Recent events have made SEOmoz a very different company moving forward than we have been historically. From the shift with our new website, to the recent contacts we've made to the focus of the contracts we're currently reviewing, the landscape is changing.
Instead of a focus on SEO and rankings, the new SEOmoz is going to be working in a strategic consulation role - helping companies to determine the steps to achieving goals like:
- Greater online branding
- Increased visibility in the search space (or the web space as a whole)
- Targeting the "early adopters" in specific web markets
- Evaluating campaign ROI
- Selecting niches on the web where competition is light
- Choosing strategies to pursue in order to achieve long term goals
Instead of talking about SEO as the core of our business, it's becoming more of a "hook" to open the conversation about a company's entire online strategy. "What do you want to accomplish on the web?" is the question and our answer is becoming "we can help you get there."
With this shift comes a monumental change in how we evaluate our internal competency and how we boost those areas we still need help in. There are so many components that we're now forced to become experts on:
- Public Relations
- "Web2.0"
- Blogging
- User Generated Content
- Information Architecture
- Usability
- Visual Design & Identity
- Branding
- Online Demographics
- Analytics
- Mobile Technology
- Adoption Rates & Trend Forecasting
- Financial Management
- dozens more...
I believe that a re-write of our services list is just around the corner (despite having put up this one only last week). They say the Internet changes fast, but I never expected this momentous of a shift in such a short period.
In addition to those changes, we'll be moving offices (and I'll be moving my home as well) come April. We're hiring Rebecca, our intern, full time and will probably add 1-2 more staff in the next 6 months, in addition to forming partnerships with experts in many of the more obscure fields. With all this change, it's great to have the consistency of the blog, the old community and readers - whom I've come to think of like old friends.
Cool news Rand; the shifting of online businesses truly is crazy. We were 3 people in one niche industry and have quickly grown to 8 in a few industries, looking to be 12 in dozens of industries over the next few weeks. It can certainly make your head spin.
BTW, if you are looking for good partners on the mobile technology side of things, I have nothing but great things to say about Dave Wachs over at Cellit.net.
Keep adapting, never get too comfortable, and most importantly, good luck!
Cygnus
It is a sign of the maturation of the web that demand for a unified approach to marketing online is starting to be required. We have seen the same shift in our business, to the point that our clients expect that we will be able to provide some or all of these services.
That being said as you redefine yourself you are also probably going to have to answer the question of how large you want to become as a company. Because if you can provide these services you will have people banging down your door.
The broad nature of the internet requires diversity, and this is definitely the way forward for most SEO/Internet Marketing firms.
SEO still has a lot of bad press, sometimes justified and everyone under the sun calls themselves SEO experts. Ive always agreed with you on the point that building targeted traffic to a web site is not just about search engines and be broadening your services you can prove that!
That is terrific news, Rand; somehow I had an idea that you were expanding.
We find the same thing: they need *everything*. Sounds like you have some great work and ultra-productive days ahead of you.