This is my question...

I spend a fortune on SEO and now I am #1. If there are 976,840 businesses like mine on the internet, why is that I am # 1?

Am I the only one who cares about being #1? Are 970,000 other business owners stupid? Are they all so poor they can't afford to bid? Am I really #1? Why is it that the next 3 listings just below mine are not the sites of my competitors but listing for directories? Is it really possible that I am the only one who understands search engine optimization? Or............

Maybe the the other sites have all the business they need, maybe people are finding their sites by specifically typing in their web address because someone told them to check it out. Maybe their web address is bookmarked on their clients computers. Maybe just maybe, their business came first and the website followed. Which came first the chicken or the egg? The business or the web site?

The search engines are charging me for everyone who peeks in my store window whether they purchase or not. I focus my advertising budget on getting internet traffic but in fact most of that traffic does not translate into business. In addition, the clients I get from the internet show no loyalty at all. Here today.. gone tomorrow.

What is the point of becoming # 1? Volume of hits or volume of sales?

It is crucial that those starting internet businesses understand marketing, not just SEO.

I use about 75 different websites on a regular basis, but I have visited about 275,000. Of the 75 that I use on a regular basis most are businesses that I used prior to finding their internet address phone company, gas company, bank, stores that I shop at on a regular basis, etc. Many of the other sites I have bookmarked, I use for their free services but have never purchased anything from them. This includes games, internet tools etc. Then there are about 10 sites that I actually found as a result of a search engine and actually purchase from them on a regular basis. 10 sites out of 275,000 + sites that I have seen.

I think that it is crucial for net-preneurs to understand that the internet is not a marketing solution it is a marketing tool. It is a tool to market a business that has great customer service, quality products, and pricing to match. Marketing your business should start with marketing to family and friends, your neighbors, and local customers and then move to include a website to enhance customer service. Your primary goal should always be to gain customer loyalty and to have enough business to keep you happy but not to try to get 1000's of clicks from people who are surfing the web. Look for Coke.com under soda, or soda pop, or carbonated beverages, or cold drinks. They are not even in the top 50. But look for them under Coke and there they are! #1! Look for them under Coca Cola...there they are #1. The business came first!