SEO Certification: Necessity, Myth, or Scam? - Cerification
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cer·ti·fy:
- To confirm formally as true, accurate, or genuine.
- To guarantee as meeting a standard: butter that was certified Grade A.
I am a certified Nortel technician. Not a lot of people know this, only because I decided that I didn’t like the telecommunications industry, and changed my career soon after receiving my certification. My Nortel certification forced me to travel to Dallas , Texas for several weeks. I had intense, hands-on learning courses, with nerve-wracking tests every step of the way. When I was finished, I received my certification from Nortel Networks, Inc.
There are two aspects of the certification process that I want to point out:
1. There was a definite right versus wrong way to do things. If I entered incorrect code into the programming module of a Nortel system, then telephone systems or voice mail would not work correctly. If I answered a question incorrectly on a test, I would fail that particular question; if I answered enough questions incorrectly, then I would fail the test. If I failed enough tests, then I would flunk the course.
How can you certify something that doesn’t have an established right or wrong way to do things? If you are a CPA, or certified public accountant, then there is a right way of doing things, and that right way is often the legal way. The wrong way could land you in financial difficulties, for you or your client (or worst case, prison).
There are definite no-nos in the SEO industry, that’s for sure. There are definite right ways to do things, but even if you happen to agree with other professionals, there are still no guarantees. Every SEO that I speak with has a differing opinion on something that should be done, and it even varies in regards to every search engine.
2. The certification is from a trusted authority, and that authority is actually able to issue the certification because Nortel sets the standard in this case, as they created the product.
So, who is setting the standards for the SEO certification? The search engines? No, I don’t think so. Simply put, search engines do not have any relationships with search marketing firms in that respect. It wouldn’t make the search results completely objective, now would it? In order for certification to be valid, it must be genuine in accordance with the industry standards.
Next: Industry Standards: Standards and Endorsement >>
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