Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

1. Who is Search Engine Workshops^TM? What are your qualifications?
   
   Visit our qualifications page to discover the qualifications of the people associated with the Search Engine Workshops^TM.
   
   
2. How long does the SEM Training last?
   
   Our Search Engine Marketing courses feature eight lessons, and students have 16 weeks of access to the material in order to complete the SEM Training. You can work at your own pace and finish much sooner, if you choose.
   
   
3. Do you provide chat sessions?
   
   Search Engine Workshops offers weekly SEO chat sessions for our students at various times and days of the week. Students can participate in any of those sessions that they choose, and we frequently invite guest speakers to lead the sessions.
   
   Because many of our students are professional search engine optimizers, we also offer chat sessions and conduct research of special interest to professional optimizers. For example, here's some research we did on contracts for search engine optimizing companies.
   
   
4. Are lessons mailed out to the students?
   
   All of our students access lessons online at a password-protected area of the Web.
   
   
5. Will we receive a printed book, or is everything downloaded from the Web?
   
   All of our materials are accessed downloaded from the Web.
   
   
6. When do the classes meet?
   
   Our classes don't meet at specific times. However, we have chat sessions at different times throughout the week.
   
   
7. When do the classes begin?
   
   Our classes are self paced and begin as soon as you enroll. You don't have to wait for your class to begin.
   
   
8. How much time does it take to work on a lesson?
   
   Our Search Engine Marketing lessons are comprehensive. It takes time to read the material and apply those principles. Plan to spend a few hours every week working on the lessons.
   
   
9. How much HTML do you need to know in order to benefit from The Basics of Search Engine Marketing course?
   
   Students need to know the very basics of HTML, but they certainly don't need to know advanced HTML or Web design. We'll be creating information pages and making changes to certain tags, so in order for the students not to be confused, they'll need to know some of the basics. You can take this online exam to see if you have the basic knowledge needed to register for the beginning course. If you don't, visit these links for FREE online tutorials about HTML or Web page creation:

   HTML Testbed

   HTML 4 Rookies
   
   

10. If you have basic search engine ranking experience already, can you go directly into the Advanced Search Engine Marketing program?
    
    Yes, but you'll need to pass our prerequisite test and score at least 80% on it. Visit this URL: http://school.discovery.com/quizzes3/
    smslady/AdvancedPrequisite.html
    
    
11. What search engines do you use in "The Basics" class?
    
    Our beginning students utilize Google and Fast since those engines still accept free submissions and generally index pages in a timely manner.
    
    
12. What translations of the material do you provide?
    
    We don't have translations of the material available. But, we can offer you an instructor in your own language who can work with you throughout the course.
    
    We are affiliated with ACWS-Japan, who teaches our online courses in Japanese. Their course material is translated into Japanese and updated each month, and students are able to access the material online as well as through printed material. Visit the SEO-SEM-Training in Japanese site for more information.
    
    
13. When are classes taught?
    
    Sign up and begin immediately!
    
    
14. Is there a "real" person who will look over my homework and answer my questions?
    
    Yes, our instructor-led students are assigned to an instructor as soon as they register. Our instructors are quite real, and you'll find them personable, knowledgeable, and very willing to work with you on your Web site.
    
    
15. Will my instructor visit my Web site?
    
    Your SEM instructor will visit your Web site at the beginning of your search engine marketing course. Then, as the class progresses, she/he will visit again as needed, depending on your situation. For example, if you're having ranking problems, your instructor may end up visiting your site almost every week. If your ranking is excellent and you're having no problems, the instructor won't need to visit as often.
    
    
16. What if I don't have any Web pages that I can use?
    
    We have some "dummy" Web pages that have been donated by past students, and we'll be glad to let you use one of those pages for your course.
    
    
17. What is the difference between OnlineWebTraining, the Workshop Resource Center, and Search Engine Workshops?
    
    Search Engine Workshops is the parent company, and it owns and operates the OnlineWebTraining site, the Workshop Resource Center, Wordtracker Magic site, Search Engine Workshops, Search Engine Academies and SEOJobs.com (coming soon). OnlineWebTraining is the arm of Search Engine Workshops that teaches online search engine marketing courses. Search Engine Workshops teaches on-location search engine marketing workshops across the globe. The Workshop Resource Center is a networking community for search engine marketers who don't want to take a course, but who want access to probably the most comprehensive search engine marketing material online. The material is over 850+ printed pages, and it's updated on a monthly basis. The Workshop Resource Center also features networking opportunities such as chat rooms and forums, and other interactive features will be added in the future.
    
    
18. Can I cancel my registration and get a refund?
    
    We offer a "stress-free" guarantee for all of our online courses. If you want to cancel your registration and get a refund, let us know within 30 days, and you'll get your money back. With our instructor-led courses, if you request a refund within 30 days, you'll get all of your money back, minus the cost of your instructor ($120 per course; $240 per package).
    
    Our Search Engine Marketing Training is taught in conjunction with a university, so strict guidelines apply. Like a university, we can't offer refunds after 30 days.
    
    
19. Can I get a refund for unfinished lessons?
    
    No refunds will be given for unfinished lessons unless requested within 30 days after registration. Within 30 days after registration refunds are given, less instructor costs ($120 per course; $240 per package).
    
    
20. Can I switch to a later class?
    
    Students who can't finish the program on time will be allowed to purchase 8 additional weeks of access to the program material for $150 for Basic and $175 for Advanced, but only if purchased within 30 days from the end of their training program.
    
    
21. What if I have an emergency and can't complete the class?
    
    If you have an emergency and can't complete the class, talk to your instructor immediately. The above switching policies will apply.
    
    
22. What can you do with Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
    
    Many employers and government agencies require their employees to take so many hours of Continuing Education classes every year. Our Search Engine Marketing Training will fulfill those requirements. Earning Continuing Education Units will prove that you completed all SEM Training requirements and have learned and mastered the strategies involved. It is a credential that you can use to prove your experience and education.
    
    Continuing Education Units aren't the same as university credit. They can't be used to earn a degree. However, taking specific groupings of Continuing Education courses can be used to earn special certification.
    
    
23. How can you earn Continuing Education Units?
    
    Students who are interested in earning university Continuing Education Units will pay for the cost of CEUs ($25 per CEU) to The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss). Students will register and pay for the SEM Training through the Academy and pay for the CEUs separately to USM. Students can also register directly through The University of Southern Mississippi's Continuing Education Department as well, so students who want to pay the entire amount to USM can register for the SEM Training in that manner.

    Click here for more information on Continuing Education Units.

    Important Note: If you want to earn Continuing Education Units, you must register and pay the $25 fee per CEU to USM prior to beginning the SEM Training. Absolutely NO CEUs can be awarded to anyone after the SEM Training begins.
    

24. What is your certification process? How can certification benefit me?
    
    Competition is great on the Internet, as you know. Web designers and promoters need every edge over the competition that they can get in order to succeed. Certification in Search Engine Marketing skills is proof that you've mastered those specialized techniques, and you can proudly display your certification seal on your Web site.
    
    In the past, several students who didn't complete the course and didn't earn certification have missed out on jobs that they would have gotten had they have been able to prove their skills by being certified.
    
    Certification with Search Engine Workshops^TM isn't given lightly. Our students truly earn certification by doing more than just taking the class.
    
    For example, our students are given a real life example and asked to offer suggestions for boosting traffic to the site.
    
    
25. Is Search Engine Workshops the same as the Academy of Web Specialists?
    
    The Academy of Web Specialists LLC was closed effective September 1, 2003, and its partners left to pursue other interests.
    
    The online courses taught at the Academy are now being taught here through Search Engine Workshops. The course material was created by Robin Nobles, a partner of Search Engine Workshops, and she's kept it updated for the past 8 years.
    
    
26. What if I have a pornographic Web site? Can I still take the class?
    
    Instructors who work for Search Engine Workshops^TM are professionals, and they handle their students in a businesslike and professional manner. Our goal is to help you get your site ranked high in the search engines and boost targeted traffic to your site, no matter what that site is about. We will work with students that have pornographic Web sites, just like we will work with all of our other students. The one thing we don't want to happen is for a student not to send homework because they're afraid of offending their instructor. We're professionals, and we're here to help you. A pornographic Web site won't offend us. We approach it just like any other Web site.
    
    However, we will not work with Web sites that deal with anything illegal.
    
    
27. Who can I write to if I have a search engine ranking question?
    
    Search Engine Workshops provides consultation services. Send an e-mail to the following e-mail address to learn about our consultation services, billed hourly at the rate of $150/hour. Consultation Services
    
    
28. Do you provide telephone consultations with your students?
    
    All students are entitled to call their SEM instructor one time during their course of study. If you want to talk to your instructor, set up an appointment with him/her and call at a time that is convenient for you both. Our instructors are very busy people with tough schedules, so calls should be limited to 15-30 minutes. If you want to schedule further telephone conferences with your instructor, we will be glad to set that up for you for a fee of $150 per hour.
    
    
29. I have a question or concern that isn't answered here. What should I do?
    
    Send your question or comment to Robin Nobles. We'll be glad to help you!

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