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So what do you think of Search Engine Optimization, or Web Site or Internet as whole? We are sure you have many unsolved questions and many who? how? what? & why's? in your mind about search engine positioning? Below we have tried to list few major myths that surrounds the world of Websites and search engine positioning & optimization.

Myth # 1

My business doesn't need web marketing. Our clients don't surf internet and it would be waste of money for us to invest money in search engine optimization.

• Today more then 655 million people all over the world are surfing the web.

• Do you know that in year 2002, there were 358.6 million purchases made through internet?

• Do you know that the Online sales for the year 2002 was more then 47 Billion Dollars. Also, this sales is counted only for the direct purchases, this does not take into account the businesses that have web site just to provide information and support to clients and whose sales are made offline.

Myth # 2

Ok, so now I got a website made by good designer, I can just sit and relax, people will find my web site and my business will grow like it has never before. [aka. If you make it, they will come]

This is one of the biggest myth that people have about Internet. Like any other form of business, one also need to understand that web site also needs marketing - without proper marketing it is useless to have a web site - irrespective if the web site is made for getting more business or customer support both.

For example, you are own a hotel. Now the next think you would think about doing some form of advertising about your hotel to create awareness among your potential clients. If you do not do any form of advertising, then you cannot really expect to make much or any profit from your hotel and it might prove to be a loss investment. Same thing is with websites, when marketed appropriately, they can prove very beneficial, but still below things that needs to be taken care for the success of any online of offline business:

1. Company Image
2. Proper form of marketing
3. Quality product / service
4. Quality Service.
5. Good customer support.

So having a web site is not enough, you also need to make sure that it is getting the exposure that it deserves - and this can be done only with proper search engine optimization & positioning.

Myth # 3

Doing SEO in-house is cheaper.

Very true, in-house is always cheaper, but is it cost-effective? is it going to produce same results as you can expect from someone who spends months and years studying how search engine works and rank web sites? Learning about how search engines work is not a one time thing,  but it is a regular ritual. As search engines change their algorithm (in simple words, formulas for ranking websites) generally every 30-45 days, it is very important to know what they are up to if you wish to be ranked in top 20 or thirty of search results. If you are sure that your in-house person can keep up with all the changes at search engines and is well aware of do & don'ts and how search engine ban sites, then it would be good to make such a decision - however, it is also very true that many companies have gotten banned by search engines because their in-house person did *something* wrong or something that was not as per the terms and condition of search engines.

You get what you pay for! So unless you are absolutely positive that your in-house person know what he/she is doing, you are better of hiring an expert to do search engine optimization for your web site. Because, if you are not ranked in top 30 in search results, you will be loosing more then 98% traffic you can expect from search engines.

Myth # 4

Why do I need some SEO Consultant? There are lots of off-the-shelf available in the market. Why can't we just use them and save money?

The myth of submission software is second most popular and can be destructive for website owners.

Lets make few things clear about search engine optimization & positioning:

1. Website submission is one of the easiest thing anyone can do. As it is as simple at visiting any search engine/ directory and find the "Add Site" link and follow instructions.

2. Without proper optimization, website submission is useless. As there are billions of web pages our there, unless your web site is optimized for proper keywords your chances of getting ranked in top 20/30 of search results are almost same as you playing golf on moon by 2004.

3. Like music, drawing & dancing, search engine optimization is a art. There are many performers, but only few knows all the steps and how it is done appropriately.

4. It takes tremendous amount of time & labor in finding out right keywords and phrases. Because doing search engine optimization without proper keyword research is like shooting an arrow in dark. For best possible results - keyword study is must!

5. Search Engines updates their algorithm almost every month, and along with this algorithm there are many more factors that effect search engine rankings are also changed. Also, these rules are different for every search engines and it is practically impossible for any software to do search engine optimization as any SEO Consultant would do.

Myth # 5

What is this # 1 Ranking Guarantee that we read at many websites.

Number 1 Ranking Guarantee is another name of *Scam*. First, no one can guarantee any specific ranking at major search engines or directories. No SEO Consultant controls the search engine ranking pattern or can actually tell search engines on how to rank web site - so if someone is giving such guarantee, then you can be sure that you need to be looking for someone else, who actually knows how search engine works.

However, you can find many companies out there who does/can guarantee "Per Per Performance". This would mean, you will be charged only for the ranking they have produced, for example in top 10, 20 or even 30. These companies does not mean to say that they control on how search engines work, but they are so confident of their work and talent that they are willing to charge you nothing for their work, unless they produce results. Still, even if any company promises any specific ranking at search engines, then something is fishy.

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