#1Sean M. ClemenceJune 14, 2010, 2:46 am

I am totally impressed with Heather Lutze’s ability to translate the world of SEO and SEM into easy-to-implement strategy and tactics. What might have taken me a couple of years to figure out, I am now able to comprehend and apply in a month or two. In fact, two SEO “experts” I talked to did not even know about aligning one’s key word terms with the three phases of the customer buying cycle, which is the critical step Heather teaches to managing successful SEO and SEM campaigns. Thank you Heather Lutze!
Rating: 5 / 5

#2Leann ThiemanJune 14, 2010, 1:39 am

As a beginner, I learned so much from this book, with easily understandable language and concepts…even I could do it!

LeAnn Thieman
Rating: 5 / 5

#3Derry B. BettsJune 13, 2010, 11:53 pm

Heather Lutze pours out her knowledge of how to be found on the Internet in the book The Findability Formula. This unique formula is Lutze’s guide to search engine marketing. Heather has ten years of management experience in the field and is the owner of Lutze Consulting. The findability Formula is a step-by-step guide to how to maximize a company’s pay-per-click marketing. It also is a guide to search engine optimization.

In the first part of the book Lutze starts out with the basic aspects of search engine optimization. She explains some basic definitions like what exactly findability is. Then Heather goes into what search engines are and how they operate. The difference between a natural search and paid placement is gone over in detail. She wants to make sure that the reader really knows what the difference between the two is. Google, Yahoo!, and MSN are all covered as well.

The next couple of chapters dive into what exactly a person needs to do before they start their online marketing. Good clicks and bad clicks are differentiated. Then the meat of what Lutze’s book is hit. How people search and what they search for is laid out. She explains what her take on the average persons “buying cycle’ is. And it is pretty basic and makes perfect since. There are three stages according to Heather and they are the information, shopping and purchasing stages.

In the fourth chapter Lutze gets into the finer aspects of what she means. She starts off with the “keyword trail”. In this chapter, like the book, she has the reader think in the big picture and then narrows it down. She wants the reader to think about what they would type into a search engine to find their product. If the reader sells Nike Air Jordans then they don’t want to pay for bees wax as a keyword. Shoes are even too broad for Lutze. Heather explains that the keywords get more expensive the broader the keyword and with less turnover rate. She suggests using the keyword Nike Air Jordans, because it is narrow and will cost less with a bonus of a high turnover rate.

Throughout the chapters Lutze is constantly tying her three stages of purchasing into the book. The three stages of information, shopping and purchasing require three very different ways to go about the keywords. The information stage is the stage where broad words are needed. This stage is where the customer is just gathering information about what product they want and the perks and flaws it has. The shopping stage is where the customer will use about three words and it is a little more specific, like Nike Air Jordans. The customer knows what they want and are just looking around for the best price or service. Then in the purchasing stage the customer has their credit card out and is just looking for exactly what they want, at what price and what service they want with it.

Lutze goes into a lot of detail about what exactly the reader can do to get the most out of the three stages. She dives into geographic modifiers, time restraints, how to get the most out the keywords and what to do after the marketing is up and going. Heather even goes into step-by-step ways of how to do things on her favorite web site.

I thought that this book was a great starter. Lutze goes into great detail and takes the reader through the whole process. It was nice that she didn’t assume that the reader knew anything. She also did a great job of explaining exactly why she is telling you to do something. Her main goal is to let the reader have a good overview so they can do it themselves or at least have a good idea so that they can have input into their search engine campaign. Lutze also emphasizes knowing your customer and what they are going through.

The only downside of the book is that it is a little repetitious. She will explain things over and over a bit to remind you how the aspect is relevant to the new subject. But this is the pain that is minimal and bearable to learn Lutze’s style. But all and all a good book that I recommend for beginners.

Rating: 5 / 5

#4M. OBrienJune 13, 2010, 8:59 pm

This is a great book for anyone just getting started with Search Engine Marketing as the author gives a great overview of the steps needed to set up pay per click campaigns.

Advanced users might find it a bit basic, but that’s not who this book is designed for. This book is designed for the small business owner who knows Search Engine Marketing is an important web traffic driver for his/her business, needs to get up to speed fast, and wants someone to explain it sequentially.

The author does a great job in setting up Search Engine Marketing step-by-step in an easy to follow way that should be very helpful to anyone who has never run a marketing team and needs to learn to do this themselves.

There are more advanced books out there for those who need to delve into the nitty-gritty, but if you are just getting started, and are a non-technical person who wants easy to follow instructions, then this book is a must read.
Rating: 5 / 5

#5Paul KrugerJune 13, 2010, 8:44 pm

I will keep this short and simple. I am a web developer ( stuffdone.com ) but not an SEO expert. I thought I would start to learn more.

I bought the book.

I followed the instructions.

I now have THREE different sites on page one of Yahoo ( without paying them their $299 fee! )

and one on page one of Google. All within two weeks of reading the book.

It works !

The Findability Formula: The Easy, Non-Technical Approach to Search Engine Marketing
Rating: 5 / 5