Columns > In House
May. 7, 2008 at 8:36am by Paul Bruemmer
Developing In-House SEO Functionality
My last Search Engine Land post, In-house SEO functionality resonated with many in-house SEOs. "Eletitor" commented on the necessity of getting the entire management team on board for in-house SEO success. Kevin Cheng mentioned the need for preparations prior to hiring any in-house SEO, as well as the bureaucratic...
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Apr. 30, 2008 at 8:56am by Jessica Bowman
Outsourcing To Increase SEO Throughput
Even with budgets getting tightened, your SEO program may be kicking, but the head count you requested to keep the program moving upward may not get approved. When this happens, it's time to look at a Plan B for increasing throughput without adding staff. Many people I talk to...
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Apr. 16, 2008 at 6:00pm by Duane Forrester
Interviewing In-House SEO Candidates
With many in-house SEM teams ramping up, and in-house efforts in general growing, I thought it might be useful to scope out the basics for an SEO-centric interview. It's tough enough to find good talent these days, and those with experience are commanding higher and higher salaries, so many...
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Apr. 9, 2008 at 12:00pm by Paul Bruemmer
5 Steps To Develop In-House SEO Functionality
In large organizations, it takes the effort of several internal groups to accomplish top level business goals. When natural search optimization for web sites, commonly called SEO, is moved in house, it generally is the task of a combination effort from IT and Marketing. Below are five steps for...
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Apr. 3, 2008 at 11:51am by Jessica Bowman
Do You Need SEO Standards For Your Company?
The debate on the need for SEO standards continues, with no clear industry-wide consensus. Without a doubt, however, your company should have SEO standards and guidelines that convey your company's stance on SEO—namely, clearly spelling out acceptable practices and perhaps even more importantly, definitely drawing boundaries that cannot be...
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Mar. 19, 2008 at 6:58am by Duane Forrester
Why You Should Track "Soft" SEO Metrics
As an in-house search marketer, you hold a unique position. You help manage all your company’s content with the goal to maximize the return on that content’s creation. You are the pointy end of the spear in the quest for low-cost traffic and conversions. Setting aside the growing salaries...
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Mar. 12, 2008 at 9:23am by Paul Bruemmer
Linking Prowess For In-House Teams
Linking is still de rigueur when optimizing for Google and all major engines. Linking strategies have run the gauntlet, from simple link exchange requests to buying links. For a good review of current best practices in linking tactics, I refer you to The Link Spiel by Debra Mastaler and...
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Mar. 5, 2008 at 7:01am by Jessica Bowman
SEO Site Audit: A Wise Investment For All Companies
More and more savvy companies are undertaking search engine optimization (SEO) site audits to assess the current search-effectiveness of a site, what needs to be done to improve it, and to track a site's performance over time. I've been recommending website audits for years—after all, the accounting department has...
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Feb. 27, 2008 at 8:59am by Paul Bruemmer
Lessons Learned As An In-House SEO Consultant
Jessica Bowman's article in the Winter issue of Search Marketing Standard, "Bringing SEO In-House," defines the In-House SEO Life Cycle as: Courtship, Honeymoon, Reality, and Synergy phases. In the courtship phase you recruit the best in-house SEO possible. When the honeymoon is over, reality sets in. That's when you...
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Feb. 20, 2008 at 3:43pm by Duane Forrester
The Art Of Growing An In-House Search Marketing Team
You’ve been tasked with building an in-house search marketing team, and now you’re wondering where to start. It’s a daunting task, to be sure. Do you start by rousting the programmers to get the content management system (CMS) into shape? Do you grab a credit card and start up...
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Jan. 30, 2008 at 7:02am by Simon Heseltine
Don't Panic - Plan For Disaster
If you've been in business for any length of time, you know all about the "hit by a bus" scenario. What happens when key members of your team leave? Is there knowledge sharing among the team? Can your business function effectively while you scramble to find a replacement, and...
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Jan. 23, 2008 at 8:57am by Duane Forrester
Building A Career In Search Marketing
So, you've decided that a career in search marketing IS for you. Sure, your friends, parents, and significant other have no idea what you're talking about when you describe the profession, but there’s money to be made, and you want your share! But, where to begin? Wanting the job...
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Jan. 16, 2008 at 12:23pm by Paul Bruemmer
Why You Should Reveal SEO Secrets To Clients
When you buy search services, some agencies merely provide a general overview of their SEO methodology without revealing any details. They claim this relieves the client from being bogged down in the minutiae of implementation. In reality though, these firms are simply trying to keep their intellectual property under...
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Jan. 9, 2008 at 11:28am by Jessica Bowman
Where SEO Belongs In The Web Site Development Cycle
Many in-house SEOs are actually marketers with minimal technical background or insight into the web site development process. Often, these people either have an interest in SEO or were already managing other marketing functions. Because they are new to SEO (and often times new to web site development), they...
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Jan. 2, 2008 at 7:03am by Simon Heseltine
Inside Information: Interviews With In-House Search Marketers - Part 2
In-house search marketers face many unique challenges, ranging from running huge or dispersed sites to finessing internal politics and corporate egos. I thought it would be interesting to get the inside scoop from five in-house search marketers that are both successful at their jobs and who command the respect...
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Dec. 19, 2007 at 7:04am by Duane Forrester
Yes, Mom, Search Marketing IS A Valid Career Choice
If you're an in-house search marketer, you may have had the experience of awakening one morning and realizing that you have a legitimate career. Wow! Your high school guidance counselor never mentioned this gig, I'll bet. Only a handful of years ago, in fact, this career path never existed....
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Dec. 12, 2007 at 7:09am by Paul Bruemmer
Making the Most Of In-House SEO Project Delays
Natural search teams can get seriously hung up due to the bottlenecks that may exist within organizations of various sizes, preventing them from achieving outstanding organic search results. One type of bottleneck is IT delays that prevent timely implementation of SEO projects. Many times, these delays can't be avoided....
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Nov. 21, 2007 at 8:30am by Simon Heseltine
Inside Information: Interviews With In-House Search Marketers
In-house search marketers face many unique challenges, ranging from running huge or dispersed sites to finessing internal politics and corporate egos. I thought it would be interesting to get the inside scoop from five in-house search marketers that are both successful at their jobs and who command the respect...
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Nov. 14, 2007 at 12:42pm by Duane Forrester
How To Manage In-House SEO When Your Team Is Ignoring You
It's one month before your deadline and you realize nothing is done. Specifically, you need to get others to buy into your plans to move things forward...and no one has responded to your e-mails. What to do?...
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Nov. 7, 2007 at 11:52am by Paul Bruemmer
Training: The In-House SEO/SEM Marketer's Trump Card
A recent Forrester research report, US Interactive Marketing Forecast, 2007 to 2012, concludes that all marketing will become interactive over the next five years, with no single channel dominating the scene. We've seen some evidence of erosion in the ad spend for traditional media this year, as the latest...
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Oct. 31, 2007 at 11:39pm by Jessica Bowman
SEOs Should Understand Network Infrastructure
As an in-house SEO, you need to interact with senior engineers, project managers, and analysts who know your infrastructure and its limitations inside and out. Adding an understanding of your network infrastructure to your SEO knowledge base gives you the right lingo and frame of reference for conversations with...
