Do you have an online component to your business, even if it IS just a static website, essentially just your digital business card?

Do you hear the terms SEO, SMO and SEM bandied about, and think ‘yeh, I should probably know what they mean and work out what I need to be doing for that…all the cool kids are across all that right?…’  

If not, this article probably isn’t going to help you. If those thoughts have crossed your mind, stick with me. I was in the same position last year, and I ended up working with a woman who set me straight on exactly what I needed – and the clincher is, for my business and what my business goals are, NOT A GREAT DEAL! Hoorah! You might be in the same boat, and not really needing to worry much about it at all. (Think of it. Weight. Off. Shoulders. Yes please.)

So we ended up doing a webinar together where she explains all the basics around what you really need to know in regards to SEO, SEM and SMO – and whether your online business even needs to worry about them. The link to the webinar is below, but before we get there, just let me share the story of why I decided to share what I learnt. You really don’t need to waste your time stressing about things you don’t need – I learnt the hard way – you don’t have to too!

So I was hanging out in a co-working space and I ran into this gorgeous woman called Lauren. When she said that she was a Digital Marketing Strategist I remember screwing up my face and saying – errmm does that mean you do all that SEO stuff? #technerdalert

She smiled. I cringed.

To be quite honest whenever I heard the words SEO, SEM and Social Media Optimisation I shut down and decided being in denial was easier. I’d heard and read so much about SEO but it was always a bit of a mystery… much like that point in life when you finally surrender to getting eye-glasses …. you’ve known for some time that it was going to have to happen but the whole idea has scared you so you’ve put it off until you really have no other choice… that time had come. So I asked her –

Do I really need to worry about all of them for my business?

We spent a month working together and what I learnt completely changed the way I ran my business and finally got me clear on what I really needed to know about SEO, SEM and SMO. And no, when you actually face them, they’re not actually that bad. In fact, it’s saved me hours of time and energy and has made my life a lot easier. (Dare I quote the eye-glasses again?)

I don’t know about you, but I was seriously lost in the world of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Social Media Optimisation (SMO). I had read so many articles, been to a few experts who told me completely different things, and I was completely and utterly confused about what I really needed, and whether all the ‘shoulds’ really did apply to my business which is based on education and training.

Does this sound like you?

I had no idea what SEO and SEM really was or how I should be applying it to my business, and my Social Media Strategy involved being part of as many groups as possible and having groups, forums and accounts on every social media platform I could access. I was stressed out, trying to do it all myself, not really knowing what I should be doing and wasting a LOT of time and energy that could have been much better spent elsewhere. Sound like you?

You’re not alone…

I took the plunge and worked with Lauren to sort out a plan that would work for my business, and help me reach the goals that were important to me. I learnt SO much from working with Lauren, that I wanted to share with YOU the basic fundamentals behind SEO, SEM and SMO – so that you don’t waste YOUR time, energy and focus like I was doing.

What you really need to understand is:

1. What

SEO, SEM and SMO really are (apart from the extended acronyms offered above, what the difference is between them and whether you actually need to worry about all of them),

2. Why

they are important to different kinds of small businesses, which changes depending on the products and services you offer, and the industries you’re in, and

3. How:

to go about implementing strategies that will work for you and your business (which will be different depending again, on your industry and what you’re actually trying to sell).

Ready to find out what you REALLY need to know about SEO, SEM and SMO?

We’ve prepared two honest, open interviews and a practical worksheet, that will take you through HOW TO APPLY this knowledge to you and your business.

One with Kate Toon, and the other with Lauren Hotson. 

The lesson is available here.

It’s located in the BASICS Level of the Library, in the Small Business Wisdom course:

Lesson 5: Choose between SEO, SEM and SMO

Click on the above link to be taken directly to the Lesson. If you’re already  a member of the Small Business Wisdom course, make sure you’re logged in! If you’re not, you’ll be redirected to the page where you can become a member.