Jason Gambert tried to trademark “SEO” for some time. This has been the subject of a long-running story.
Gambert asserts that the terms “search engine optimization” are not a linguistic English term. Gambert is trying to trademark SEO as a service. He basically claims that SEO itself is Net lingo with no “Official English” linguistic value.
Gambert writes on his blog that he is helping the search engine marketing community to establish an approved SEO process. This can then be sold as a ‘SEO service’. Gambert explains that standards and guidelines are common in other industries and that consumers can find credible practitioners by using these services.
We can all jump on the “fry Gambert” bandwagon, but I believe that his idea is a revenue/copyright ploy. I’ll leave that discussion to the rest. Gambert’s comments raise an old question that I would love to address: Do we really need SEO standards?
While it is true that standards exist in other areas of web design, such as HTML validation and XHTML. There are also standards for ECMAScript (most often JavaScript), but these standards don’t really provide security for web developers and web designers.
There are many con artists and cheats in the SEO industry. Many small business owners have been cheated by SEO scams. As professionals responsible for our industry, shouldn’t we do more to eradicate the black-hatters?
We should. But is it the best way to do so? Standards won’t be able to distinguish the experts from the scammers, but I doubt it. SEO was in fact started by scammers. How else can you describe someone who distributes spam to forums to boost their own SERPs?
Which person or company would the community trust to be members of an organization that certifies that a person or business is following SEO standards. It’s not just that. Whom would we trust to establish those standards?
While there are some highly respected SEO professionals, the industry as a whole is still young and inexperienced skypbn. While some might argue that standards are necessary, consider what could happen if they were created and enforced. Gambert’s plan is likely to lead to a mess even worse.
Is it possible to prevent someone who doesn’t exercise due diligence from being scammed by a set of standards? No. It will not stop people who have the SEO trademark scamming others. No. Gambert’s trademark claim must be thrown out as a sham. The industry should encourage the ideals and educate the public about SEO experts.
What should you look for in a SEO expert?
Bad SEO can work quickly and get you banned from search engines. From a consumer’s perspective, poor or black-hat SEO seems to provide them the results they want. They pay. They pay.
Quality SEO is not like all other things in life. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. This is the number one rule when searching for an SEO expert.
Make sure that you are able to establish a long-term relationship with the expert.
SEO isn’t a one-stop solution. SEO is not a quick fix. It takes time to research keywords, to create links, drive traffic from blogs, forums, and article sites, to manage metatags, titles, and internal links on the page, and to optimise off-the-page anchor texts.
This requires that the expert be available to monitor and compete in the optimization process. They may not be willing to provide this service, and they could become a “fly-by-night” expert.
Is the expert able to explain what they are doing?
This question may seem vague and broad, especially since consumers might not be sure what to expect from their expert. It is an important question, however. Before you attempt to optimize your site, you and your SEO professional should consider these three factors:
Are customers looking for your products or services online?
Your expert should be able to identify the keywords by simply entering them in Wordtracker. It doesn’t just matter if people search for your type of products online. However, it is also important to know how many people are searching. Your SEO efforts in this area will be futile if there are not enough people searching for you online. This should be something your expert should tell you.
Are your competitors competing for the same terms you are looking for?
This could be a sign that your competitors are spending money on SEO. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you will. You should ask your expert to tell you about the benefits of his/her services.
What impact would an increase in targeted visitors to your website have on my business?
This is the most important question. If your website converts traffic to sales, you can expect SEO to increase traffic and sales. If it does not, then more traffic will not translate into more sales.
These questions can be answered positively by you and your SEO expert.
What type of SEO services would you like?
Are you looking for someone who is a specialist in on-the page? Do you need someone who is a specialist in content writing? How do you submit articles? Are you looking for someone who is knowledgeable in all aspects of SEO or someone newer (and thus cheaper)? Are you willing to spend money on AdWords and PayPerClick campaigns?