Search engine optimization (SEO) has become a popular discussion amongst web developers. Companies have also emerged claiming to focus entirely on copy writing SEO-ready content for websites, as well as optimizing websites. So why is SEO such a great thing?

The answer is simple: because it shows results. Tech talk and geek lingo is great amongst designers and developers, but it doesn't fair well with upper management. Attempting to explain to a CEO at a board meeting that you can utilize “alt” and “meta” tags to improve your ranking will likely lead to a blank face and little response. But, tell the CEO that you were able to move your company, “XYZ Electronics Inc.” to the top of the search results for “consumer electronics,” and you'll get a round of applause and a pat on the back.

SEO is great because it yields immediate results that everyone can see. It's not that difficult for management to log onto Internet Explorer and type in the keywords to see your achievement immediately. But the problem faced by SEO enthusiasts is that the smiling faces and pats on the back only get you so far. Once people see that it's “just a ranking,” you're in trouble.

Being at the top of the page doesn't mean anything if you can't get business out of the people who visit your page. Some marketers may argue that brand image and the mere exposure effect are more important than anything else, but that, too, only goes so far. Time is money. And if someone can't hit the quarterly sales mark, what's the point of putting your company at the top of the Google search results?

The answer is price. The sole reason why SEO has held on to its popularity has been the price it takes to implement it. The basics of SEO may even be done in-house by some more technology-inclined departments. SEO is easily learned, and given enough time to fiddle with content and meta tagging, anyone can put their site at the top of the list. Not to mention that it costs very little (compared to other marketing processes) to maintain this spot. This doesn't go to say that SEO comes cheap, and with the booming popularity of SEO, prices for optimizing websites are skyrocketing.

How long can SEO stay on top? That's just a matter of how long it will take before something new comes around. There's already been talks about “something new,” which is supposedly more than just SEO. Illuminated Technologies, a Vancouver-based custom software developer, is currently working on a new concept known as Lead Generation Marketing. Their project, Lumaganda, is expected to launch as early as this upcoming Spring.

For more information on Illuminated Technologies, visit them online at www.illuminatedtechnologies.com