(Internet, USA) — Can you answer this question definitively – Do you know what SEO is? Turns out – 1 in 5 Americans – have heard of Search Engine Optimization, i.e., SEO…according to a survey by Matt Cutts, a software engineer and head of web spam at Google. In other words, that means 4 in 5 people – do not – know what SEO means. Cutts’ survey sample involved 1576 people, using Google Consumer Surveys, a new research service.

The survey found gender differences, too. The number of men and women who have heard of SEO stands apart. Interestingly, the research found that nearly 25% of men heard of SEO, with 16% of women aware of same.

What does that tell us Omaha internet marketers? “We need to inform the businesses we represent about the absolute necessity of having a regular SEO plan of action in place to build and maintain top search engine placement rank. That is, where your website or online directory listing appears on Google, Bing & Yahoo,” emphasizes Susan Stern.

Omaha Internet Marketer Susan Stern did her own informal, unscientific survey and found the same results as the Google pro – that companies seem to be in the dark about SEO. “You can’t just have a website coded correctly to appear on the 1st page of Google. You have to constantly refresh the website content writing, the graphics (coupons), keywords, and take extra measures like write industry articles on your business blog, add website coupons or a news feed and have your SEO professional promote your online video commercial in mass monthly. On the latter note, Forbes Insight published in December 2010 found that 59% of senior executives prefer to watch video instead of reading text, if both are available on the same page,” notes Susan Stern, a Marketing Consultant in Omaha, Nebraska.

The fact that only 1 in 5 people, an estimated 20.4% of Americans have heard of SEO based on the Google study is astonishing. “Cause it’s something that every business needs to achieve website search engine success,” summarizes the Omaha Internet Marketer.

Additional Statistics. Website business owners must understand that SEO is a high stakes game that you must win. After all, if your company website sits in the top tier of search results, you may experience a big traffic and sales increase.

Another study was released in September 2011 by the Pew Internet & American Life Project that found that 58% of those surveyed search the internet for information before buying products and services, with most users only viewing the first page: Google, Bing and Yahoo search engines.

How do search engines determine which websites go where? A site’s position on Google, Bing & Yahoo is based on a mathematical formula, an algorithm, which give high rankings to sites coded correctly, packed with viable keywords and more. In terms of outsourcing your SEO, Marketing Consultant Susan Stern, Stern PR™ in Omaha offers suggestions.

The SEO professional you hire needs to regularly make updates:

**Write Industry-related journalism/PR articles on Business Blog
**Swap out & re-design online website coupons
**Write Social Media updates: Twitter and/or Facebook
**Website Keyword analysis, competition analysis, keyword reports

With 4 out of 5 people unaware of what SEO is, that is a tell-tale sign that website business owners need to get educated on SEO, at least learn the basics, before you outsource these tasks to an internet marketing expert. When all is said and done, in today’s internet-driven technology age, regular, i.e. monthly search engine optimization is as essential as having a company website.