Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

As a Search Engine Marketing Consultant, I understand that topics such as Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click advertising are new territories for many people. Therefore, I have created this frequently asked questions (FAQ) page, outlining some of the commonly asked questions and answers regarding the search engine marketing industry, as well as this website and my services.

For your convenience, I have supplied the following category links so that you may quickly find the information you’re seeking, and without hesitation.

Who is Karl Ribas?
There is plenty of updated information about me on my About Me page, but in short, I am a Search Engine Marketing Consultantant and provide up-to-date, valuable, and effective search engine marketing and Graphic and Website design services to a wide range of small to medium sized online businesses. I have been designing websites since 2001, and began my involvement with search engine marketing in September of 2003.

How long have you been in business?
This website first went live in December of 2004. However, I first started working as a free-lance graphic and website designer in fall of 2001, in which I had the great pleasure of working on a variety of projects for local businesses. Assisting others with their graphic design and website development has become a true hobby for me, and one I take great pleasure in. I continue to offer these services today through this website.

In September of 2003, I started working for a search engine marketing company named All Web Promotion. It was at All Web when I first realized the true benefits in search engine ranking. I am currently the Project Manager at All Web Promotion, and it is through a partnership agreement with them that I am able to offer Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click management services on this website. All Web Promotion has been around since April of 1999.

Where are you located?
My office is located in the All Web Promotion wing of the Badge-A-Minit building in Oglesby, Illinois. Oglesby is a small city within the Illinois Valley, and is about 1 1/2 hours west of Chicago.

What are your office hours?
In association with All Web Promotion, my business hours are 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday - Friday (Central Time). However, because this website is a side project, I am also available on most nights and weekends. Feel free to contact me anytime.

How will you, or your affiliates, handle our company’s information?
With the best care possible. Personally speaking, I hate receiving uninvited and solicited phone calls and emails (aka Spam), and despise those companies that are in any way associated with delivering such annoyances.

With that said, you have my personal guarantee that all information that I collect, whether it be from a web form, a phone conversation, an email, or any other way of contact, will not only be kept private, but will only be used in further communications regarding your request for services.

For more information on my policies please visit my "Privacy Policy" page.

What is Search Engine Marketing?
Search engine marketing, in its simplest form, is the process of marketing a website via the major search engines. The idea is to have a website show up at the top of search engine’s listings when users do a search for the products or services it sells. Search engine marketing is a very targeted form of marketing, and is great for attracting new qualified visitors to your website.

Currently, there are 2 ways a website can rank in the search engines… through natural, organic search listings or sponsored search listings.

What are Organic listings?
Organic listings (natural listings) are search engine listings that show up in the search engines naturally. These listings (websites) are found by the search engines, via their web crawl, and are displayed in order of their relevance according to that search engine’s algorithm. To improve a website’s current organic rankings, search engine optimization techniques and strategies need to be implemented.

What are Sponsored Listings?
Sponsored listings are search engine listings that can be purchased. These listings, in most cases, are found above or to the right of the search engine’s organic listings, and are ranked in accordance to a variety of factors including the amount an advertiser is willing to pay (per click) for each position. In order to attain quality sponsored listings and to keep the cost of doing so affordable, Pay Per Click management techniques and strategies need to be implemented.

How will Search Engine Marketing benefit our company website?
Search Engine Marketing has the potential to deliver large amounts of targeted search engine traffic to a website. Search Engine Marketing can also be used as a branding tool and integrated in with your other marketing ventures.

What kind of Search Engine Marketing services do you provide?
I can provide services in which better both organic search engine positioning as well as sponsored search listings. I, in association with All Web Promotion, specialize in search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click management (PPC) services.

What are the primary differences between SEO and PPC services?
Search Engine Optimization targets organic positioning and is the process of combining proven techniques, such as those used in website design, layout, HTML programming, and website submission with a thorough understanding of what the top search engines are looking for. Search Engine Optimization is dependant on the search engines and their ability to find, index, rank, and re-rank websites. The process for achieving and maintaining top search engine listings is indeed a long one, and may take several months to attain.

Pay Per Click advertising, on the other hand, targets the sponsored listings and is a process of managing multiple variables such as a monthly budget, costs per click, positioning, competitors positioning, and ad copy in a way that delivers you the best results for your ad spending. Changes to a Pay Per Click campaign can be made rather quickly and therefore positioning can be altered almost immediately.

Should we run SEO and PPC campaigns at the same time?
Absolutely and in most cases, pending on your company’s goals, it is recommended that you do so. I suggest taking advantage of every opportunity you have to reach your general audience.

What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search Engine Optimization is dependant on the search engines and their ability to find, index, rank, and re-rank websites. Search Engine Optimization targets organic positioning and is the process of combining proven techniques, such as those used in website design, layout, HTML programming, and website submission with a thorough understanding of what the top search engines are looking for.

What are spiders, crawlers, and robots?
These are terms to describe a search engine’s tool for finding and indexing websites.

How many pages on our website should we optimize?
Each page is an opportunity for you to target search engine traffic and therefore I suggest that every page of your website be optimized.

What are the benefits of having you assist in our SEO efforts?
I have the knowledge and the resources needed to get your website’s optimization off the ground and to maintain it for high positioning month after month. By providing website optimization as a 100% hands-free service, I can save your company both time and money from not having to learn a trade as complex as Search Engine Optimization.

We are managing our own SEO campaigns, can you take them over?
Yes. I can certainly accommodate if your company would like to outsource the maintenance of your Search Engine Optimization campaigns to me. I am able to pick up where the previous SEO left off, and therefore provide a seeming less transaction in your SEO development.

Is there a limit to the number of keywords we can have?
Currently I have no minimum or maximum keyword limitations. I don't feel the need to limit the number of search terms an SEO campaign has, rather I am able to manage as many keywords as necessary to make your Search Engine Optimization efforts a success.

Can you guarantee us top organic positioning?
No. I, nor any other Search Engine Optimization person or company, can guarantee top organic positioning. Organic positioning is determined solely upon the search engine and its relevancy algorithm.

How long will it take before we see results?
This is a difficult question to answer as the answer is ultimately “it depends”. Indexing and positioning is dependant on the search engines and their ability to find, index, rank, and re-rank websites. On average, I’d estimate that it will take anywhere from a month to two months (pending on each particular search engine) before a brand new website is found and properly indexed. Sites that have been around for awhile will obviously be less. In addition, I estimate another half month or so before you begin to see positive results.

What is Pay Per Click?
Pay Per Click is a type of Search Engine Marketing that targets the sponsored listings. My Pay Per Click management service is a process of managing multiple variables such as a monthly budget, costs per click, positioning, competitors positioning, and ad copy in a way that delivers you the best results for your ad spending.

How much does each click cost?
This is really an open ended question and depends on multiple variables such as the amount that you’re willing to pay for each click, the positioning that you want to attain, the number of listings your competing against, but mostly your overall monthly budget. Generally, clicks will cost anywhere from $0.05 to $100.00 or more. My management service ensure that you spend an appropriate click amount for each of your keywords.

What are your Pay Per Click monthly fees?
My monthly Pay Per Click fees are $199.00 plus 15% of your total monthly search engine spending. I do not employ hidden monthly fees or anything else that what I've mentioned. These fees include the managing of your campaign (changing bids, alternating positions, creating and implementing new ad copy, researching addition keyword opportunities, etc.) and preparing and sending out weekly report updates to you.

Is there a limit to the number of keywords we can have?
As is the case with my SEO services (mentioned above), I have no minimum or maximum keyword limitations for when managing Pay Per Click campaigns. I will manage as many keywords as necessary to make your Pay Per Click campaigns successful.

How much should we budget each month for Pay Per Click advertising?
The answer to this question will vary on many uncontrollable factors… factors such as the industry your business is in, the amount of competition your going to be facing, and any pre-set rules that you want employed (for instance your company may want to be in the top 3).

My personal suggestion is to initially budget what your company can afford to and update it as we move forward. I will perform all of the research necessary and provide you with a selection of appropriate keywords. I will then maintain each with the best possible positioning allowed by your budget.

We are managing our own PPC campaigns, can you take them over?
Yes. I can certainly accommodate if your company would like to outsource the management of your Pay Per Click campaigns to me. I am able to pick up where the previous manager left off, and therefore provide a seeming less transaction in your PPC development.

Do you write and test ad copy?
Yes. At no additional costs, I will prepare and test multiple ad copy. Doing so will help better your campaign’s overall marketing message and also help to maximize your click-through rates and attract more visitors to your website.

How long will it take before we see results?
Unlike organic search listings, sponsored search listing appear within minutes of going live. I do my best to maintain a 2-day turn around from the time you say “go” to when your campaigns actually go live. This time-frame is of course dependant on the amount of interaction needed between both parties and possibly the search engine’s editorial team. In general, I can have a campaign up and fully functional in a 5-day week.

What are the benefits of having you manage our PPC campaigns?
The primary benefits from having me manage your company’s Pay Per Click campaigns is that in the end it will save you time from having to learn and manage your accounts daily. I am an expert in my field and have the knowledge and resources needed to manage and maintain your Pay Per Click promotion.

In addition, I continuously tweak portions of the campaigns I manage to maximize their website traffic. In most cases, this requires researching or testing new techniques.

Can you assist in the ROI tracking of our Pay Per Click campaigns?
Yes. I have an ROI tracking solution that will allow your company to see first hand which of your Pay Per Click keywords are generating sales and which are just costing you money without providing any sort of return. This is a service provided outside of our Pay Per Click Management service and therefore is subject to additional fees.