Internet Marketing Without a Big-Picture Strategy Dances in Circles

Stop Tracking the Illusive "Magic Bullet" 

It seems like everyone is beating the drum for one Internet 
marketing method or another. And in the process they create 
plenty of hype and conflicting messages. 

Website owners are left to wonder whom to believe when it 
comes to impressing the search engines. Which approach can 
deliver the "magic bullet" they've been promised? Is it time 
to jump to the next "sure thing," that will entice both 
search spiders and web surfers? 

The primary methods promoted to attract search engines and 
Web traffic aren't new: 
- Links and reciprocal links 
- Pay-per-click (PPC) 
- Search engine optimization (SEO) in all its variations 
- Blogs and forums 
- Writing and posting articles or press releases 
- Paid placement with ads and banners 

But each of them shares a common limitation. At its best, 
each is only part of the answer. An answer that won't hold 
still long enough to get nailed down - before the next "must 
have" appears. 

The Internet is Maturing, and so are Search Engines 

In recent years, the capabilities and sophistication of the 
search engines have exploded. Public use and expectations 
have grown to match it. The public's reliance on the 
Internet as a reliable source expands ever faster. Recent 
studies found the Web to be the most trusted source of 
information for making major purchase decisions, second only 
to spouses for finding referrals. 

A Harris Interactive consumer survey (2004) reports that 73% 
of adults are now online - 156 million users. That's up from 
69% eight months before. Most Internet users (80%) expect 
that they'll find reliable, detailed facts online (Pew 
Internet and American Life Project). So they go online first 
when they need information. And they have confidence in what 
they're able to find. 

Now more than ever, access to that gigantic pool of 
information-hungry Internet users depends on a website's 
relationship to the search engines. Is it possible for 
people to find it? The stakes are high. 


Integration of Methods is the "Next Big Thing" 

Refined keyword and page optimization are the standard 
anymore. SEO has morphed into Search Engine Marketing (SEM). 
The key difference is integration. SEO method aren't seen as 
separate solutions, but as parts of a multi-pronged 
endeavor. Success now depends on how well they all dovetail. 

That's a fundamental shift from the lurching "do this..., 
now that..., now that... approaches, which have 
characterized the on-line norm. And anyone who's still 
playing by that game plan will be left behind. 

Be suspicious of any SEO strategy that's wedded to a single 
method - no matter what impressive statistics they cite. And 
when the search engines "burp," (as they surely will now and 
then) a site's visibility can be lost. A diversified 
approach to links and search engines reduces vulnerability. 
Achieving that requires shifting focus to a bigger, more 
inclusive picture. 

My Experience with Reciprocal Linking 

As a person who has been in SEM for years (and fine-tuned 
hundreds of websites) I've gotten good at spotting trends as 
they develop. And I've seen too many "can't lose" methods 
fade. 

No question that linking is important for search engine 
placement. There are effective and targeted ways to acquire 
incoming links that don't require a link exchange. However, 
I saw some problems with the way many reciprocal links are 
pursued. My concerns led me to write an article, Reciprocal 
Linking is Dead, 
http://www.etafficjams.com/reciprocal-linking-is-dead.htm 
back when most insiders were proclaiming it to be the way to 
go. (Fresh articles about why you should develop reciprocal 
links appear daily.) 

An integrated search engine marketing strategy is vital for 
your website's visibility and survival. Resist the 
shortsightedness of putting too much reliance on what 
everyone is recommending. 

Beat the Pack by a Country Mile 

If you're ready for the "Next Big Thing," stop chasing the 
flavor of the month. The trend is toward building an 
integrated strategy where all the options mesh. Achieve all 
the added benefits that come with integrating every method 
your website employs. Now that's a next thing with staying 
power. 
© 2005, Michael Pedone