Before you go shopping for search engine optimization services, you should know what you're paying for.
Search results: who needs 'em? Well, everyone, actually. But you shouldn't have to sign away your first born to show up as the top hit on Google. If you follow my advice, your red-headed step-child should also be safe from harm.
SEO is not a black box
Search engine optimization is not the dark art that some self-proclaimed gurus make it out to be. In fact, it's fairly well known what makes search engines tick. Technically, there are hundreds of factors to consider, but just a handful – such as properly written tags and the number of inbound links to your site – account for the bulk of the ranking.
Learn how to fish
You could pay a consultant $500 a month for the next five years to optimize your site, or you could pay one $500 for an afternoon to sit down and teach you the basics. How does that saying go? Teach a man to tag, and he optimizes for a lifetime?
Do (some of) it yourself
Most content management systems (like Drupal and WordPress) have plugins that let you write your own tags and descriptions, once you have the know-how. And while things like how many people link to your site – the #1 search result factor – may seem beyond your control, remember that it's ultimately up to you to create a site worth linking to.
Social media will get you more traffic
As long as your site is reasonably well optimized, it will be findable – provided someone is searching for you. On the other hand, social media tools like Twitter, Digg, and Delicious (the Internet's version of word-of-mouth) can spread your link like wildfire – provided it's good. This type of linking will also do more to improve your search results in the long run.
"Traffic + Conversion = Profits"
So says my Internet marketing colleague Adam Killam. Once the visitors start pouring in, you need a conversion strategy and obvious call-to-action buttons, like "Sign Up For Our Newsletter," "Work With Us," and "Get In Touch." As another wise man once said, "don't make me think!"
So if search optimization is so simple, why pay someone else to do it? Well, it still requires some expertise, not to mention time and effort. If you continue to outsource the task, just make sure you're paying for a legitimate service, like analytics, keyword research, or on-page optimization – steer clear of dicey "juicing" techniques and anything else that sounds too good to be true.
If, on the other hand, you decide to take it on yourself, just be sure to closely monitor your statistics. If, after a few months, you're still not happy with the results, by all means pick up the phone and call in a professional. At least now you'll know what you're searching for.
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