It's true. Variety really is the spice of life. Maybe I'm dysfunctional. Perhaps there are simply too many things to discuss. Or maybe I just don't like being pigeonholed into one narrow topic. Take your pick. It could be all three, honestly. But I simply cannot limit myself to stick to only one topic. Life is too busy... to full. Some restrictions are uncomfortable for a reason: people need diversity. I'm not pretending to be one of those guys living life to the fullest every moment (though I envy them and I aspire to become more like them). The more I think about it, the more I realize that one of the primary complaints I had against the SEO industry last year was the proliferation of online discourses and the simultaneous lack of content. I am not saying that all SEO bloggers and forum visitors are full of hot air. But I saw constant linkbait everywhere.

That's why people write the same stuff five different ways: they want to juice the actual content for all they can get out of it. I lost a lot of interest in SEO rather quickly last year when all the hype boiled down to tips and methods which anyone could learn within the span of six months to a year. It's not that I begrudge anyone the opportunity to work towards increased rankings and exposure. Not at all. Obviously, I have done some of the same. Yet there lies a difference between someone doing it and an entire industry doing it. It breaks down fairly simply: SEO professionals did not have a world-wide standard or governing body.

They were misunderstood by the general public and underappreciated. They saw the need for their services but sometimes found it difficult to sell those services to an ignorant public. However, the method employed by the search engine marketing industry is so obviously flawed. Truth break: when I wrote the SEO Myths article, I had studied the do's and dont's of SEO. I read all the material offered online by Aaron Wall, Dan Thies, Danny Sullivan, Jill Whalen, Dave Wilkie, and others I can't even remember. I understood the concepts. I got the logic of it. I liked the concept of theme based web design and architecture. But I also found that unless I wanted to become a programmer, the actual well of information was rather shallow.

I ran out of new content in less than a year. One of my pet peeves is a person flaunting himself as a know-it-all professional when he's really just got a couple guys working with him in different parts of the country (and instantaneously have offices in New York, Florida, California, and Chicago.... wow... that's impressive) and a blog or forum where he regurgitates what the other pros are saying in addition to spinning and respinning old topics. I don't want to fall victim to the same flaw. It's easy to do so, especially since regular content on the same subjects will increase organic search engine rankings. Still, content is king, no matter what anyone says.

If it's not worth reading, it's not worth posting. That is where I draw the line. That is where I lose respect for indivicuals, industries, or even myself. We need to rethink this whole concept. Search engines are great for helping us wade through the information we don't want and find the information we need. So why add a dozen regurgitated articles to your blog, just to improve your rankings?

Why not pursue the respect of your peers. What if the primary concern was content, and SEO-ing an SEO company became more like checking your spelling and grammar after you get to the heart of the matter? Idealistic? Sure. Worth Considering? Maybe. Then again, I started this blog to write about the world, not SEO. I just happen to do SEO for a living.

Popularity: 2% [?]

The weather was absolutely perfect for sitting out on the patio, enjoying pleasant conversation. It was the perfect setting for the evening's meeting at the Renaissance Hotel in Richardson, Texas. Christine Churchill, of KeyRelevance fame, introduced Brett Tabke to the crowd at the DFW Search Engine Marketing Association meeting yesterday. As most of you know, Brett Tabke is the man behind WebmasterWorld.com, one of the largest web-focused forums on the World Wide Web. He is also responsible for PubCon, the leading conference for sharing information about SEO, SEM, and Webmaster issues. I say "the leading conference for SEO" because, as many of you know, Danny Sullivan is making the keynote address at this year's PubCon conference in Las Vegas.

Danny Sullivan had been the face behind the Search Engine Strategies Conference (SES) for years, but has recently announced his separation from the SES. Questions about Danny Sullivan and PubCon were no doubt at the forefront of many people's minds: will Danny align himself with PubCon, thus thrusting it to the forefront of search engine marketing conferences? When asked, all that Brett Tabke could say is that Danny Sullivan has likely been offered positions from multiple conference organizations and has yet to announce any final decision. "He may have something to announce at the conference," Brett chuckled, "I certainly hope so."

Brett's presentation covered the history of his career, exposure to computerized technology, and the issues faced by today's SEO/SEM forums. He acknowledged a rather significant drop off in new forum memberships over the past six months. In his opinion, the rather significant portion of the American population that had not made the switch to web-based thinking/marketing has now been inoculated. "The SEO/SEM industry has plateaued," Brett admitted. He went on to admit a level of uncertainty as to what to expect from the next phase of SEO growth. Search Engine Optimization has "matured" to a certain point, he explained, where we no longer need to repeatedly explain META Descriptions and Title Tags to the readership. The readers have asked those questions, learned as much as they can, and are now leveling off at this level of maturity that begs the question: "What do we teach them now?" Certainly, these important questions.

While we in the SEO industry certainly do not know everything, including the actual algorithms of search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask, enough information is already out there on the web that anyone can learn how to optimize a website by spending the time to research and experiment. Brett Tabke's presentation style is very relaxed, comfortable, and personable. It was refreshing to hear a man of his stature admit to uncertainties and concerns. Those questions are real. Many SEOs have been wondering the same thing. In part, the very truth of those concerns were the motivation behind my article, "Breaking SEO Myths Part One: The SEO Expert."

There comes a point when a person is attempting to become an expert through link bait articles, countless forum posts, and blog networks. The lack of deeper waters (outside of learning HTML, Pearl, .Net, etc.) is evidence in and of itself that the industry is quickly coming to a point when talking about itself will prove to be only redundant. And before someone begins accusing me of constantly accusing and slandering SEOs, let me be the first to say that I do not wish for a lack of new information. I don't want to be bored. I don't want to end up regurgitating the same old thing. I enjoy learning, challenges, and growth. So just know that my comments about the industry are not bitter judgments but rather concerns about myself.

Popularity: 2% [?]

It surprised me to hear that one or two people found and responded to my article, "Breaking SEO Myths Part One: The SEO Expert. You can imagine my surprise when, after ten months of having published this, I suddenly receive several email and blog responses on the topic. I've asked a couple non-SEO people to read both my article and the responses so that I could hear unbiased opinions. The majority consensus was that 1) my article was an entertaining read, 2) there were a few small sections I could have written less pointedly (more PC), and 3) there must be some very sensitive or paranoid people working in the industry to respond so strongly.

I wrote this article as a warning to business owners and decision makers everywhere. I wrote it because it should take more than a good sales pitch to win a client. I wrote this because an unregulated industry has no real accountability, and an expert without accountability succeeds on nothing more than his or her ability to make a sales pitch and the client's blind faith. Am I claiming that all SEO firms and individuals are fakes, phonies, or shysters? No, and I said this in my article. I was not condemning an entire industry when I posted the article ten months ago. It's when we fail to read each sentence and consider the context carefully that we come to faulty conclusions and poorly considered responses.

Who am I to criticize anyone? Well, fortunately for me, I don't have to be an expert to criticize self-proclaimed experts (after all, if we followed that horrid logic, none of us would have the right to comment on politics, religion, terrorism, Medicare, education, or criminal justice unless there be a doctor/lawyer/priest/senator/terrorist out there among you). As far as talents, abilities, and interests lie, I am a writer/editor at heart. I love the English language.

As a copywriter, more than half of my clients have been interactive marketing / SEO companies. I have participated in two local interactive marketing / SEO associations, listened to the speakers, read my share of SEO articles, bought and read SEO books, etc. That does not mean I claim to be an expert. It means that I have sufficient exposure to the industry to have developed informed opinions. It's not that I think the search engine optimization industry is in worse shape than all other industries.

But there are few checks and balances at present. The lack of checks and balances (i.e. regulation) means that no one is unequivocally qualified to claim expert status. Some people out there offer a free list of qualities that they think defines an expert. Of course, we have to trust such a person implicitly to take their word for it. Looks like we're back to blind faith again.

As I've already mentioned, the primary purpose of "Breaking SEO Myths" was to warn potential clients about self-proclaimed search engine optimization experts. The secondary purpose was, if anything, to challenge SEOs to actually do something about the problem. So what is the problem? Well, there are many. I cannot possibly deal with all the problems or solutions in one article or post. Here are the top three problems I see with self-proclaimed expert SEOs:

No regulating agency. Simply put, no existing committee or organization fulfills the role of W3C for the SEO industry. Want a suggestion rather than just a list of problems? Here it is: Form a worldwide committee that functions for SEO like the W3C does for HTML/CSS. Sure, a regulatory committee/organization presents its own set of challenges and difficulties, but so does selecting the right SEO. Obviously, universal standards would be difficult to define in some areas due to the number of ways a task can be accomplished. If coming together to found a regulatory agency is impossible, then each SEO should be a little more humble and willing to admit that their credentials are based upon hearsay or repetition (How many people do I have to pitch, land, and practice open-heart surgery on before I become an expert?).

Because of the lack of a regulatory agency, most SEOs create alliances with other SEOs. They form small committees, organizations, blogs, chat rooms, and conferences. They write as much as they possibly can on the subject of SEO to increase exposure and the perception of authority (after all, if 80 websites post or quote your article, that makes you an expert, right? Oh, right! That's how Google determines authority, and SEOs just happen to be experts at creating backlinks to improve the perception of authority and importance. How convenient.)

Because of the lack of a regulatory agency, people create service directories of the Top 5 or Top 10 agencies in a given field. This would be extremely helpful if only those directories weren't offering placement for a price. For example, see topseos.com. Want to be listed in the Top 5 Organic Optimization List? If you're willing to pay the price, you can be listed #1. They say that they will call three of your clients to ensure the quality of your work, but history has not proven this to be true. Doesn't lend much credibility, does it? Not only does this reflect poorly on the people who created the site directory, but it reflects poorly on the companies paying to be listed as experts. Do you honestly think that a business owner is going to realize he or she is looking at paid placement advertising? It is one thing to list sponsors. It's an entirely different thing to rank companies so as to show preference and recommendation. Websites like these are a far cry from the Better Business Bureau of SEO.

There you have it. I am not challenging the statement that many SEO companies are offering useful and helpful services to their clients. As they say, at the end of the day there are still only ten spots on the first page of each major search engine. There are certainly challenges to face, and many of which are unique to the client.

I recently accepted an SEO position at VIZION Interactive, Inc. I met Mark Jackson (President of VIZION Interactive) in 2005 and worked on several projects for VIZION over the past year. Taking someone at their word simply isn't playing it smart, unless you have a strong relationship with someone who can vouch for them. Then again, if you have that benefit, this article isn't meant for you anyway.

Some of the responses to my article indicate that there are more than a few SEOs out there who feel uncertain about their own right to claim expert status. The irony is amusing. And before another person reads this and gets all huffy, you can rest assured that I have never called myself an SEO expert. I work for a company that offers professional services. VIZION Interactive has a policy of transparency with its clients that should be emulated by all. Clients have access to every step of the process, and nothing is withheld.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Some days I wonder how I get from point A to point B without tripping over my own feet. Other days it seems the world is my oyster. Then there are days when I'd rather be a cat... don't ask. This, however, is not one of those days. What does that mean exactly? I honestly don't know. But wouldn't it be cool if I was a cat!?!?!

I'd like to thank each and every one of the people who have taken the time to send me an email these past two days. I am more than a little surprised at the response I've gotten for an article I wrote more than six months ago. I want to reassure you that I will be writing a response to Randfish's blog post on SEOmoz. After reading through his post and many of the other people's responses, I need a day or so to consider all of the suggestions and opinions.

Contrary to now popular belief, I prefer not to go shooting off at the mouth (or the blog) simply because someone else has something to say about my writing. I am reminded of The Great Conversation as taught by Dr. Davey Naugle of the former Pew College Society at DBU. He invited us to join into The Great Conversation by reading books written by some of the greatest minds of human history. He challenged us engage with the thoughts, ideas, and postulations of brilliant philosophers, novelists, poets, astronomers, playwrights, and scientists. We would borrow their thoughts, try them on for size, and keep the ones that fit.

While blogs are a far cry from The Great Conversation, they are yet an opportunity for us to engage each other on topics large and small, allowing even the most socially challenged to stand up and proclaim their heartfelt convictions and beliefs and, yes, even criticisms. I welcome you all to discuss what weighs heavily on your minds, whether it be the true standing of Search Engine Optimization in American/Global economics or the need for a faster and younger quarterback on the Dallas Cowboys (did I bias that one already? shoot!). Intelligent conversation is always welcome.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I decided to go against tradition and stick with a blog post rather than an interactive press release. It's official: Monday, October 2nd was my first day at Vizion Interactive, Inc. It's an exciting move - one full of possibilities. I've worked with Mark Jackson, President of Vizion Interactive, on several projects over the past year. Recently, he called me up and offered me a full-time position - something we had discussed at length back in January yet never acted on.

After the crucial discussion with my wife (I'm no fool), I accepted the position. I know that some people will think it ironic that I joined an interactive marketing company that specializes in SEO. I think it's kind of ironic too. Quite a few SEO "experts" have left quite a bad taste in my mouth, but contrary to popular opinion, I don't hold that against everyone in the profession.

I am a writer at heart, and so I prefer to write creatively as the "juices" flow. That's great and all, but there are many other tasks to be accomplished in the interactive marketing space and I respect them for their level of difficulty and sheer necessity. With that said, I would like to thank Mark and the rest of the team for the warm welcome. I look forward to contributing where I can and learning quite a bit at the same time. Vizion Interactive is earning new and repeat business left and right, and it's exciting to be on the team!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Search Engine Optimization is a ballooning industry. There's no doubt about that. Every business needs to ensure that their website and other online marketing efforts function as effectively as possible. So many entrepreneurs have seen visions of the tidal wave of money to be made in the industry, and they jumped right in although they can barely dog-paddle. You can learn the same basic info that most SEO firms will tell you just by searching for "SEO tips" on Google.

Many of them are afraid to let you know that because they want to be viewed as professionals with insider information that can only be gained through years of experience. The only time that seems to be actually true is when using PERL script or other back end programming and development. Obviously, a programmer has skills that not everyone has. But SEO principles are not specialized, and they do not require someone with five or more years of experience to understand. Having said that, you are more than likely better off hiring an SEO firm to do the work for you. No, I'm not sending mixed signals here. You need to be aware of the smooth talk and the BS some of them will use to impress you, but you probably still need someone's help to do the actual work. That is, unless you are willing to hire someone on full-time to do it for you.

After many conversations with many "experts", I have noticed two vital tools missing from nearly everyone's approach. If I may be blunt, they are missing because the SEO firms aren't true marketing firms and are too young to understand how to truly win long-term repeat business. TWO THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SUCCEED WITH SEO There are two things you need to know to succeed: you must know the customer and you must know the search engines.

You cannot complete a successful SEO campaign if you have not taken the time to know your target audience. It is sickening how many companies spout cliches like "find your target audience" without actually helping you find them. What might be even worse is that SEO experts have all read or spoken about the importance of inbound links for good rankings, yet so many of them never incorporate linking strategies for their clients.

A successful marketing company researches the client's target audience until they know who they are, what they want, how they speak, and what they respond to. If your SEO service provider doesn't know that much detail about your customers, how do they know which keywords your customers will use to search with on Google or Yahoo? Exactly - they don't. Sure, keyword research tools exist to provide a list of related phrases which are extremely popular, but are they the phrases people will use when looking to buy? It's more involved than simply pressing a few buttons and letting a computer program shoot out some answers.

Why are these crucial elements missing? Because SEO firms don't believe you will spend the money to do a search engine optimization campaign the right way. Because most of their clients know very little about SEO, the firms cut out necessary elements to lower the price and gain clients.

THE COST OF NEGLECT
The unfortunate side effect is a half-brained campaign. No matter what they have done, Google will continue to shun your website as an authority because you lack the appropriate inbound links. To add to your future frustration, you will eventually realize that even though your traffic has increased even significantly, your conversion rate has not increased at the same rate. This is, of course, due to the fact that although your SEO firm drew more people to your site, they were not the right people.

The truth is that 98% of the time you get what you pay for. If you are large enough to pay for conventional marketing and advertising, you probably don't skimp on the details. SEO is still a relatively new industry and the experts are still relatively insecure about their status. They may be willing to compromise to land a client. You do not want this. Why spend any money at all for the wrong thing or a poor quality thing? You might as well save your money or spend it elsewhere.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Somebody famous said that. They were right. Don't waste your time or money on a half-hearted service. Ask questions. Get involved. Insist on well-laid plans and ideas, just like you would for a commercial spot during the Super Bowl. Everyone wants results yesterday, and almost no one wants to wait. But quality comes from thorough research and planning. Don't compromise the quality of your business.Daniel Dessinger provides writing services including: SEO, interactive press releases, website copy, articles, creative ads, copy editing, and consulting. Visit him on the web at http://www.culturefeast.com.

Popularity: 2% [?]

I had the pleasure of attending a DFWSEM meeting in December. For those not in the know, that stands for Dallas / Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association. It was a cozy group of 15 to 20 people from almost as many different local companies. It was a great opportunity for me to meet new people in the interactive marketing and search engine optimization industry.

Since my decision to stick with copywriting, I've really enjoyed those SEO types much more. They do the keyword research and analytics while I get to use my talents based on the words they select. It's a win/win for me.

Anyhow, while some may snub their noses at a smaller professional organization, I give them kudos! The atmosphere was very personable. I warmed up to several people much quicker than I would have if I was drowning in masses of scheming businessmen and women. These people (including the founders of the organization) were very friendly and more than willing to offer advice and help. Granted, some of their willingness to help may stem from the fact that I, as a copywriter, am not direct competition. On the contrary, I am a potential tool in their SEO arsenal. I am told that most search engine marketing firms are limited in growth potential because they have limited copywriting resources.

Well, if that be the case, here I am! I am willing and able to ease the burden. That is the beauty of specialization. By focusing strictly on writing and not SEO research, I can perform at faster speeds while maintaining a very high standard of copy quality. Web copywriting is a blast! I love it. Press release writing is just as enjoyable.

I have high expectations for this group of Search Engine Marketers. They run successful businesses and I look forward to working with many of them very soon.

More to come on The DFWSEM.

If you are looking for a search engine optimization organization in north Texas, visit them on the web at http://www.dfwsem.org. And tell them I sent you.

Popularity: 2% [?]