Search Engine Optimisation versus Search Engine Marketing

2010-02-03T00:31:00.000-08:00

There are many great books written about SEO and SEM. So many to choose from. I read many of them and I know how incredibly overwhelming a task it must be for someone who has no idea what SEO and SEM are. Search Google and you will find millions of sites with information for you to learn from.

What is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is about design strategies you can use to improve your search engine ranking. This usually means tweaking your website using design elements and content. And it also means spending no money at all (unless you want to pay someone else to do it).

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is about doing whatever you need to do to ensure your website ranks as highly as possible in search engine results. This means not only making the needed changes to your website design, but also employing other tactics such as using a paid advertising program or investing in content strategies.

So where would be the best starting point? What ebook should you buy, or where should you go first? You know it's important but why and what to do can be a mystery. Perhaps you’d rather pay someone to do it for you. But who would be the best person to hire? Perhaps you’ve received an email offering you the service but you don't know if you should accept the offer. Maybe you’ve already bought a book or two but still have no idea where to start. You don't have the time or patience to study but you want results. Now! You probably have so many questions but it's often difficult knowing who to trust.

I have some important advice:

1. First know your competition. Study your competition or hire someone to get a report of their website performance. If they have great results, find out how they did it.

2. Start learning and open your mind to the unknown. Don't be afraid to experiment. After all, most of us don't know all the Google secrets. Don't buy books that claim a quick return on your money - there is no such thing. But you know that, don't you?

3. Keep reading this blog and I will share my knowledge. For free. Yes all knowledge should be free. (That is the foundation the internet was built on.)

4. I recommend you read Software for your brain by Michael Hewitt Gleeson (http://www.schoolofthinking.org/about/cvstobvs-universal-brain-software/). It’s brilliant and a great starting point for increasing your marketing knowledge. And it’s free.

Why should you read this book? If you want to come top in Google searches, this book will get you on your way. Type this in to Google: SDNT CVSTOBVS QRH PRR This is the code to getting excellent marketing results. Brilliant code :)

Over the next few blogs I will cover SEO and SEM in depth with valuable free tools. But again I urge you to first check Software for your brain. It will help you to open your mind. Consider it a warming up exercise. Most importantly it will help your business. How? By programming your brain, of course.

Welcome

2010-01-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

When did you first become aware of a desire to be a website designer/developer?

I cannot remember exactly when it happened.

Why did you want to become a website designer?

When I learnt for the first time that I could write html using Notepad. I created an image and layout. It was great fun. I joined Webmonkey and learnt a few Java tricks. It felt so awesome. Years have passed and I am still learning.

There are millions of good website designers and developers. We are all striving for excellence: in presentation, graphic design, media, programing, SEO.

And here you are! A business person who has no idea what it is all about. All you need are results and clients for your business.

What can you do for me?

My clients come to me unsure about what they want - they just know they want results. They need to be on the first page of Google so their customers will find them. They need well-written, carefully considered, and error-free text to describe their business.

So I had the idea of writing this blog for you so you can understand what internet presence can do for you and how. So when you meet a website designer/developer you can convey your business needs and make the most of your website.

I am in the process of creating a forum for people like you, where you can ask questions and share knowledge with others.

Why would I do that? Why would I share all I have learnt over the years with you?

More people know what they are looking for. It makes the job much easier for designers such as me to achieve your goals. Maybe you’ll be my next client. But that is not the goal of this blog. My goal is to translate technology into business terms - how you can achieve your goals with as little effort and money as possible.

So what is website design? What can it do for you? What is SEO? How should you prepare yourself before you meet your designer? (Oh yes you should! If you place advertising in the newspaper or magazine you don't expect them to create that advertising for you.) I'll address these questions and more over the upcoming blogs.

Remember: your website is your advertising … and so much more.

WHAT? WHY? HOW? All you need to know about websites for business

Search Engine Optimisation versus Search Engine Marketing

Welcome