Getting Your Site Submitted to Search Engines

By Aaron Turpen
Posted Saturday, July 10, 2004

Getting listed in search engines can be a lot of work. "Free" submission tools are worth about what you pay for them and, worse, can be detrimental to your efforts. Yet you donít have the time to do it yourself by hand. What do you do?

You hire a professional.

A professional search engine marketer, submission service, and ranking specialist is a great tool for any site owner who wants to get listed, listed high on the results, and see a return on their investment. Sadly, there are a lot of scam artists and beginners out there passing themselves off as "professionals" in this field. How do you find a good one?

First, look for informative content and straight-forward pricing on the professionalís website. A well-made, professional website with informative content and easy-to-understand pricing structures is the mark of a truly professional submitter.

Avoid submission sites that give too good to be true claims and too-low-to-believe pricing. Any service that makes claims that they can put you at the top of all engines or "guarantees" the #1 spot anywhere is lying. However, a guarantee of "top ranking" (usually defined as being in the first twenty in a keyword response) is realistic and believable.

Be careful of sites that use the term search engine and "pay per click" in the same context. These are submitters who will promote your site through Pay Per Click engines and not through actual search engines or directories. There is a definite difference in longevity and price between the two types of marketing.

Watch for submitters who have time-based plans and contracts. These are the true professionals that know what it really takes to get you listed for the long-term. Search engine marketing is a continual process. If you do it once and forget about it, it will soon forget about you too and youíll see your visitors and sales drop as time goes on. A great marketer will ask for a contract to review your site weekly, monthly, or quarterly for ranking statistics and offer extensions of contract when your results begin to fall.

On the same token, watch for a company that's been around versus one that's new and possibly "fly by night." If they disappear, you'll have to start over with a new company again, going through the initial setup headaches required.

Above all, once you find a good marketer, KEEP THAT MARKETER! Don't get dicey over pricing and drop a good marketer just because you've found another who's 0 cheaper. In the end, you'll lose money on the deal, I guarantee.

So who would I recommend for your search engine marketing needs? The two marketing companies listed below are good search engine marketers I have used in the past or recommended to clients. They are tried, true, and good at what they do. Their prices range according to the services offered. Find the one that fits your needs and try them out!

About the Author
Aaron Turpen is the proprietor of Aaronz WebWorkz, a full service web company catering to small businesses online. (www.AaronzWebWorkz.com)