idahojoe
Joined: Mar 19, 2007
# Posts: 1
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Posted: 2007-Mar-20 02:19
Hi, I'm new to the whole SEO game. I've been doing database and web programming for years, but just started building websites for my clients.
I'm wondering what is best: using an SEO company who specializes in optimizing a website and building backlinks; or is it easier to do this myself? I'm also wondering about cost versus effectiveness if I use an SEO company.
Be easy on this poor newb. 
Thanks.
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animated3d
Joined: Dec 22, 2005
# Posts: 444
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Posted: 2007-Mar-20 05:27
welcome to the SEO world , if you have the patience to read and learn you can do it yourself but takes time, this forum and other sites are a great source of information.But if you dont have the time or dont feel like you want to know it all you can hire someone which of course would cost you some $$$.
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costin_trifan
Joined: Feb 26, 2007
# Posts: 42
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Posted: 2007-Apr-05 20:49
Before starting doing some SEO to your sites, be sure:
- you read and understand what Google wants from you (as an optimizer - [link] )
- you read and understand what Yahoo! wants from you (http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/basics/index.html)
- you read and understand what LiveSearch wants from you (http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=wl_webmasters&mkt=us-us)
After that everything becomes more easy to apprehend. You'll start finding better ways to improve your sites ranking and everything will follow!
Maybe you'll find this journey as interesting and fascinating as I do.
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g1smd
Staff
Joined: Jul 28, 2002
# Posts: 10465
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Posted: 2007-Apr-05 22:26
Don't forget.
SEO doesn't come after you design the site.... it is an essential part of the design process of the site.
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costin_trifan
Joined: Feb 26, 2007
# Posts: 42
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Posted: 2007-Apr-07 08:10
att: g1smd
I didn't said to start SEO after site design !
I said that before doing some seo he should know first what seo means.
And AFTER that, everything will follow!
Cheers!
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excell
Staff
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14513
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Posted: 2007-Apr-07 15:37
 yup - all the info is out there and readily accessible - it's just a question of if you have the time and inclination to learn it. Anyone can - there is no great mystery
If your time is more profitably spent elsewhere - then hire, but even then, it is recommended that you educate yourself so that you have an understanding of methodologies and know what is good and what is not...
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bhartzer
Staff
Joined: Jun 08, 2000
# Posts: 7042
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Posted: 2007-Apr-07 20:47
using an SEO company who specializes in optimizing a website and building backlinks; or is it easier to do this myself?
It really depends...would you rather remodel your bathroom yourself or would you like to hire a professional to do the work for you?
Would you defend yourself in a court of law or would you rather hire an attorney?
Certainly you could "do it yourself" but it really depends on how much you know about optimization and what your time is worth. For example, there are some programming tasks that I could do myself, but oftentimes I find it easier to hire someone to do the programming so I can spend my time doing other tasks like writing content.
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affiliatemarketing
Joined: Apr 11, 2007
# Posts: 6
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Posted: 2007-Apr-15 06:14
as web deisnger it nowadays more important to understand seo techniques.
- learn seo basics and get the most appropriate tools will help you to get new revenue streams o your company and you if you hire company you will have the knowledge to negociate or to get more effective services.
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agusth
Joined: Apr 23, 2007
# Posts: 1
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Posted: 2007-Apr-24 05:35
“Search engine optimization” is the art and science of publishing information and building links that makes search engines rank your website high in the search results.
Each and every day hundreds of millions of people search for products, services and information using search engines, and the SEO consulting industry has become really big business. That’s why some SEO professionals are pretty steamed that I’m revealing these simple truths to you.
Here’s just a few of the things they don’t want you to know :
■ SEO is not hard. Anyone can be successful at it with the right information.
■ You do not need to spend thousands of dollars to get top rankings.
■ You know your product and industry better than any consultant does, and armed with knowledge of SEO techniques you can do a better job of promoting your sites than they can.
In my website I'm doing it all by my self, no programming involved.
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excell
Staff
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14513
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Posted: 2007-Apr-26 06:35
good for you agusth - welcome to the forums!
I don't agree with you that the SEO professionals around here are hiding any secrets they don't want you to know...
I've been helping others to be success for free for many years now - and I'm not alone!
You know your product and industry better than any consultant does, and armed with knowledge of SEO techniques you can do a better job of promoting your sites than they can.
Hmmm - I have many clients that are so very close to their product that they cannot see the forest for the trees and many others that don't even really know about their business enough to know how to market it. A part of Internet Marketing consulting draws the information out in such a way as to be able to make enough sense of it to then begin analysis...and so on and so forth.
Many people CAN pick up SEO and do it successfully themselves and others are better off hiring a professional and getting on with what they do best - running their business.
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sem4u
Joined: Dec 16, 2003
# Posts: 262
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Posted: 2007-Apr-26 14:06
Hmmm - I have many clients that are so very close to their product that they cannot see the forest for the trees and many others that don't even really know about their business enough to know how to market it. A part of Internet Marketing consulting draws the information out in such a way as to be able to make enough sense of it to then begin analysis...and so on and so forth.
Very well said excell. Some people don't know how to run their businesses properly, never mind working on effective internet marketing campaigns.
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excell
Staff
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14513
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Posted: 2007-Apr-26 17:32
wouldn't even know what a SWOT is! even if it bit them in the bum.... indeedy
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georgew
Joined: Apr 26, 2007
# Posts: 7
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Posted: 2007-Apr-26 20:48
I've been building on-line systems for customers since 1987. Of course that includes, but is not limited to web sites.
I have rebuilt many existing web sites as well.
What I know about SEO venders is not real flattering for the industry. Many do a good job, and many will just make a mess of your efforts.
I would suggest that you learn as much as possible about the subject, and THEN hire someone to help you, if you still think you need it.
I'm sure the SEO experts in this forum are all honest, but I have seen many that are quite skillful at scamming the customer.
Anyone can put a bunch of meta tags on a site, and increase your traffic. It's another thing all together to improve your sales.
For example, if you sell computers, meta text promoting adult content for free will drive your traffic up, without increasing your sales one iota.
One of my web redesign customers told me he wanted to preserve his $1800 worth of SEO he had recently paid for.
When I looked at his site, I was shocked at what I saw.
So get references, inspect their work, and don't trust things that seem wrong. Once google thinks your site is bad, they may never index you again, so be aware of what you are doing and what sites like google want. The last thing you want to do is hire an expert that is only going to ruin your URL's and get you blacklisted.
In most markets you have competition. Analyze your competitors with every tool you can find. Learn who has the top google rank for words particular to your site, and learn how and why they earned the top spot. Don't copy anyone else's text, or try to take shortcuts to success. Today's shortcuts are tomorrow's blacklisted sites.
SEO is not rocket science. Required shifts in SEO strategy over time are almost always related to shortcuts the cheaters make. Emulate the successful sites, but use all unique text. Avoid being a web-spammer, be unique and useful, and the search engines will reward you with customers. Good sites hardly ever have to change their SEO strategy, and really good sites have no SEO strategy, they just do good work, and the search engines do the rest.
Don't buy snake oil...
George
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excell
Staff
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14513
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Posted: 2007-Apr-27 00:28
Yup - buyer be aware, do homework... always check into any firm and their clients before you hire... same as commissioning a service provider in any industry really
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samhi
Joined: May 03, 2007
# Posts: 1
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Posted: 2007-May-03 16:30
HI,
Success on the Internet isn’t about throwing a website up and hoping the money will follow. It simply doesn’t work.Did you know that 85% of all Web shoppers don't click on sponsored links? And the same 85% do not go past page two (top 20 listings). Search engines need to generate more and more profits to exist profitably and therefore changed Internet marketing with pay-per-click.
[ Message was edited by: Dinkar 05/03/2007 12:02 pm ... Reason: edited as per TOS. ]
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