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Houston, We Love You But
- Houston, we love you… but! But what? Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States, and of course the largest city in the great state of Texas. As the fearless leader of the JM Internet Group, I have to admit I was born in Texas (San Antonio) and has done quite a few corporate workshops and trainings in the Houston area. I love Texas! Especially the barbecue, BBQ, and barbie! But let’s talk about some of the negatives for a Houston, Texas, SEO Training class.
First, the traffic. Most of the classes on search engine optimization if taught at all in the Houston metro area will be taught downtown. Getting in to Houston from surrounding neighborhoods and communities such as North Houston, Jersey Vilalge, Pearland, Baytown or even La Porte can be a nightmare! I-10 is congested, and I-45 or I-69 can be even worse. So the first downside of a real-world SEO training in Houston is the traffic.
Second, the expense. If you are lucky enough to commute in, you have the gas but then there’s the parking. If you are coming from somewhere just a little farther (say Austin, Texas), then you’ll need a hotel. Not to mention lunch. All of that is expensive!
Third, there’s the day-away-from-the-office. Your office mates will look at it like you took a vacation, but you’ve actually been learning and working.
But most of all, the real negative to a real-world SEO class is the lack of a video recording and the crash-course nature of taking it all in one big chunk. As I have taught many live classes, including corporate workshops in Houston, then that is a big disadvantage: too much information, crammed into one or two eight hour days.
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Online vs. Real-World SEO Training
- Online SEO training has, in contrast, some serious advantages. First, there are the video recordings. All of the sessions in our online SEO training are recorded. Students find this incredibly helpful, because they can go back to the information again and again. Secondly, the classes on search engine optimization are spread out across several days, so there isn’t the ‘crash course’ feel to it. Students find the more relaxed pace also helps them keep up with their day-to-day office chores. Third, I do an incredibly motivated job of answering questions LIVE in the class, by email and by phone – so instructor help is just a click or call away. And finally, let’s be honest: what you are going to do in a live class, whether in Houston or in another Texas city, is stare at the computer screen as I stare at mine. Believe me, I am not that good looking!So an online class has many advantages over a real-world SEO class, whether in Houston or elsewhere.
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The Workshop Alternative
- If you want real-world training, however, I do fly in and do corporate workshops. Usually to make it feasible we need at least three participants and a budget of at least $1500 per day plus expenses. The advantage of a corporate workshop is I tailor the materials to your specific needs, including giving you and your team hands-on instruction. So in general, the online course alternative is better for groups of three or fewer, and the corporate workshop alternative is better for groups of three or more.Either way, rest assured that if you take our SEO training either online or in the ‘real world,’ I do my utmost to answer questions and make it a lively, fun, and informative experience!