SEO: All That And A Bag Of Chips?

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

It seems that everyone is becoming an SEO expert these days. Go online, read an e-book, and you can be an expert. So the mindset seems to be.

I hate to bust bubbles (actually, I quite like it ), but it does take some time to get proficient in search engine optimization. There’s no magic pill. No secret formula. No cool little trick or secret handshake. Almost anyone can do it.

I say “almost,” because you do need the time to read up on the subject and perform your own experiments. Can you succeed online if you are not an Aaron Wall or Danny Sullivan? Of course. Lots of people have done well online. And many more will continue to do well. But doing well online entails more than just SEO. You can have the best search engine optimization of your website in the entire world and still not make a dime. Because there is more to building a Web business or making a successful foray into Internet marketing than the right set of keywords and inbound links.

So what is the big secret? Betcha didn’t think you’d find that cat getting out of the bag on a search engine optimization blog. Did you?

Well, I have no axe to grind. No secrets to keep. No magic to protect. I just want to help people who can’t help themselves or who don’t have to time to do it themselves. But I digress.

If SEO isn’t the golden hammer than beat the nail in then what is? Truth be told, there is no formula for online success. You can make friends and influence people without making a dime. You can spend all kinds of money and never make a return. You can pay your days and still have your membership canceled.

OK, I’m getting silly. But you understand. When it comes to building a website and doing business online, it’s pretty much like doing business off line. You’ve got to have a plan and you’ve got to work your plan. It helps to understand sales and be able to close a few. You should probably build up a good team of professionals who help you with their special skills. Some professionals you’ll likely need if you want to build a successful web business:

• Knowledgeable Web developer
• Content writers
• Someone who understands pay per click advertising
• A savvy networker
• Sales team
• Branding expert
• Research and marketing analysts

And, yes, you’ll need someone who understands SEO too. If you can be all of these people by yourself then more power to you. Few of us can do it all. There may even be a few specialties and skills that I missed. At any rate, you can’t rely on SEO alone. You need a team of professionals who can work toward one goal.