SEO – Should You Handle It Yourself?

When it comes to internet marketing, a solid SEO strategy is the gift that keeps on giving. After all, being at the top of the search engine rankings can bring you valuable traffic and profits that you wouldn't have been able to get anywhere else!

But, the SEO world is an incredibly complex one. There are all kinds of tools and techniques to legitimately boost your search ranking - and it seems like there are new tips coming out all of the time.

Plus, SEO takes a lot of work - especially ecommerce SEO. It is not the kind of thing that you will ever be "finished" with. Once you implement an ecommerce SEO strategy, you have to work at it to maintain your ranking.

So, should you handle your SEO work yourself?

That's the question that many business owners agonize over. In order to make the right decision, you have to weigh the pros and cons.

Benefits to outsourcing your SEO work:

1. You don't have to devote any time to it

If you're a business owner, you probably have too much on your plate as it is. If you simply can't handle something else, it's best to outsource your SEO work. After all, if you don't have enough time to devote to SEO, it's not going to do you any good.

2. You can get true professionals to do it for you

Chances are you're not an SEO expert. When you outsource the work, there is no learning curve, and you don't have to worry about learning SEO on the fly. Instead, experts handle the work properly, right from the start. Many times, experts can get results faster than you can on your own.

3. It's cheaper than hiring a full-time employee

You can save yourself a ton of time by hiring a full-time employee to work on your SEO strategy. However, you'll also have to pay that person a salary and benefits. When you outsource, you pay a flat fee that's much lower.

Benefits to doing the work yourself:

1. You'll know your SEO is being taken seriously

If you do the work yourself, you know that the person handling everything has a vested interest in its success.

2. You get spared the frustration of working with a shady SEO firm

There are lots of good and bad SEO companies out there. If you're not careful, you could end up with one of the bad ones - and a headache.

If you don't have the budget to hire a reputable SEO firm, you're probably better off doing the work yourself. After all, if you pay peanuts, you tend to get monkeys!

3. You'll get to learn the ins and outs of SEO yourself

If you like to keep track of the latest marketing trends, you might actually find your SEO work enjoyable - even if it is another responsibility.

Kirsty LaVier is editor for Shopping Cart Reviews, the leading site dedicated to helping you find the Best Shopping Cart.

Should SEO Start Thinking About Other Search Engines

For most SEO's, search engine optimization means ranking in the top three on Google, no matter what. There are many different approach this usually involves creative link building, SEO consulting, and keeping up with the latest trends to optimize sites for various keywords. A simple algorithm update can ruin all of your hard work. So, unfortunately some tactics can include could include spammy links, scaling up content, reusing content, and many more tactics are used in place of White Hat SEO that tend to keep websites afloat for a little while. Most of the time this leaves SEO's scrambling to manipulate sites and return their sites to the top. It seems like the SEO industry is turning into a panic driven business with a never ending shadow on the future. Dominate search engine Google, can turn a successful business and livelihood into an over night failure, seemingly at the flip of a switch. Then those that manage to rebuild find themselves hit again by the next Panda Update.

What Google doesn't understand is that making extreme changes overnight isn't exactly the best alternative. At times updates inadvertently affects great websites, that have been putting hard work in day in and day out. And for Black hats this leaves a wide open door to figure out the next best tactic to make a quick battle. It's like the ongoing battle between cops and robbers. Changing dramatically overnight isn't going to eliminate spam, and more and more legitimate workers are becoming disgruntled.

I am not advocated using spammy tactics whatsoever. First and foremost to rank high in the search engines I always think you should start by building a great website, and most of the SEO will happen in a more natural approach. I wish I could say the same for Google. Now Google's search is obviously the best as of right now, but in no way is Google just a "search engine." They are a money making company driven by profits. Ever notice searching for videos, how almost every single video is a Youtube video? Not really a coincidence there, not to mention, Youtube is by far the biggest "Content Farm" on the web. I mean you can essentially find anything on Youtube, especially spam. If you ad that to the extremely oversized paid advertisements, and some form of Google ranking below, you have a limited chance of being seen by your potential traffic.

Google needs to rethink their position. Although Google is dominate, the internet world is in it's infancy, and swift movements combined with a brilliant mind can uproot internet companies faster than you can say Bing. Speaking of other search engines, perhaps SEO's should start thinking more dynamically. While Google dominates the market, the space left over is still an immense market. Not to mention with Google's search being crowded by ads, Youtube videos, and Google______ (fill in the blank), it is getting harder and harder for a website to see traffic. Recently I was looking to apply for a credit card, so thats exactly what I typed in. Out side the fact that the first three were huge advertisements, the "comparison ad" that ranks 1st, is www.google.com/advisor/uscredit. Funny how Google seems to have the best of everything. By this point if someone doesn't have an extremely large computer screen, chances are they aren't going to be seeing your site.

The power of SEO's is often underrated. While they try to rank clients for mostly Google, and SEO can see the trend ahead of sites being unseen - lost in the Google's profit driven search. This could leave an opening for a better search, not necessarily Bing, or Yahoo!. Who wants to look at only Youtube videos and the latest Google Books all day. On top of that LinkedIn profiles outrank Facebook profiles on Google. Now I'm no genius, but I have an inkling that that could be because of LinkedIn using Google Adwords. SEO's have the power to let businesses, especially small businesses know this trend, and even a small decrease in Traffic for Google is huge. SEOBook does a good job spelling out the bad practices that Google engages in.

Right here and now Google is still the reigning champ, so if the market is still there to help sites rank for Google, by no means abandon that strategy. Although you may want to be clear to clients, and everyone for that matter, just what Google is doing. That is you best tool for the moment. That and to stay knowledgeable. Perhaps you consider offering services geared towards other search engines. Link building services work for more than just Google. The most important thing an SEO can do is be honest, and avoid Black Hat tactics. Tell clients the first step to having great SEO, is to first have a great website. In the end that will make your job easier.

This Article was written by Ben Anderson.

10 Things You Shouldn't Tweet

Twitter, the forth most visited website in the world, is a fantastic micro blogging and social networking tool by which to easily transmit a simple message out to the world, and in lightning quick time. Twitter gives ordinary people a chance to be part of the lives of celebrities and, the rich and famous, or anyone we choose to follow and receive their updates.

Like anything popular, there's usually a dark side. Local authorities across a host of countries are reporting sharp increases in litigation proceedings being levelled against social networking bullies and slanderers. Here's a list of 10 things you should never Tweet about so you don't end up in jail!

1/ Don't be a kiss and tell. Don't send out blow-by-blow updates when you're dating someone. Refrain from updating your followers as to how your date is progressing.

2/ Not so long ago, a pregnant woman live-tweeted the birth. Needless to say, the Internet folk wasn't very impressed, or kind!
3/ Don't Tweet pictures or images of your own 'bits' or worse, someone else's!

4/ Going to a wedding? or perhaps you had other plans and were unavailable to attend? either way, a nice congratulations for @Mr.and Mrs. after the vows are exchanged is appropriate, but sending out updates during the wedding is just tacky!

5/ Tweeting your email address and mobile number. If you are compelled to, use your spam email address so you can send your junk to the trash.

6/ Tweeting out of impulse by telling your followers how angry you are and trash-talking the person you're dating, your mum, buddy, boss or pet cat. Before you Tweet in anger, take 20 deep breaths and ponder the repercussions.

7/ Road rage. Telling your followers that the guy in the car ahead of you in the traffic is a complete xxxx-head!! Why? Because he might be one of your followers - oops!

8/ Don't Tweet about anything you'd basically hesitate to say to someone's face and in person. No-one likes a keyboard warrior.

9/ Don't Tweet about work or from a work conference: "OMG I just won the award for most improved salesman, I totally owned the acceptance speech!!!!"...Seriously, no-one gives a crap.

10/ And last but not least, our 10th most despised don't do Twitter moment! -  Tweeting about Twitter!!! "Twitter is so freakn excellent, I'm following Charlie Sheen, Oprah, Angelina Jolie, and I just became Mick Jagger's one millionth follower ;)" PLEASE GET A LIFE!

The article author, Matt Fuller, writes about a variety of topics pertaining to free dating sites in Australia, social media news, relationships and dating advice, and dating sites Australia reviews.