This week I read articles from two of the most trusted people on the web – well they are not as famous as Mike Filsame and the rest that you are probably thinking of right now but they do command a great respect in the Internet marketing world.Now the bone of contention is based on the different opinions from these two people (whom I think do not really know each other). First came this email about doing what works now and to stop stressing about the future and what it holds and then the second one was about preparing your Internet marketing business for the future even if it means forfeiting short-term gains.

The interesting thing is that both were right or rather their arguments were sound. First it makes a lot of sense to go with what works now e.g. social book marking as of writing this article is flaming hot and Google loves it. Also, although I haven’t tested it myself, but SEO guys argue that off theme links rock in Google but of course the big guy doesn’t like it. So it makes good business sense to do these things that work now and cash in while you can. You can even use the money when the “uncertain” future comes. In all truth no one can really predict what Google or the other SEs like Yahoo and MSN will do next, so why stress, he adds.

This other guy says that it is better to go by the book and do exactly what Google wants, which would mean foregoing some of the great SEO tactics that work today just so you can stay in the good books of the great one. He says, never bite the hand that feeds you. Coincidentally he says Google is known for doing what is humanly sound so it is easy to predict what they will do next. His argument is sound, I mean – imagine 12 months from now, you have everything going well, your sites are at the top of SEs then all of a sudden bam! it’s no where to be seen – Big brother has caught up with you. But if you follow what they say to the letter, you will be saved from wrath.

Now what do I do, two perfectly sound arguments from trusted internet marketing mentors – I am even in their lists and bought a book and software from one of them.

Mfundo, The author of the article, invites you to comment below and say what you think.

Here is what I think,

As you know I love stock trading so in times like this I go back to stock trading rules. One of the leading principles of trading stocks states that you should never buy a stock if you are not sure and never act on people’s opinions or 2nd grade news flash but do your own research i.e. study the fundamentals and also the charts. Use the fundamentals for long term decision making and the charts for timing the market movement to ID buy or sell opportunities.

The best way to be successful as an IM is to do what works for you. You need to do your own tests and develop an Internet Marketing Strategy that you will duplicate over and over as you build your online empire.

Do read what others are saying but take the information as a hypothesis you are yet to test. Use it as a mind boggler. If you are serious about your online business you will not do what you are told but you will do what you have proven to work for you.

So which advise did I take, well am still testing ha! ha! ha!

But seriously you will come across a million comments and articles about Internet Marketing strategies from different experts – you need to develop a discerning spirit or else you are never going to grow. Doing things because someone else is doing it may work for the short term but you will be forced to consult the person even in the long run. I mean really, do you want to be that dependent? What if he disappears over night? Would that be the end of your internet marketing business?

Basing the decision from a stock trading perspective I would das both can work – take what Google says as the fundamentals for the long haul and study the ” charts” to see what works now. Does it make sense? Well, I hope so.