Ranting about the snake-oil sellers

Search engine optimization has been a major buzz-word for a number of years now. While there are a handful of good practitioners out there, there are also a great number of people who are the equivalent of yesteryear's snake-oil salesmen. They know all the keywords, they have all the answers, yet they haven't worked a day in an actual brand-marketing environment. Once you're at the top of the search results, are you actually delivering anything to keep the customers thinking positively about you?

The barrier to entry is low for the internet, which attracts all of the get-rich-quick crowd. It can be very frustrating for a business who is looking for help, when so many seem to have all the right answers. These snake-oil pushers are now excitedly entering the social-media market. They can set up a Facebook fan-page, a Twitter account, and tell you about sites like Urbanspoon, Yelp, and Foursquare. They have quick-tricks with tools to get you thousands of followers. But once you get past the talk, have you really made a meaningful connection with anyone?

There is a great likelihood that they can make you feel great about everything you are paying them for, and they likely can tell you all about the thousands of businesses they have helped. Just like the street-side vendors who could make your hair grow, cure leprosy, and fix all of your problems with a simple elixir, these SEO or social media "gurus" will be quick to sell you tools and tactics to promote your business and get you to the top of Google.

The problem is, being a top result on Google doesn't pay your rent and overhead. A communication strategy is needed, products must meet customer expectations, and customers must want to interact with you. Social media and SEO are a piece of the puzzle, but if that is the only focus of your consultant, you may be left with an empty bottle of snake oil.

Is Google a big evil empire to fear?

A few years ago, you didn't hear many people speak poorly about Google. Now it has its critics who argue they have too much power.

It wasn't too long ago that people were singing praises about a new operating platform that made the personal computer approachable. After several years and a high rate of adoption, people began fearing and criticizing Microsoft.

There's a lot of sentiment for people to shop local and support their small hometown businesses. The people of Arkansas did this in the 1960s, which gave their hometown store the foundation to eventually open over 8,000 stores around the globe, only for the general public to frequently call Walmart "the evil empire."

Are these businesses evil? They are just successful, and when you become the biggest and best at what you do it puts a target on your back. Everyone is always aiming at the top. If you ever get there with your business, be sure to keep in mind that everyone is after you. Use your power for good, and do everything you can to keep your fans engaged and in love with you. You will always have critics, but don't give them more reason to fear you.