Blogs, RSS, XML. What does all this mean?

Blogs are simply a new term used to describe a web site. It is the combination of the words "web" and "log". By nature it is simply a diary of thoughts, opinions, rants, raves, or other types of editorial content.

Because a blog by nature is a source of information that can be used for research or education, it is not a place for e-commerce transactions, although text based ads that relate to the topics of the blogs, are welcome to be displayed next to the original content.

Since the basic goals of search engines is to be the universal resources for world-wide data and information, blogs get better rankings on search page result since the major content within a blog is not a advertisement to get your immediate business, rather it can be a source of subjective information.

A blog can help web sites by linking to content on other web pages that related to services mentioned in the blog. Another way that a blog can help promote information on a topic is that is can be sindicated directly to a persons email, web site, or custom "My" home pages. This system is called RSS or Real Simple syndication. By adding small code to a web site, a web master or blog publisher can inform subscribers when the content on their web site has been updated. The same syndication process can be used by publishers who are producing a mp3 broadcast, or commonly known as "pod casting".

Publishers most commonly using RSS feeds to inform their subscribers of the newly added content are in the news business. See this example available at CNN's web site.

Bottom line, if you are type of person that can regular add new content in the form of a "how to" then blogging may be for you and may also increase traffic to your own business's web site.

Q: How should an SEO be paid? A: Compensation Based on Performance.

If it is not hard enough to explain to a prospect what it is that SEO's do, trying to explain compensation for their work is even harder.

I pride myself on being able to easily get across to my small-business clients how important it is to have a budget for internet marketing. What I don't pride myself on is the transition from close to sale at the end of my presentation. It seems as though I loose my clients attention at that point.

Nevertheless, there is a compensation standard for consultants and SEO's working in an effort to get the maximum amount of search engine exposure for their clients. Part of the compensation is for work done in advance of setting up the marketing campaigns and the other part is based on the periodic success of those internet marketing campaigns.

I will attempt to outline the basis of what I feel is a fair outline of compensation for SEO's consulting for their clients. Price points, fees, or per hour rates that SEO's set will vary from marketing agency to agency. The variation will be because of the contrast in experiences that the SEO will have had prior.

As I mentioned before there are 2 main scopes of compensation. They are as follows:

Per Hour Consulting Fee or Flat Setup Fee

During this stage the SEO may be working on the following tasks:

• Client discovery analysis - Understanding the Cleints Products / Services - Client Benefits over Competition
• Completing the online market research - Competition Keyword Analysis, Keyword Inventory Analysis
• Building the Keyword Universe / Sandbox - Gathering all of the current performing relevant keywords
• Search Engine Analysis - Determining the right search engine marketing product
• ROI forecast or Analysis - Understanding the cleints costs and price points
• keyword web page optimization- adding relevant keywords to various parts of the html and content areas of the site.
• Landing Page Development - Each targeted keyword need to have corresponding keyword focused landing pages.
• Writing Ad Text - Edit the company info, keywords, and call to action of the text ads
• Opening a keyword or search engine management account
• Executing the ads

Commission on Click's (Performance Based)

• Based on the total amount spent for traffic from search engines during the time period of the marketing campaign ( for PPC ad campaigns)
• SEO will regularly maintain keyword bid management accounts; adjusting bid amounts, daily budget, ROI analysis, ad text editing.

Example:

• Client was billed $1,500 by Google for traffic from the Google Adwords network. (Ad Spend)
• SEO then bills the client 20% of the the total ad spend in Google

$1,500 x .20 = $300 = Commission on Clicks

The setup fee stage is primarily based on the amount of time and effort it take for the SEO to create the marketing campaigns. An honest SEO will disclose his per hour rate. The more time that an SEO spends during this phase will benefit the overall success of the marketing campaign.

The commissions stage is based on the success of the performance of the ads. A good SEO will spend time daily managing the keyword ad campaign or PPC accounts, expanding the keyword sandbox, and creating corresponding landing pages. The more relevant traffic that reaches the clients site accompanied with higher conversion rates will be justification for the commissions paid to the SEO for the amount of traffic that he was able to drive to the clients site.

The views expressed in this post are that of my own and are based on my experiences working with my prospects and clients. The purpose of this post is to "layout" a pre-determined basis for compensation.

I would like to hear from other SEO's so if you agree or disagree, please let me know. Please register your comments unless you want to keep them private, then email them to me.

Search Marketing, Services Defined

Search Marketing can mean many things. That is why I will use this space to define the various services related to the term Search Marketing or Search Engine Marketing.

• Search Engine Marketing (SEM) simply put, is the term used while describing the process of submitting a web site to various search engines. The overall goal after submitting your site is to gain maximum exposure for the topic, keywords or key phrases, and categories that your site relates to.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The process of submitting the web site is preceded by the discovery phase which could include, determining the right search engine for your product or services, as well the preparation of optimizing your web sites individual pages for keywords or key phrases. Optimization includes manipulating the photos, text content, page titles, meta description, and meta tags of each page of your static web pages or dynamic product database. SEO also includes the tracking of your submission and results for placement in the various search engines and directories. An effective SEO marketing plan should include a long term commitment between the search professional and the client, together working to get the most relevant vistors to the web site. No less then a 1 year plan should be outlined with realisitic traffic goals. Keep in mind that it may take at least 6 months before any site can get indexed into a search engine directory.
• Pay Per Click (PPC) or Keyword Bid Management involves gathering a keyword list. Once you have built your keyword list, Landing Pages must be created for each keyword or phrase to guide the user to the specific product, service, submission form, or call to action that you want the visitor to complete. The next process would involve opening an PPC marketing account one or more PPC search engine. A text ad that includes the various keywords or phrases must be written and then keywords or phrases are picked and then linked to those ads. A call to action should also be included in the ad text. A maximum dollar amount for each click that the client receives to his site when a visitor clicks on their ad must be set. A daily budget and overall click spend must be set. An effective PPC manager will make sure that the clients return on investment (ROI) is kept in the black rather then the red.
• Pay Per Inclusion (PPI) is the process of paying a web site to include your web site in their directory. PPI can simply mean that you are indexed into the search engines directory, or it can mean your specific placement of your site listing for keywords or phrases. This is usually the best place to negotiate your fee for inclusion in the search engine.

(I WILL ADD MORE LATER, register on this site and I will keep you posted when I grow this space.