering 100% success rate on the 3rd solution – clients don’t understand that this is impossible, and are reluctant to part with the resources necessary to assure success when they’re being offered untenable solutions for a fraction of the price.
It’s these and all the other variables that make our lives as IT consultants so interesting.
SEO is not a cookie cutter job. It's an intensive, investigatory, developmental and ongoing process that should be integrated into the design of your website and must be addressed in an ongoing fashion if the concept is going to do you any good at all. Content and maintenance are two words you should hear in any converstation with any SEO talent. If you don't, walk away.
As a consultant, I was involved in the documentation of an SEO methodology that has dominated search results for the company which solicited my help, and still use that methodology today in all my web-enabled presentations, and in my client projects where web design is part of the package. SEO is much more than keywords and metatags.
The methodology is available for purchase
Please contact us for pricing details or access.
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