If you’re serious about having a successful online business, you need to spend some time studying the search engines and how they operate.

Why? Because comparatively speaking, search engine marketing is generally much less expensive than traditional forms of advertising, which certainly appeals to those of us with low (or no!) advertising budgets. Also, the reach you can gain through a successful search engine marketing campaign can be extraordinary.

But, how can you learn search engine marketing strategies?

People learn in many different ways. Some folks prefer to dig for the information themselves, hunting all over the Web hoping to find reliable and trustworthy information. Other people like online classes, such as those through the <A HREF="http://www.academywebspecialists.com/more_info">Academy of Web Specialists, where they can learn in the comfort of their own homes with a trusted instructor.

Still others like to attend large conferences where they can sit and listen to experts in the industry offer their advice on particular topics. In my opinion, <A HREF="http://seminars.internet.com">Search Engine Strategies conferences are second to none, and I’ve served on panels on almost all of them.

However, still others want to learn on location with more of a hands-on approach. Until now, there has never been an actual “hands on” workshop designed to build your expertise in person. These people want to meet the instructors in person and have the opportunity for personal, one-on-one interaction about their particular Web sites and their unique challenges.

So, this is why Search Engine Workshops.com was formed, a joint venture by John Alexander and myself. Our qualifications are found at the <A HREF="http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/about_us.html">About Us section of the Web site, but let’s get more into the actual workshops themselves and what makes them so unique.

Rather than having the workshops at our locations, we’re offering them at various spots across the country, and eventually, across the globe. We’re choosing locations that are exciting to visit, such as Opryland in Nashville or the French Quarter in New Orleans. So, when you’re not in our intense workshops, you can relax and enjoy an interesting area.

Next, when you attend one of our workshops, you bring your laptop and your “Web site” with you. You’ll actually be doing exercises that will help you become a more effective search engine marketer.

For example, do you have a difficult time choosing keywords that really work for your business or your clients? John Alexander, one of the leading authorities in the use of WordTracker, will demonstrate ways to use WordTracker that you’ve never considered.

Do you have a difficult time writing Web site content? I’m a professional writer and author, and I’ll be working with you on how to create Web site content that will appeal to your human audience.

From there, John Alexander will take that content and make it search engine friendly. Then, because this is a “workshop,” a hands-on method of learning, you’ll create a page of content and optimize it yourself, with John and me standing by to offer suggestions and guide you.

Are you a professional search engine optimizer who plans to work with clients? John can offer his tried and true methods of working with clients and help answer questions about guarantees, contracts, how to get new clients, how to service your clients so that you’ll continually exceed their expectations, and more.

Does your Web site have challenges that are keeping you from achieving top rankings? Learn work arounds for those challenges, from very simple to the powerful and complex, depending on your unique situation.

Are confused about how to use WebPosition Gold? Have you been introduced to newcomer Search Engine Optimizer (GRSeo)? Do you need a Web-based alternative to reporting? At the workshop, we’ll actually demonstrate the various tools of the trade and offer tips for using those tools as well as showing new tools you may not have considered.

Are you interested in having a personal appointment with John Alexander or me to talk about your Web site and any challenges or concerns you are having? Besides the training and personal help that comes through the workshop itself, each participant will meet with one of us for a 30-minute private consultation.

Who can benefit from this workshop? If you have an online business, or if you’re considering starting one, this workshop is ideal for you. You may have taken a search engine marketing course in the past but haven’t kept up with the current strategies. Maybe you’re a Web designer who needs to learn how to design search engine friendly sites. Maybe you have a large company who needs a stronger online presence. Or, maybe you’re ready for the “next step” to a successful Web site – what to do “after” you achieve top rankings? If so, this workshop is exactly what you need.

Because we limit enrollment in these workshops to around 30, the group quickly becomes very friendly and open, asking a lot of questions that can benefit the whole group. We share experiences and expertise, so that no matter what your level of experience is, you’ll leave with an abundance of new information and things to try on your own Web site.

We’ve talked about the “working” aspect of the workshop, but what about socializing? The night before the workshop begins, we get together to meet and get to know each other. This is a wonderful “ice breaker” before we get down to serious business the next day.

Plus, we often go out to eat as a group, or stop in a bar to relax. There are plenty of opportunities to meet and talk outside of the regular workshop environment.

So, give this new way of learning search engine strategies a try. Visit <A HREF="http://www.searchengineworkshops.com">Search Engine Workshops and look over the agenda. Read some of the testimonies from a past workshop. Learn more about John Alexander and me, the workshop leaders, by visiting the About Us page.

Then, make arrangements to attend our next <A HREF="http://www.searchengineworkshops.com">workshop to be held at the Royal Orleans in New Orleans on September 9-11, 2002. It will be a learning experience you’ll never forget!

Robin Nobles is the Director of Training of the <A HREF="http://www.academywebspecialists.com/more_info">Academy of Web Specialists, where she has trained several thousand people in her online courses in search engine marketing strategies. She also teaches onsite search engine marketing workshops in locations across the globe with <A HREF="http://www.searchengineworkshops.com">John Alexander, and she has written three books that can be ordered through <A HREF="http://www.robinsnest.com/books.html">Amazon and other bookstores.