We love acronyms! They make us feel like we know what we are talking about… I know the lingo therefore I must be an expert. The truth is these things are very specific and very confusing if used incorrectly, but fairly intuitive if understood and used correctly.
Like anything, using the wrong terminology is a sign of sophomoric understanding of a subject. If you are talking to someone who does not know the subject you sound like an expert. Men are particularly good at this! If you are talking to someone does not know the subject you look like a complete dork, not to mention dishonest. But we all still do it.
Next time you are at a networking event and feel the need to flaunt your expertise here are some basic concepts on the world of search engines:
SEM – Search Engine Marketing. This is a basic term that encompasses the entire world of using search engines to market a product or service. It generally includes all of the items below and anything not below that is left off or not invented yet!
SEO – Search Engine Optimization. This term refers to the organic section of a search engine that ranks sites by the mantra of search; “relevant content”. It is largely considered to be the “free” advertising component of the internet but if you have ever gotten a quote from an SEO company to optimize your site you know that’s an exaggeration!
PPC – Pay Per Click. This term refers to the sponsored links on search engines that you can purchase on a bid system not unlike the stock market. There is a software application built into Google, Bing and Yahoo, among others, that allows you to manage this process.
These are the 3 King of Internet. For the most part they rule the world at the moment. There are several other pieces that are subsets of these main arteries such as the search content networks and affiliate marketing programs that would technically fall under the PPC umbrella.
There are directories, which are sort of mini-search vehicles (think Yellow Pages, Merchant Circle…) and can straddle the fence between PPC and SEO. Most have free listings that help you optimize your presence on the web but most also have upgrades that you can buy so you get featured listings… Google Places is the ultimate directory and really the only one you should ever pay for. In my opinion, of course. Interestingly enough it has been free forever but is now beginning to offer some paid upgrades. See my blog from 11-10 on Google Boost!
Understanding the game is not just important if you want to sound suave without being stupid at a networking event, but also if you want to learn how to use the internet effectively as a place to do business. There is so much fraud out in this space and there are so many good sales people that it is really easy to be taken in. Spend some time learning what you are talking about and less about sounding like you know what you are talking about. You will get both in the end!
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