SEO Training Course: Details on What to Look for, How Much It Costs, How Long It Lasts and More

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a mega-hot, high-paying field right now. Just a decade ago, practically no one but techies even uttered the phrase regularly. Now, it’s a common part of internet marketing language. Job opportunities in SEO have grown significantly, which means the need for SEO training is growing by leaps and bounds.The Growth of Jobs in SEOJust how much is the job growth in this sector? A 2012 study by Shareaholic revealed that:Professionals with ‘SEO’ in their title or description on Linked-In grew by 112% in 12 months;Job listings with ‘SEO’ in it increased on job site Indeed by 1900% since 2006; andWanted Analytics reported that over 3,800 jobs were advertised online that required SEO skills in March 2012, which is a 24 percent increase compared to March 2011.So yeah, SEO is hot – and so is SEO training.What to Look for In an SEO Training CourseBefore looking for specifics, the first thing you need to know is that search engine optimization is a broad field. So you have to determine what you want an SEO course to cover.For example, if you want to learn how to write content, you’d look for an SEO copywriting course; if you wanted to learn how to do keyword research, you’d seek a class that covered this; if you wanted to learn how to optimize your site, you’d look for an SEO course that covered things like link structure and meta tags; etc.How Much Does an SEO Training Course Cost?What you’ll pay for an SEO course ranges from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. It’s really like the wild, wild west. It all depends on:Factors That Affect How Much an SEO Course Costs(i) What the course covers: As discussed above, there are many elements of search engine optimization. Some courses cover certain elements; others are more skill specific.(ii) Who’s giving the course: SEO courses are given by everyone from universities to internet marketing firms, to individual industry professionals.(iii) Online or in person: Many prefer to enroll in an SEO course online. This is because they can usually do it at their leisure. Some courses are held in person. Online SEO courses tend to be cheaper, obviously, because there’s no renting of a room, equipment, travel expenses, etc.How Long Is an SEO Course?(iv) Length of the course: Depending on what’s covered, SEO courses can last from a few hours, or span several days or a week or more.Search Engine Optimization Training: A Worthwhile Investment?Starting salaries tend to be high, which makes it a smart investment. For example, if you take an SEO copywriting course, you can expect to earn in the mid-40′s just starting out, and up to $90,000 with five or more years experience.Proof?According to a 2012 survey by Robert Half, one of the largest staffing agencies in the world, salaries range from the mid-40s ($45,000) to just over $90,000 per year. The study stated:”Web content writers with five or more years experience can expect a salary range of between $60,500 and $90,750, while those with less than five years experience should receive something in the range of $45,250 and $66,250.”So yeah, SEO training can pay off – big!

SEO – Choosing the Right SEO Provider to Bring Your Web Site to the Top of Google

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization is the art (and science) of bringing a web site to the top of Google and other major search engines for specific keywords that you want to target.Since being on the first page and in the #1 position for your keywords always means more traffic to your web site, it is easy to see why there is such a high demand for effective SEO services today.So, what does it take for your web site to rise to the top of Google? A lot of that is dependent upon the specific industry your business is in. For example, it would be fairly easy to rank #1 in Google if you had a unique service or product that nobody else had in Branson. But if you are wanting to rank well for a keyword like “branson tickets”, it would be much more complicated, due to the sheer number of other web sites that are also trying to compete for that keyword.Just like any other “battle”, the more contestants you have playing, the tougher the competition is going to be. And SEO is definitely a battle – make no mistake about it. The modern-day SEO arena is home to some of the most ferocious Internet and Web-based marketing tactics known to man.The reason for this highly-competitive force is the nature Internet marketing itself. Most businesses have embraced the Internet and World Wide Web as their primary channel for marketing, advertising, and information distribution channels. More and more businesses are trying to gain popularity and showcase what they have to offer to the entire world – not just the locals.And it makes sense. The more people you can reach on the Web, the more customers and clients your business will attract altogether.But still, there are a large number of web sites that only use minimal SEO tactics. And it’s almost shocking when you analyze a web site and clearly see that even text-book SEO elements have been neglected or omitted entirely. These are the same web sites for the businesses that are struggling to make ends meet, especially in the economic turmoil we are facing at the moment.And what about the web sites for those businesses that are actually being prolific, in spite of the economy? Those web sites are the ones that have implemented professional SEO services to gain a better position in the search engines. And they are thriving!It’s a well known fact that if your web site is not listed on the first page of Google, you are missing out on about 70% of all traffic on the Web today. That’s a pretty big number. But it’s very true. If your business is going to be successful on the Web, then you need to invest in a SEO campaign that can bring you all the way to the top.And when you consider the cost of traditional advertising methods vs. SEO / SEM, you can clearly see that not only is SEO more affordable, it’s also more effective. By investing in quality SEO, you’ll see a much larger return on investment than you would with radio, TV, or yellow page advertisements. Plus, all of the traditional advertising methods restrict you to the local or regional market.An effective SEO campaign will allow you to reach people from all over the world. Now that’s powerful!
You really need to have your web site optimized for the search engines by a qualified SEO professional who can deliver the search engine optimization services you need to stay ahead of the competition.Here are a few tips to consider while you are seeking the right SEO professional to help your web site get a better rank in Google:1. Find an SEO professional who is familiar with the market you are in. By understanding the competitive nature of your specific industry, your SEO professional will be better equipped to provide you with effective SEO services.2. Ask to see examples of previous SEO campaigns that were a success. It is best if they have previously successful SEO campaigns that were for your particular market / web sites related to yours specifically. That way, you’ll know they fully understand how to compete with the other sites in your arena.3. Find out how long it will take before you begin to see some results and improved search engine rankings for your web site. All quality SEO work takes time. It can be weeks or even months before you start to see your web site climbing up in the search engine results. It’s better to have an accurate time estimate before you start so that there are not any surprises later on down the road.4. Ask the SEO professional what exactly will take place during the SEO campaign. Often times, many search engine optimization “experts” will be cryptic and try to avoid this question. And often, it is indicative of an inexperienced “want to be”. Any good SEO professional worth his salt will be able to tell you exactly what will occur during your SEO process.5. Avoid any SEO professional who claims to give you “x” amount of links for “x” amount of dollars. For example, if he tells you something like “I can give you 500 links for $500…”, then it is probably not going to be very effective SEO. All true SEO experts know that it’s the quality, not the quantity of links that matters the most.6. Ask to be kept up-to-date during your entire SEO campaign. That way, you’ll be able to keep up on what is really going on, what work is being performed, how many hours are being invested, etc.7. Find out ( before the SEO campaign begins ) what it is going to take to maintain the higher search engine position after you have reached it. All good SEO experts know that getting to the top of Google is only half the battle. Once you are there, it will require some attention and a little on-going work to insure that your Branson web site stays up there.8. Make it very clear in the beginning that you do not want any “black hat” SEO techniques used during the process of your SEO campaign. Black hat SEO is the practice of implementing questionable SEO practices in the eyes of Google and it will certainly get your web site banned from the Google index!Remember: always ask questions and stay informed. By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll have better chances of finding the right SEO professional to provide you with a very successful and effective SEO campaign.Here at Digital Spiral Web Design, we specialize in affordable and effective SEO services for web site owners. We know what it takes to have success when competing with other business web sites in the search engines.Already, we have launched several successful SEO campaigns and have achieved over 100 first-page placements in Google! We have the SEO knowledge and experience required to provide you with the best SEO services for your web site.

New Year, New Look Party Entertainment

Here’s a great New Year’s Resolution for any parent. Why not give up trying to run your own kid’s parties, and get the experts in for a change? That way you know that everyone, yourself included, is going to have a really fun time. Professional party entertainment is the ideal stress buster for parents. All you have to do is arrange the food, sit back, and enjoy the fact that someone else is being paid to be the centre of attention.The thing is, very few parents like to be the focus of the attention of a large group of excited children. Come to think of it, very few people full stop like to be the focus of the attention of a large group of excited children. A clown or entertainer, though, is paid to be just that – and he or she has all the tricks in the world up his or her sleeve, to make the experience a fun one. That’s because pro party entertainment has two major things working in its favour: one, the kids don’t know the entertainer personally; and two, the entertainer can do real magic.When a child knows an adult then he or she sees right through any disguise or costume that adult wears. Kids have a very well developed sense of the absurd. If they see an adult they know prancing around in a silly costume they won’t be entertained – they will just lose all respect for said adult and won’t do anything he or she tells them to do. If, though, a child is confronted with an unknown adult in a clown costume, then the child automatically assumes that this adult is a real clown. Pro party entertainment commands the respect and attention of children from the start, because the children do not know the adult under all the grease paint.All kids love magic show. A home grown magic show, though, is about the lamest thing on earth. Just as kids are very good at seeing the “real” adult under a clown costume, or a magician’s hat or whatever, when the adult is known to them – so are they excellent at spotting tricks. Only professional entertainment can get tricks past kids and convince them that what they are seeing is really magic. Professional party entertainment works precisely because it is professional: because the quality of the costumes used combines with the skill of the magician to convince the children at a party that something really unusual is going on.Get a child fascinated and you have won a day full of fun, enthralled kids and no tantrums. The party entertainer does that, guaranteed, every time. That means a whole lot less stress for every parent involved – for whom, usually, a kids party is as much about being afraid that the children will go home over excited and under enthused as anything else. Using professional party entertainment makes sure that never happens – and that means a lot more relaxed adults, which in turn means kids that have a heap of fun at every party they go to.