Search Engine Optimization Isn’t Part of the I.T. Department

Shock, gasp and amaze… but many people seem to think “search engine optimization” is just another word for the I.T. department. Surprisingly enough, it’s not. It’s another way to say, “Get your website on the front page of the search engines”, which sounds nothing like “I.T. department”.

When your website breaks, you call a coder. You need graphic design, you call a designer. When you need a fancy new program, you call a programmer. When you need site traffic… well, wouldn’t you know it, you call for SEO.

Who are we?

We’re the wonders of the Internet-verse, spreading high-ranking cheer to our clients. Yes, we might do some coding, but it’s all in the interest of SEO. We love the challenge of finding your golden keywords. Dig into the research and data… it’s like reading the stars for astrologists. We breathe this stuff.

Search Engine Optimization Around the World

Now, SEO is fairly well known worldwide, sort of. At least, the term is. Its meaning seems to be flexible, however. Depending on whom you ask and where you are when you do the asking, dealing with SEO means the optimizer can:

• Design a website
• Write good content
• Fix broken code
• Code a website
• Use an analytics program
• Create videos
• Use every computer program known to man
• Understand any type of the thousands of coding languages

I’d go on, but it’d be an endless list just ask our project manager.

What really needs to be clarified is that it all depends on the optimizer. Yes, ladies and gents… if you have a single optimizer (rather than a company), you’re limited to what that optimizer knows how to do. If you use an SEO company, you’re limited to what that company’s employees can do. This is a truth no matter what country you live in.

For instance…I have an optimizer. That’s not her main job. However, can she fix a broken website, update code, write great content, knows the abc’s of SEO etc. – as long as it’s written in one of the languages she’s familiar with. Whereas, my love has always been business development, content strategies and creating marketing campaigns for clients. That’s what I love to do period.

Can I understand analytics when I see them? In general, yes – and I’m learning more every day. However, when I want verification that I understand what the data is saying, I go to someone who specializes in analytics. That’s what they DO. It’s what they breathe. Me, I’m just a little ‘ole marketing who knows some other stuff.

Hiring an Optimizer Doesn’t Mean You Hired a Website Wizard

For the most part, even on page optimization doesn’t take knowing a whole bunch of code. And, for the most part, the places you need to change in the code are really easy to find once you know what to look for. However, if you expect your optimizer (or optimization company) to provide coding services, you’d better check if they can before you hire them.

If you’re afraid your eCommerce website might not be as secure as it needs to be, go ahead – ask your SEO if they have any recommendations. Often, what you’ll most likely get is a recommendation to check with an Internet security company.

One of the reasons, I feel, that SEO gets such a bad rap is because people who aren’t in the business really don’t understand what the business entails. For that matter, some people in the business don’t understand what it entails. You might hire an optimizer, so glad that you finally have yourself a website wizard; only to find out that what you really have is… well, a really good optimizer.

Before you hire someone to do your website optimization, think about what you’re really expecting. If you’d like to combine your needs (say, design and optimization) check with the person or company first. Ask if they can provide the services you need.

Search engine optimization and I.T. aren’t the same things, and trying to convince an optimizer that they should also be able to do x, y, z is a useless endeavor. It’s like comparing apples and pears, then trying to tell a fruit vendor why a pear should taste like an apple. Instead, describe what you want to achieve. Let them tell you whether they can achieve it…Simple right?