"an SEO"??

Diddy1 · 11-16-2006, 07:22 PM

Why is it that major players in the SEO business and just about every knowledgeable SEO professional use "an SEO" this has always bothered me. I mean doesn't mean "search engine optimization"? So why the "an" is a grammatical error or am I out of the loop?

Thank You

Dulac · 11-16-2006, 07:43 PM

s sounds like a vowel so it is an. Like how rpg has an instead of a.

TheBrain · 11-16-2006, 10:03 PM

odd grammar/spelling things, especially when it comes to people who think of full meaning and not in chararacters alone.

digiweb · 11-16-2006, 11:34 PM

OK you guys have a point about the "an," but what about the "O"? SEO is a still doesn't refer to a person, it's a task.

**Cricket** · 11-16-2006, 11:48 PM

People use it in many ways now that have (over time) become accepted.

Example:

He's our SEO guy.
He's our search engine optimization guy.

SEO is also known to stand for Search Engine Optimizer.

Here is an example from Google's Webmaster Help Center. Note the part I marked in red. When the accronym is used, they too refer to it as an SEO.

Quote:

What's an SEO? Does Google recommend working with companies that offer to make my site Google-friendly?

Search Engine Optimizers
SEO is an abbreviation for "search engine optimizer." Many SEOs provide useful services for website owners, from writing copy to giving advice on site architecture and helping to find relevant directories to which a site can be submitted. However, a few unethical SEOs have given the industry a black eye through their overly aggressive marketing efforts and their attempts to unfairly manipulate search engine results. http://www.google.com/support/webmas...o&topic=&type=

Carter · 11-16-2006, 11:49 PM

Yeah, it annoys me too - I think it's because when you say SEO, it kinda sounds like ES eo... But yeah, it bugs me..

**Cricket** · 11-16-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carter

Yeah, it annoys me too - I think it's because when you say SEO, it kinda sounds like ES eo... But yeah, it bugs me..

When used correctly, it is the proper way though.

52ltd · 11-17-2006, 01:43 PM

So is it ever correct to say our SEM lady ?

Webfu · 11-17-2006, 01:47 PM

Seems like it would be correct if you had a woman handling your adwords / ppc account for you.

vangogh · 11-17-2006, 02:14 PM

...who also didn't mind you pointing out her gender. Personally I'd just say my SEO or my SEM and never mention the person's sex, because I can't see how that would be relevant to their ability to optimize or market my pages and site.

But I think it's ok to use if you want.

With the 'a' 'an' thing if I'm not mistaken it's grammatically correct to use the one that goes with the first word when you spell out the acronym so 'a seo' is probably correct, but I always say 'an seo' because it just sounds better to my ears. When I pronounce SEO it's always as 'es eee oh' and it sounds wrong to me to say 'a seo.'

Then again I'm perfectly fine writing run on sentences and ending sentences with a prepositon and all sorts of other things I was taught not to do when i was younger.

Redfly · 11-17-2006, 02:54 PM

I'm glad you brought this up. Clients often ask me to sign "An NDA"

An Non Disclosure Agreement? I got into trouble as a kid when I accidentally wrote in my letter to Santa: "Please can I have an camera". I guess my agitation stems from that.