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Confusing acronyms create chaos

By theGypsy | February 4, 2010

I was reading a thread on LinkedIn the other day, (yea shut up. I have a newsletter, need an ear to the ground) and the question at hand was;

Is SEO Needed Now That Social Media Has Arrived?

 

Ok, so why not read along and see where it leads I thought. I mean, how confused could people actually be? It’s not like they’re likely to mix the two separate elements up too bad right?

Here’s some of the responses…

“I see social media as a part (of) SEO. If you are relying just social media you are doing your client a disservice.”

What the fuck?? Social Media Marketing is a part of SEO then?

 

“SEO, SMM (Social Media Marketing) are the integrated part of Search Engine Marketing. In a better way you can say it is an Integrated Marketing Communication.”

Now I am getting totally screwed up…they’re both a part of SEM are they?

 

“Yes, like online PR, social media marketing is an extension of SEO, but SEO is still the foundation.”

Shit shit shit… so PR and SMM are a part of SEO and all are part of SEM? My head is sphinning…Ok, but at least people understand they’re separate entities right? They should still come out fine in the long run….

 

“I am working on a site redesign and will be placing a lot more emphasis on sm to promote the site and its contents and a lot less emphasis on SEO within the site.”

Aaawwww…. Godammit…We’re supposed to gear down the SEO and lean on the SMM? This is all just so incredibly confusing… At least no one said that we didn’t need SEO any more…

 

“I certainly have a case study that shows that SEO isn’t always necessary.”

Allright that’s it…. Screw you guys, I’m gowin’ hooome.

 

See a familiar pattern here?

Is it any wonder there is so much goddamned confusion for consumers of our services? Ok, sure, I cherry picked the comments, but this example is not unique. It seems a large number of the so-called professionals can’t even get it right. How can we expect our consumers to? Regardless of what some people would believe these are all disciplines unto themselves (although SEO is part of SEM). You can’t just lump in SMM, PR, Conversion optimization and others under the SEO banner (or SEM for that matter).. Like, sheeeit… a lot of SEOs barely understand how a search engine works, never mind trying to tackle other disciplines…

Sure, the whole ‘SEO Standards’ thing has be beaten to death… but as long as those we call our own don’t have a clue; we’re destined to be painted with the same shade of ignorance…

As you were…. L8trs

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  • Confusing acronyms create chaos

Topics: Business Bullshit | 28 Comments »

Posted on 04 February 2010 by David Harry

Just a ranting and rambling search geek.... Web gypsy and renaissance man! When not losing what's left o' me mind here, I can be found blogging on the Fire Horse Trail and hanging wid me peeps at the SEO Training Dojo

has written 19 articles for SEO Bullshit

  • http://www.wateautomall.com/ knoxville cars

    I love this fucking blog.

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    lol…. good to see yer getting into the spirit. Shits and giggles brother.

  • just sayin

    SEO and SMM (or whatever it's being called this week) ARE services unto themselves but the end goal of both activities is often the same. I suggest that while the tactics and expertise inherent to each are distinct, enough crossover exists that what we witness above is a sign of change.

    Marketers blur lines for a living and fighting the inevitable is useless. With at least some of the objectives for SEO and SMM as identical, it may be time to reassess how you, as an SEO, positions himself in the marketplace.

    “I'm still dealing with the 21-year-old in me. That idealist, that purist, that young, noble, and somewhat foolish guy…”
    Billy Joel

  • http://www.search-marketing-answers.com/blog alanbleiweiss

    Why can't people grasp that SEO ( a sub-set of SEM), and SMM as a different yet related process, are all part of the greater and much more accurate “Internet Marketing” solution? It's really quite simple.

    Yes, they can play a direct role on aiding each other. Yet they're all specific disciplines with their own framework.

  • NateSchubert

    I have zero problem with people running around on forums, blogs and other locations online and freaking out about how SEO is dead or whatever, because it's not and they're flat out wrong. So, if they want to take their clients or their companies in the wrong direction, that's fine. When they drop like a stone in the SERPs, the real Internet Marketing guru's will be there to pick up the pieces. In the meantime I guess i'll just relax and watch the fall. =)

  • http://dynamical.biz/blog/ Ani Lopez

    Still don't know if I love or hate this site but something is sure, we're going to have tons of fun and 'if there is no fun it's not my party'*

    *attributed to Emma Goldman

  • http://www.making8seo.com/ Adam J. Humphreys

    You too can have 10,000+ followers in 1 week, and make a fortune. *looks at their list of 1200 followers* It's the same idiots that buy into that garbage that are spending their life savings on network marketing.

  • http://jesperastrom.com Jesper Åström

    Hmm… you seem to have your head up your butt. If you don't consider social media a part of your search strategy I guess you're not as good as you claim to be.

    I see your point about the disciplines being separate, but you are taking it a bit too far. Cause, if you haven't noticed, there is more than the Google SERPs to optimize for out there. YouTube, Facebook and soon to be fully implemented Google social search. If you don't use social media you will never rank in these SERPs.

    At least not if you claim to be “white hat”.

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    @Billy Joel (great name, you should go into music or something). Taking the road of “It’s all one thing” just doesn’t float it. If that were the case EVERY department in a business would be ubiquitous. There are defined roles and specialists in that area. Should I let the SMMs deal with the HTACCES issue of a site? Have the PR department designing graphics? Just because they all cross over? Hey, each department has a budget, so let’s have the PPC guy do the accounting… And have the accountants write some HTML… Not. Each one of these are related because they’re part of the business model, but they are all unique. SEO’s shouldn’t be trying to be SMMs an vice versa. Seriously… the lines being blurred simply shows ignorance of the lines, it doesn’t make it right.

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    Preach it brother… remember my 'conversion & SEO' post on Search Engine Journal? It kinda runs the same point home (far less entertaining tho..hehe.). Of course each of the disciplines cross… doesn't mean they ain't unique. I mean in SEO we use PPC for data and other research. Does that mean I'm an AdWords pro? Not a chance. Still just search geek…

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    Ah yes… 'SEO is dead' – that's one to be covered real soon fer sure… I am thinking of a post hitting all the common SEO myths and bullshit… prolly next week. Be here.

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    Hey Adam, good to C U. Not a fan of 'social media gurus' I take it? lol… They sure have their own identity problem in SMM. I don't envy them as in many ways it is reminiscent of the snake oil types we've had in SEO for years… I wish them luck with that. :0(

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    You didn't even mention PPC, CPC, CPM, SOW, HAT, MOF, OSS or the other million, billion other acronyms out there… I'm disappointed. Another post for another day though!

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    lol…good to see yer getting into it. Actually while I've played with it lightly to get a point across, it's not that simple. The point is that those that believe they're all one or that one is needed more than another are lost. I consider the accounting department part of my SEO program because they doll out the money. Does that make me an accountant? SMMs deal with customer service, does that mean they should axe the CRM dept? Aw shit, see my first comment. Said all this once.

    Yes… I am taking it a bit to far and stated as much… that's the point. I want people to stop and consider each discipline is unique. Of course we have 'social' elements in a SEO program. Does that mean we don't need a SMM? Screw that. I go to my SMM friends when I want advice. They are EXPERTS in the field. If anyone believes they can lump all of internet marketing into one and say they can do it all they're full of shit. I can show individuals in each realm that can kick the generalists ass all about 42nd street.

    This isn't about what we 'use' – it's about understanding the differences between them. Not blurring the lines.

    …and…erm… pretty sure I've NEVER claimed to be 'good' or the 'best' anywhere online. I am just expressing things that pop into the limited space that is my cranium :0)

  • http://jesperastrom.com Jesper Åström

    I hear ya… There just ain't that many hours in a day to take it all in. Hey… Even people saying they're social media experts are off by miles… there's just too much to know in every detail in order to know it all… so…

    I guess I'll have to kiss your ass now for actually sparking a bit of irritation in me… a feeling I haven't felt for a long time… and yet again… I shouldn't because you took the time to explain your point of view to me… doh… why couldn't you just reply with a “f-off and re-read the post g-damn't”… Now I have to start liking your bashful writings… haha..

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    No no…we're kicking ASS not kissing it… hehe. No worries, part of what I wanted here was posts that spark discussions. Much like the post itself eludes to, none of us know it all. No one can be the 'best'. We each bring something to the table. Some healthy banter, heated or not, can be a good thing for us all. Great to see you expressing yourself!! That's how we get passed the bullshit :0)

  • http://www.SEOConsultants.com/ pageoneresults

    Let's get the nomenclature right. Most of what you're discussing above are Abbreviations and Initialisms, not Acronyms! That's why the acronym element is deprecated in HTML 5. :)

  • http://www.mattinertia.com/ Matt Inertia

    Muahaha… I think it's a job description issue. I see a lot of jobs posted as “SEO required – must have knowledge of PPC, Social Media and Content Writing etc etc”. So the SEO ends up doing all the online marketing stuff as theyre the most suitable guy in the company to do it. The job title basically becomes “Online Marketing Manager”.

    “I am working on a site redesign and will be placing a lot more emphasis on sm to promote the site and its contents and a lot less emphasis on SEO within the site.”

    I'm thinking of redesigning my blog and replacing all the content with two big tweet and digg buttons. It might work…

  • http://www.huomah.com theGypsy

    bwaaaha ha ha ha… oh man, stop that. I knew this blog meant I'd be needing a screen cover for the spurting of the liquid of the moment. Thanks… nice mess. Yea, I have no probs with job titles, more so with people confusing them and talents therin. Why anyone would replace SEO with SMM instead of simply adding SMM to the others is beyond me. Keep the SEO rocking and add the SMM into the marketing mix. It's not an 'either or' proposition IMO

  • rishil

    Listen you. Stop getting technical :P

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    Right oh! (what Rishil said!)

  • ChrisPantages

    The next person I hear referring to themselves as an SMM is getting punched in the face. Other professions seem to be able to highlight specializations without completely changing conventions – why cant search marketers? I suppose a lack of industry certification or standardization. I generally go with Search Marketing as a description.

  • bentortora

    What compounds this problem is that there is no standard names across companies. We have so many people come to us with this confusion because companies have spun acronym after acronym and the client is left to piece it all together.

    I know we have to label stuff to differentiate them, but when the copy doesn't match the pitch (coupled with our good friends “smoke” & “mirrors”) it's really agencies/consultants faults.

  • Pingback: Weekly Search & Social News: 02/09/2010 | Search Engine Journal

  • http://furlongdesign.com/ Barnabas Nagy

    Great blog, just found it somehow… probably it was because of the good SMM and PR that helped me click the link on google LOL. Anyway, I like the style. Just a note, I think SMM experts are even worse than SEO experts because those go to this social media hype thing who can no longer fit in anywhere else.

  • http://furlongdesign.com/ Barnabas Nagy

    You are right LOL. I will join the movement, 2 tweet and digg button sites rock!

  • http://furlongdesign.com/ Barnabas Nagy

    Bingo, you’re the guy

  • http://furlongdesign.com/ Barnabas Nagy

    Well, it’s young science. Not only these newish social freaks but even the internet is relatively new. People brainstorm how to call things and then after long years the stronger terms persists.