The Truth About SEO

Your site and the new generation of organic search technology.

By Robert Cowes (Products & Services Principal) & Clay Delk (Marketing Communications Writer) at Intra-Focus, Inc.

Unlike any other advertising medium, a successful internet presence can make or break businesses in almost any field. As internet presence, marketing and sales become a more integral part of business success, the degree of web presence and the process of “search marketing” have become more valuable than ever. Search engine optimization is still very much an emerging art, but its importance has grown exponentially over the last decade.

Early incarnations of search engines and search marketing were much different than today’s standard. To place high in rankings, business owners simply needed to place a handful of metatags or descriptors into their web page headers. Today’s search engines utilize a much more advanced combination of factors–or algorithm–to determine the best web pages. While metatags are still important, these new algorithms also take into account factors like specific copy and word choice, links from outside sites, submissions to online directories and regular content updates.

These elements combine in what is now called an organic search engine because the final results tend to be pages that are not only directly related, but have also grown to become highly regarded authorities on the subject. The search engine companies regularly reconfigure their algorithms every 3 to 6 months making this combination of factors even more difficult to decipher. Since each is a publicly traded company, they are continually working to maintain an edge over each other and over businesses trying to make the most of their sites.

In addition, regularly changing the algorithms helps ensure that the company’s own pay-per-click services remain useful and effective. These services will place a sponsor’s link at the top or along the side of the website for specific searches. These services work well for quick, dependable placement, but can also become very expensive.

All of these factors have combined to make search engine optimization a very complex and time-consuming element of a successful web presence. Some of the top companies offering SEO services charge anywhere from $5,000 – $10,000 for set up and another $300 to $5,000 a month to maintain the website. A recent survey of industry professionals found that over half (64%) of all businesses that outsource search marketing fail to implement the SEO companies’ recommendations. The major reasons for this failure stem from a lack of human resources and budgetary allocations required to optimize and maintain a successful web presence.

Fortunately, Intra-Focus now offers organic search marketing services with a proactive approach to website maintenance, linking campaigns and regular content updates. This new service is different from our previous treatment campaigns because we can now actively work to maintain and improve your web presence on a monthly basis–not only improving your original search ranking, but continuing to grow your web presence organically.

About Intra-Focus, Inc.
Intra-Focus, Inc. is a full-service marketing company that integrates art and technology to deliver traditional and Internet marketing solutions. Leveraging marketing expertise and trend setting creativity, Intra-Focus helps its clients build brand strategy and market presence that generate qualified demand and quantifiable results. Intra-Focus provides innovative marketing solutions to businesses ranging in size from start-up to Fortune 500.

Rebranding Doesn’t Have to be Reinvention

With the internet taking over modern-day media and becoming so important to the livelihood of businesses, many companies have found that they need to rebrand their presence in the marketplace. While this task may seem daunting, Intra-Focus, Inc. has created a companywide rebranding process that eases companies through the transition.

Intra-Focus, Inc., a full-service marketing company that integrates art and technology with marketing expertise and trend setting creativity, has been helping its clients build brand strategy and market presence that generate qualified demand and quantifiable results. Since 2001, Intra-Focus has helped 143 clients realize their internet solutions. The success of its internet solutions product has seen an influx in the amount of customers who wish to completely rebrand their online and offline presence.

“Intra-Focus has created a new way of thinking in marketing,” said Robert Cowes, Products and Services Principal. “A few years ago, we would help a company with a specific marketing need. Now, we are helping our clients with all of their marketing needs and giving them a fresh look to attract new customers and to retain loyal clients.”

Typically, the Intra-Focus rebranding process starts with the logo design—either creating a completely new design or tweaking the existing design. Once the logo has been approved, the rebranding branches off to multiple people on multiple production teams. Stationery (business cards, envelopes, thank-you cards, etc.) with the new logo incorporated is created. New brochures or sales slicks are produced using updated content and pictures from Intra-Focus’ large photo library. Also included in a typical rebranding package is full SEO and usability treatment of the website. Next in the production timeline is the design of the website, which is shaped by the look and feel of the brochure to ensure that the branding bridges between print and internet marketing.

Once the web design has been approved and built, Intra-Focus creates automatic e-mail campaigns that respond to a client when internet users fill out online forms. These e-marketing components also contain the key branding elements.

Clients who have used the award-winning rebranding product at Intra-Focus have been so pleased with the results that they have continued the relationship with additional e-mail campaigns and direct mail pieces.

Results are key in this process and Intra-Focus has proven that they understand how to get outstanding results from something as seemingly effortless as a company makeover.