This came up twice last week and is consistent with a realization I came to some time ago regarding search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM).  No, I'm not hating on these disciplines or the service providers that deliver them.  I am, however, trying to shine some light on what to expect from them and how to use them to your advantage.

I heard (roughly) the title of this post twice last week – once from Marketo CEO Phil Fernandez and again in the Dharmesh Shah video and notes posted Saturday (BTW, very cool of Dharmesh to thank me for the post in a comment – he gets it). Phil used a phrase I really like during his panel – "being smart in the market."

Being "rank worthy" is not about picking the right words and bid price to make sure you are in one of the top four ads served or trying to use words in your web site content that will get you search hits.  It is about being smart, relevant, and compelling in what you project to the market. 

Static content is out of date the minute it is posted.  Dynamic content like blogs and even micro-blogging services like Twitter allow those that are looking for products or services like yours to find them without an ad and on their terms.  The bar is higher, but buyers have access to more information than ever before and if you aren't part of the resources they tap during the information gathering process you will be left out in the cold.