SEO vs. Marketing
During an e-conversation with a Linkedin Small Business Group member about a week ago, I had my first encounter with an e-maniac. She runs an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) firm. Here is what took place, from my point of view:
I asked her several questions about her services. I do not know anything about performing the technical portions of optimization, http, codes, etc., but I create the message, write SEO copy and direct the art, etc. for web sites all the time. So I knew enough to ask tough questions.
After three e-mails, she wrote to me: “…I can’t dumb things down more than I have… I can see you could possibly learn a lot from me, but I doubt you have anything to offer me but endless frustration.” Wow!
Web sites and Internet marketing are essential to every one of my clients. And it is ridiculous to create a site that is not fully optimized. But I feel that SEO is a part of web site development, and web sites are a part of Internet marketing, and Internet marketing is a marketing tactic, and marketing tactics fulfill marketing strategies, and marketing strategies come from a company’s overall marketing plan. SEO is a small part of marketing, marketing is not a small part of SEO.
I know I am being defensive, but I think an SEO expert can gain a LOT from me. I have been in marketing for 38 years. I know many famous media and marketing experts personally. I have worked with graphic artists who have won the Golden Lions award from the Cannes Film Festival; I have directed world famous photographers. I have written and taught three MBA courses in marketing. I personally have an Honors MBA. I write complete marketing plans for companies – research, strategies, and tactics – and then implement them. One local web site I wrote, created, and managed for six years went from 300 visitors and 3000 hits at 3 minutes each per month to 11,000 visitors and 780,000 hits at 10.5 minutes each per month.
I believe true marketing begins with an image, an identity, a brand, a competitive position, a differentiation, an Internet plan, a media plan, a PR plan (including an RSS feed for news releases), client events, speeches and seminars, and, of course, a message. Deep inside all this is Search Engine Optimization.
I believe that SEO amd Marketing are part of the same effort and should be working together. Marketing success does not come from a site being optimized – it comes from a company making sales.
Ed Sucherman
The Marketing Machine
I really like your post. Does it copyright protected?
Yes it is — but I am happy to share. That’s why I write it.
Ed Sucherman
edsucherman@gmail.com
http://www.edsucherman.com
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