Top Ten Listing? Hmmmmmmmm

This is my question...

I spend a fortune on SEO and now I am #1. If there are 976,840 businesses like mine on the internet, why is that I am # 1?

Am I the only one who cares about being #1? Are 970,000 other business owners stupid? Are they all so poor they can't afford to bid? Am I really #1? Why is it that the next 3 listings just below mine are not the sites of my competitors but listing for directories? Is it really possible that I am the only one who understands search engine optimization? Or...

Maybe the the other sites have all the business they need, maybe people are finding their sites by specifically typing in their web address because someone told them to check it out. Maybe their web address is bookmarked on their clients computers. Maybe just maybe, their business came first and the website followed. Which came first the business or the web site?

The search engines are charging me for everyone who peeks in my store window whether they purchase or not. I focus my advertising budget on getting internet traffic but in fact most of that traffic does not translate into business. In addition, the clients I get from the internet show no loyalty at all. Here today.. gone tomorrow.

What is the point of becoming # 1? Volume of hits or volume of sales?

It is crucial that those starting internet businesses understand marketing, not just SEO.

I use about 75 different websites on a regular basis, but I have visited about 475,000 (including those who used tricks & programming to get and keep me at their site). Of the 75 that I use on a regular basis most are businesses that I used prior to finding their internet address; phone company, gas company, bank, stores that I shop at on a regular basis, etc. Many of the other sites I have bookmarked, I use for their free services but have never purchased anything from them. This includes games, internet tools etc. Then there are about 10 sites that I actually found as a result of a search engine and actually purchase from them on a regular basis. 10 sites out of 475,000 + sites that I have seen.

I think that it is crucial for net-preneurs to understand that the internet is not a marketing solution it is a marketing tool. It is a tool to market a business that has great customer service, quality products, and pricing to match. Marketing your business should start with marketing to family and friends, your neighbors, and local customers and then move to include a website to enhance customer service. Your primary goal should always be to gain customer loyalty and to have enough business to keep you happy but not to try to get 1000's of clicks from people who are surfing the web. Look for Coke.com under soda, or soda pop, or carbonated beverages, or cold drinks. They are not even in the top 50. But look for them under Coke and there they are! #1! Look for them under Coca Cola...there they are #1. The business came first!

Owner Lastingimpressions2.com
Client gifts and greeting card marketing.
Can be reached at info@lastingimpressions2.com

More SEO Articles

Great Site Ranking in Google The Secrets Out
How many years did you register your domain name for? If it was only one then Google could hold that against you.Why?Because the majority of Spam websites only register a domain name for one year.

How Google Indexes Content From Your Web Directory
In a fluke, I was able to notice something about the way Google indexes content from web directories. Excluding your template, the most important line of code is the first title you add to your main body.

Search Engine Spam
Running an online business relies to a greater or lesser extent on search engine traffic. Be this free search engine traffic or pay per click traffic your business still relies on the search engines to profit and survive.

Google Adsense Optimization Tips
There are plenty of tips to help you enhance your adsense revenue in the net, and I'm always seeking for new points. Today, I come back to the Help section of my google adsense account and find treasure there.

Its All in the Title
Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world. You may be the most intelligent writer in the world, and have breaking information, which, if people actually read it, would benefit them and their business.

How to Make Better Use of Web Site Page Titles and META Data
We got down to the basics with web site page titles and META data as part of a new study on how manufacturers use natural search engine optimization (SEO). Businesses of all types could benefit from the following case studies that show how poor titles and META data can be improved from an SEO perspective.

SEO and Google Indexing - Why It Requires A Complex Blend of Skills
If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. Getting a company?s name and products, or services, onto the first page of a genuine Google search isn?t a trivial piece of work.

Search Engine Strategies for Affiliate Websites
The major search engines are always on the lookout to improve their search results and to weed out websites with duplicate content. They are also weeding out websites that mainly contain affiliate links.

10 Ways to Make Sure Your SEO Goes Out of Its Way for You
If they want to have success, companies should do everything they can to ensure that their SEO firm doesn?t provide lousy service. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind:1.

Search Engine Robots - How They Work, What They Do (Part II)
If your site isn't found in the search engines, it is probably because the robots couldn't deal with it. It could be something as simple as not being able to find the site, or it may be more complicated issues involving the robot's not being able to crawl the site or figure out what your pages are all about.