Search Engine Optimization and Submission Services FAQ

The following FAQ's and articles will assist consumers not knowledgeable of what a search engine optimization consultant or marketer does or what to expect from an SEO/webmaster or website promotion service. The original articles were written between 2000 and 2003. Many of the original links to member and other pages moved or were expunged.

Although the info is a little dated understand that it was written knowing that algorithms change frequently. However, because this was written to reflect that there were or  about to occur a major shift from on page to off page analysis i.e. link analysis at the time of writing. The present document has been slanted towards a shift to measuring "buzz" and activity on the many social network sites.

Changes to the FAQ will be in blockquotes and italicized font anything bolded is the key point.

It is our hope that by using this FAQ we can illustrate the success of our member standards. To date only 6 members have been removed, 2 for "questionable business practices"; 3 for plagiarism, oddly only one was offshore and TrafficPower. TrafficPower because while reviewing the site we discovered a free program that claimed to analyze a site. Well funny thing, they actually pitched the org by email, we were alerted when they claimed we weren't found on SEs for the keywords when in fact we were in the top ten for the industry keyword and apparently we were spamming. When we could not reach customer service to explain some of the "claims" especially the rank and statements about the org spammed in the email they were removed.

At the time of this writing (January/2010) all major Search Engines have added Real Time and in the case of Google Personalization and in 2009 Universal Search were added to the SERPs. How content is discovered is changing and will only increase the need for webmasters and marketers to change the way websites are promoted.

Facebook has emerged as a major force; YouTube a video search and Social sharing site is the second most popular search site and blogging including micro blogging (Twitter and like Social Networks) have changed the way content is published and shared/distributed.

All Below Written by Terry Van Horne, 
AKA Webmaster T,
a founding member of SeoPros.org

Find a Search Engine Optimization Consultant: outlines using search engines and other resources to find and do due diligence of an SEO Consultant.

Search Engine Optimization required skills: outlines the skills required by a search engine optimization consultant. Useful in judging their  suitability for a project.

What you should expect from your search engine marketer: it is a given that top positions are expected. This FAQ informs you of what you should really expect in addition to top positions from a search engine marketer and why? 

Search engine optimization and Submission services to avoid: There are many services to avoid. We explain these services and why they are best avoided.

Why shouldn't I just do this myself?: Good question! Many do try, few succeed. We explain why and how in the long run this could be more costly than hiring a professional search engine optimization company.

Related Resources

http://www.google.com/webmasters/seo.html: For another take on SEO services to avoid checkout this article on Google!
SeoPros Resource Page: Alan Perkins has published a number of papers on spam and 'Best Practices' which should be a "must read" for professionals and people looking to use SEO services. In addition to Alan's reference there are links to many Forums, search engine and organizations a consumer can use to do their due diligence.

About the Author and these
 Articles & FAQ's

Written by Terry Van Horne, AKA Webmaster T, a founding member of the organization. T has been an active member of the SEO community since 1995 writing optimization and submission articles on TsWorldofdesign and advocating "best practices" primarily in I-search later becoming SearchReturn an SEO discussion group.

Terry is currently providing SEO, SEM and social marketing services. At the time the above guideline was written IWB T's web development and marketing company was not providing optimization services so Terry was in the unique position of having no vested interest in the information provided. His intention was for the articles to provide information consumers of search engine optimization and marketing services could use to understand:

• what should be done

• how it should be done

• what they should realistically expect and why.

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