New SEMPO Q&A

[Jill Whalen]

SEMPO has posted some answers to the questions (http://www.sempo.org/communications/member-qa-08-2004.php) people here and other forums have been asking.

[Nick W]

I'll admit to only having read the questions but they seem to be skipping some very frequently asked questions....

<li style="display: none;">What does DUMPO have to say about the recent controversy and questions raised in SEO forums around the globe?</li>
Nick

[seobook]

I'll admit to only having read the questions but they seem to be skipping some very frequently asked questions....
Nick
I think they did not want to put those types of questions on their site.

I also do not really get the top of search top of mind concept. that must be geared toward big businesses because I can't see small business owners caring about the whole top of mind concept...

[bethabernathy]

Obviously the lawyer the have retained is not doing a very good job. I got a fax last week from their Executive Administrator stating that I needed to provide them with a reason as to why I wanted a copy of their by-laws. I guess their lawyer isn't familiar with the law related to "Public Record" and "30 days to produce" and "$ penalties for not producing". Sad state of affairs. Not to mention their advertising scheme that blows the whole org into DUST.

[Brad]

SEMPO doesn't really want to answer questions. SEMPO has evaded giving a straight answer to anything for over a year.

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"

[Jill Whalen]

If anyone wants to send me a comprehensive list of other questions that they did not address, I can see if maybe they'll address them. (Can't guarantee anything, but they might.) They do plan to have an ongoing Q&A at their site.

I just don't want to go searching through all the forums to find the ones that are important to you.

It is my understanding that they are working on a member communication committee and there are a couple of folks helping them with that who definitely want to see more communication.

Thanks, and send me your questions.

[4eyes]

Those are not answers to the questions that I have seen posted on any of the forums I frequent.

They look awfully like answers to 'staged' questions.

I know that senior members of SEMPO have read most of the forum threads already, and been selective on which questions are answered and which are avoided, so I guess they are not too keen to answer the tricky ones.

Here's one to start them off:

As an SEM dealing mainly with smaller local companies, I have no problem at all convincing clients of the value of SEM - why would I see SEMPO as anything other than a threat to my business?

It seems to be nothing more than a guild to benefit the SEMs targeting large corporations (and of course the SEMPO organisers themselves).

Comments like the recent 'If you don't get it....' are not useful - I 'get it' all too well. If SEMPO think I/we get it wrong, then an explanation of SEMPO's value to smaller SEMs would be nice.

[Jill Whalen]

That's a good question, 4eyes, and the answer may very well be that there isn't any value to the small search engine marketer. Not sure if they would admit that or not.

I would guess that they would say that simply increasing the visbility of SEM to the general public, it would be good for all SEMs.

I know that from my vantage point, even though I am a small SEO company, my rates are higher than the avg. small company. Because of this I get many inquiries from people who can't afford my services, but do understand the value of SEO/SEM. I try to refer them to other small firms that can help them.

The thing is, they need to understand that they need SEO/SEM to begin with to even approach me or any other company. That is what SEMPO wants to help with, as I understand it.

I for one don't need SEMPO for that as I feel that I do plenty of my own work in that department, but for those who don't have the time to market SEO/SEM as a whole (as opposed to just their own services) then SEMPO theoretically could take up the slack.

[4eyes]

That is one of the things that worries me.

Some SEMs, (and in my arrogance, I count myself amongst them) are professional enough to be able to present a coherent case to clients that stresses ROI, and covers ppc, conversion tracking, copywriting, split run testing, branding, risk factors etc.

We have never had much of a problem convincing clients, in fact, educating clients is one of our USPs

Why would we want to contribute to a body that will help our (less able) competitors?

Will SEMPO increasing the potential marketplace help us?

Not convinced. More likely just increasing the competition for my target phrases. More SEM being done, more SEMs coming into the market, more large corporations moving SEM "in house", more link buying, more spam, more 'information pages'.

The SEM game only works well when practiced by the knowledgable few. The only real winners will be the PPC engines and SEMs managing PPC campaigns. Why else are search engines throwing LARGE amounts of money into SEMPO?

So a question for the forum:

If SEMPO manages to stop shooting themselves in the foot for long enough to achieve some of its targets, how many here think it will be advantageous to their business?

[bethabernathy]

How could a small SEO/SEM business benefit from Sempo when they are providing much more advantageous (aggressive) advertising benefits for the larger firms i.e. Circle members? Which is illegal for a Tax Exempt 501(c)(6) to offer in the first place.

[seobook]

How could a small SEO/SEM business benefit from Sempo when they are providing much more advantageous (aggressive) advertising benefits for the larger firms i.e. Circle members? Which is illegal for a Tax Exempt 501(c)(6) to offer in the first place.

its for the good of the community...trust us ;)

[bethabernathy]

So you are saying that providing enhanced advertising for the circle members benefits the community as a whole? Can you please explain?

[seobook]

Can you please explain?
actions explain themselves better than words can. there is nothing subtle about the goals of SEMPO

I still am a fan of Andy Beal's simple litmus test

[bethabernathy]

I think we need a live chat. Anyway, I still don't understand your point. Sempo says "its about what you can do for Sempo." The Circle members should be just happy to pay the $5K without receiving any special advertising opportunities.

[seobook]

I think we need a live chat. Anyway, I still don't understand your point. Sempo says "its about what you can do for Sempo." The Circle members should be just happy to pay the $5K without receiving any special advertising opportunities.
actions explain themselves better than words can

[bethabernathy]

How cryptic. I thought some constructive comments would be available. But ... apparently not.

[seobook]

I thought some constructive comments would be available. But ... apparently not.
That is the whole point. There is no constructive feedback.

If something smells, looks, and acts the part then at some point you need to trust your senses.

[bethabernathy]

Gotcha ;)

[Jill Whalen]

Beth, did you see Ian's comments regarding the legal stuff, over at my forum. I posted it in the legal thread here...

[Mike Grehan]

SEMPO has posted some answers to the questions (http://www.sempo.org/communications/member-qa-08-2004.php) people here and other forums have been asking.

My word, that was almost as illuminating as the bullets we had fired at us in the last newsletter type thing (or whatever it was supposed to be).

Maybe they're going for the world record of reiteration. Shame the Olympics are finished, they may have achieved a very high score.

However, there was *ONE* tiny glimpse into the REAL world of SEMPO:

We are always open to ideas from our members and recently some members suggested we streamline the membership levels. We are currently looking at the levels and may solicit input from the members on their thoughts on the levels.

Let me reiterate on their behalf this time... MAY... I'll do it again... MAY...solicit input from the members...

Not WILL solicit, just... MAY.

Well, thanks for the consideration guys. Imagine us poor lowly members having "our thoughts considered". We really do appreciate it. We MAY get consulted.... Wow.

Pass the smelling salts... I'm a little overcome!

[bethabernathy]

Hi There Jill - I saw Ian's post at your site. Looked clear. He advised them to hire a lawyer and it is taking time to do that. -Beth

[Mike Grehan]

He advised them to hire a lawyer and it is taking time to do that. -Beth

About thirteen months so far...

[Anthony Parsons]

And here I was just thinking that SEMPO had crawled under a rock...

O' how wrong I was! Round 2...ding ding