Search engine marketing isn't rocket science, although many seem to think that getting adequate ranking in the search engines is a complex and impossible task. Without a doubt, search engine marketing is one of the most complex types of marketing because the search engines' rules and preferences evolve constantly. But, considering that the majority of website visitors find the websites they visit through the search engines, search engine marketing is absolutely the best medium for internet marketing.

Search engine marketing and search engine optimization experts may talk to you about complex things like algorithms, which are really nothing more than mathematical formulas that reflect the website ranking rules of particular search engines. Unless you are a mathematician and you can get your hands on a search engine's current formula, you will never in a million years understand algorithms, so don't waste your time trying to. You can be successful in your search engine marketing efforts without knowing a thing about mathematical formulas.

Sometimes, the best way to get good ranking in the search engines is through trial and error. You try different things, see what works, and run with it. Sometimes, it may be best to hire a search engine optimization specialist or consultant. Generally, search engine optimization services are pricey, and because search engine marketing requires ongoing efforts, they can get really expensive. However, if you can afford it, hiring a search engine consultant to get you on the right track is a great idea.

From my interviews with women who own their own internet businesses, a comment made by one lady stands out in my mind. She said, "I knew that getting listed in the search engines was critical to the success of my business. I tried to achieve ranking on my own, but I got so confused by all the information about search engine optimization that all I really knew was that I definitely did not know what I was doing. I couldn't really afford to hire a consultant, but I had to redefine some priorities to get it done. Without the search engine marketing consultant showing me the way, my business would have never gotten off the ground."

Whether you choose to pursue search engine marketing on your own, or with a consultant by your side, there are a few things you need to know about search engine marketing:

There is no magic search engine marketing formula for achieving top ranking in the search engines.

There are a number of different search engines. The most popular ones are Google, Yahoo and MSN. Each of the search engines has their own rules for indexing sites, set their own algorithms, and change them frequently. Be wary of search engine marketing information that claims to be "the secret" or "the magic formula" for achieving top ranking in the search engines.

Relatively, also be wary of search engine optimization companies that guaranty top ranking. If you are offered such a guaranty, get it in writing and check the company's references and do some independent research in regard to their reputation. Doing an internet search for the company name will likely give you some good information about their reputation because whether they are good or bad, they are likely to be the topic of discussion in internet marketing forums.

You have to submit your website to the search engines.

Search engine marketing requires that you submit your website to the search engines. The search engines use something called spiders to index websites and the spiders may incidentally pick up your website at some point, but to ensure your site is considered for indexing, you need to submit it to the search engines. To do that, you need to find and read the guidelines for submission for each search engine.

Using an automated search engine submission tool isn't a very good search engine marketing tactic because they generally submit the exact same information to every search engine without considering the individual search engines' requirements. When you submit your website to the search engines, you cannot expect immediate indexing. Sometimes it takes up to six weeks to get listed.

There are three search engine marketing factors that are consistently important to achieving desirable search engine rankings.

Though the search engine marketing rules and relative strategies tend to change frequently, three factors remain important to achieving a good rank. They are content, keywords, and links. Content is important because the search engines cater to those searching for information, not those providing it. When the content of your website is relative to the terms a browser is searching for, your website will be more desirable for indexing.

Keywords and keyword phrases are the terms that people use when searching for something in the search engines and they are central to your search engine marketing efforts. For your search engine marketing efforts to be fruitful and to generate targeted traffic, you need to do keyword research and find out what terms your target audience is using. Rather than using the most popular, competitive keywords, it is best if you can choose niche phrases that provide targeted traffic but aren't highly competitive.

Link popularity, based on the number of links connecting to your website, and link relevancy, the relevance of those links to your website, usually tend to play a role in search engine rankings. Thus, part of your search engine marketing campaign should be to establish relevant links to your website.

To build your link popularity, find relevant websites and request that they link to your website, or offer to trade links with them. Getting your website listed in online directories that are relevant to your industry as part of your search engine marketing efforts can also enhance your link popularity.