SMOKE AND MIRRORS......

After reading one of my past blogs, a guy I know asked me "why I was against Search Engine Marketing". I was shocked because I believe the Internet is a critical part of any marketing plan. I just can't stand to see clients taken advantage of by unscrupulous scoundrels. They are masters of what I refer to as SMOKE & MIRRORS. They are fluent in that romantic language known as GEEK SPEAK. All other media is yesterday's news and all of a sudden is useless. TV, Radio, Outdoor, Yellow Pages, etc. is a waste of money....right??? Well, the economy is tough and a lot of people are looking for a Messiah to save the day. It is the "perfect storm" for the pay-per-click predators to rape and pillage. Unfortunately, many advertisers are not up to speed yet when it comes to Internet advertising. These charlatans come in and get them to commit to budgets that force the advertiser to forgo all of his/her other marketing. These well meaning, innocent entrepreneurs are thinking that most of the i.e $5,000 per mo. is all going to their Google account to purchase their clicks. Oh no, the shell game begins. Only half of the the $5,000 per mo. is going to buy clicks. The other half is going into the pockets of the Internet Posse. They get you up on Google with one or two key words/phrases (most business need many key words/phrases to effectively convert clicks to customers) and you get all excited. You think, "Hey these guys are really good". They show you a click report that convinces you that all these potential customers visited your web site. Then after a couple months you realize that you have not made any money. No worries; they have the answer! You need to increase your budget. Well of course you do. The more you increase your budget the more money they make. It still does not work because the truth is, in most cases your web site is terrible and needs a redesign. It is not converting the clicks to business. They are not interested in that (even though they knew it from the beginning) because that would take time, attention, hard work and delaying their residual income from pay-per-click. So now you have been taken to school by these impostors and you send them down the road. Unfortunately, by that time your business has suffered terrible loss of market share. Are you still with me Vern? I hope so because this is important. I know you are probably staring out in space, feeling like Goober from an old Andy Griffith Show rerun. All you can keep asking is "Say it again Ange". Okay, here are the basics: Interview several companies and ask for referrals. Verify how they are compensated. Never, never sign a contract that is not a set, reasonable monthly maintenance fee. In other words, if you spend $2,000 per month or $20,000 per mo. it is not related to their fee. Next, make sure the company you are dealing with is the company that will be managing your account. Most of these bogus experts vendor out the work. That is a big no-no! Last but not least, before you do anything, make sure your web site is up to par. A web site that is not optimized is useless. It will not convert period! It does not matter if you spend $50,000 per mo. on pay-per-click. There is much more to discuss on this whole issue but at least you have been warned and are a little smarter than before. Next time one of these slicksters approach you with their SMOKE & MIRRORS....tell them no thanks. You would rather go watch Chriss Angel on TV. At least he admits it's all SMOKE & MIRRORS.