Hi Carol,

Don't worry. It all makes sense what you ask :)

A while back ago web marketing was just an implicit part of web 
development. It was natural to develop sites for our customers=
 and make 
sure we also dealt with the fine details of marketing it and=
 placing it on 
search engines.

This was so simply because, as you know, things were simpler back=
 then. All 
it took was a carefully thought of bunch of keywords and either=
 some piece 
of software who ran across search engines or a bit of time in=
 order to do 
it by hand.

Today is not so as you so painfully have been experiencing.=
 Although the 
principles behind have not changed, time started to be a major=
 factor on 
web exposure as some seach engines take as much as 6 months to=
 update their 
listings. On the other hand, some search engines decided that=
 asking your 
great grandmother's single name was an essencial part of having=
 your web 
site on their listings, while yet others decided that a 20 page=
 application 
form in triplicate and with 3 layers of disclaimers plus a manual=
 to fill 
the form the size of a small truck plus 5 to 10 confirmations=
 emails with 
an obligatory reply where a major aspect of having your web site=
 on their 
listings as they are very organized people.

But irony aside, fact is it's not that simple anymore. Entire web=
 sites 
there are that their sole functions is to explain how you should=
 go about 
filling the forms on some search engine. Search Engine rules and=
 procedures 
also started to clash and we are each passing day a step further=
 form 
search engine normalization. For a web designer this started to=
 be a 
nightmare as a meta tag here will not work the same way as a meta=
 tag there 
and a "title" attribute here will not be the same as a title=
 attribute 
there.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm only talking of=
 search engines 
here. Banner exchange, and all the other marketing forms out=
 there add to 
this in such devious ways that when people say we have built our=
 own hell, 
they meant the web.

What you are asking is starting to happen, Carol. Web designers=
 are 
starting to ask for external services in order to have their=
 customers web 
sites exposed in the web and to devise other marketing=
 strategies. Those 
marketing companies facing the current worldwide crisis on this=
 line of 
business and that have an eye for the future are already=
 realizing the web 
is the next step to take them out of the TV limbo they got=
 themselves into.

On the other hand web designers and developers are washing their=
 hands out 
of the whole thing and more and more are signing contracts were=
 they 
clearly state they don't know how to, don't even know what in=
 hell 
marketing is, and don't care. Me included. For all they care it=
 never 
happened.

I know this reply is getting a little long here. I apologize. But=
 this is 
really an issue dear to me. On one hand we (designers/developers)=
 are 
experiencing a loss in faculties as something that was part of=
 our everyday 
job is starting to slip through out fingers. On the other hand we=
 have the 
birth of a new business line in the web. Which, I have to say, is=
 part of 
progress, unavoidable and we better embrace it with open arms.

Unfortunately we (designers/developers) are in that period in=
 time where 
the dog is still sniffing tires and its brain is still completely=
 unaware 
of the bowels on the other side... and the night is rather=
 chilly. This to 
say, we still have to deal with the beast even if it is getting=
 rather 
unnerving and we could do with someone else (maybe the wife)=
 walking the 
dog.

For that I strongly suggest http://searchenginewatch.com/ and go=
 wild..
For a less stressfull experience just get in the future and use=
 3rd party 
paid services and bill your client accordingly. I suggest 
http://www.redcarpetweb.com/ (don't be afraid to look for=
 others)

And that's about it. Funny thing, my entire post could have been=
 cut down 
to the last paragraph. But I really felt I had something to say=
 :)

Cheers and good luck,
Mario Figueiredo
http://www.marfig.com  (portuguese speakers)
http://www.marfig.com/en_index.htm (english speakers)
admin(at)marfig.com

On Fri, 18 Oct 2002 05:05:54 -0500, Carol Parent wrote:
>Good morning,
>
>I don't know about the rest of you but I am really REALLY tired=
 of dealing
>with search engines.
>
>I have noted that some designers are starting to make it clear=
 on their
>sites that they will 'design and implement' a site BUT if=
 someone wants 
web
>marketing they will be provided with the information on who/how=
 to do so
>but
>the designer will NOT be the one taking care of it.
>
>I have reached that point.  I do not feel I am being fair to my=
 clients
>because I DON'T LIKE working with search engines.  I do not like=
 marketing
>period.  It was ok when I only had a couple of clients but I=
 have enough
>now
>that I feel I am doing a disservice by not being very competent=
 in the 
area
>of web marketing.
>
>I was wondering if there is anyone out there who maybe is=
 'reversed.'  You
>design sites because it is part of your one-shop does it all=
 approach but
>prefer the marketing side of things?  Or you all may be able to=
 recommend 
a
>shop that offers this as a service who you think is good.
>
>I am not looking for 'miracles' just want to be able to offer=
 this service
>to my clients and know that I am doing the best I can for them. =
 If any of
>this doesn't make sense - please forgive me, I am still a bit=
 groggy.
>
>
>
>Best regards,
>
>Carol Parent
>info(at)tecminn.com
>http://www.tecminn.com
>
>I finally got it all together...
>I just wish I could remember where I set it down.
>

HTML: hwg-business mailing list archives, maintained by Webmasters @ IWA