FAQs
How do I know the search marketing vendor or employee I hire is qualified? Are there official certifications in search marketing?Unfortunately, there is no industry-standard for search marketing certification, and you should be wary of vendors or employees that offer a certification as their qualification -- for that very reason. The best measure of a potential employee or vendor is proven results and satisfied references. Ask for both!
Are there official organizations for search engine marketers?The most recognized search engine marketing association is the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization, SEMPO. At this time, however, SEMPO does not offer industry certification. Therefore, it may be difficult to choose an organization to trust from the SEMPO directory, because there is little way to differentiate experienced SEMPO members from less experienced members.
What should I look for in a search marketing vendor?- Proven results.
- Client references.
What are some red flags I should look for in a pay per click management vendor?Be wary of vendors that only want to be measured by reducing the cost per click ... Why? Anyone can reduce your cost per click by reducing your placement to a lower PPC ranking (for instance from the first position, which costs the most, to the sixth position, which costs less per click). Vendors should be measured by two things: - COST PER CONVERSION: The average cost of ads to convert one website visitor.
- NUMBER OF CONVERSIONS: Look at the total number of conversions you're getting on your website. Your goal is to have as many conversions as possible to make the most of your investment. If your vendor isn't accomplishing this goal, you need a new vendor!
What about the search marketing vendors that guarantee me a top ranking on a search engine?Be especially wary of any search marketing vendor that "guarantees" a certain level of ranking in the natural search results (on any search engine). It is IMPOSSIBLE to guarantee this. Why? Search engines, like Google and Yahoo!, are constantly updating the "algorithms" that determine how websites rank in the natural search results, and your competition for those spots is also always trying to rank higher.
There is no way to absolutely control who ranks number one for a particular keyword term, no matter what that vendor tells you. Google also warns about this: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35291
What is the first step in working with a search marketing firm?Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to have your goals clearly established -- and have them spelled out in your contract with the firm ... Why? SEO and PPC goals and expectations can vary from firm to firm, and you need to make sure that the vendor you select understands your expectations as a client and legally agrees to meet them.
How much do I need to spend to be successful in SEO?According to an October 2003 study by MarketingSherpa, the average client spends between $6,000-$150,000/year on search engine optimization efforts, depending on the website's "size, complexity, frequency of updates, content management system, search term goals and competitiveness of the target marketplace." To get a clearer idea of how much your company may need to budget, we'll do a free search engine optimization analysis for you.
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