The internet is constantly changing, as new memes, viral videos and trending articles come and go. And while businesses may think that their local online marketing is immune from these kind of here-today-gone-tomorrow shake-ups, this is often far from the case.

For instance, on May 4, Search Engine Watch published an article detailing how the many business owners whose online marketing campaigns were affected by Google’s recent Penguin shift could cope by creating a “crisis management plan” for their SEO strategies.

First on the list of tasks that these business owners were advised to take was to assess the damage and loss of rankings through reports. After business owners take this step, Search Engine Watch recommended that owners check their keyword referrer report, keyword rankings and link profiles.

But, while the full article offered a number of bullet points that small business owners who were affected by the Penguin shift could follow, it recommended that the best way for these companies to cope is by investing in a long-term plan of attack for their SEO, one that may be best left to an online internet marketing specialist.

And while no internet marketing agency can predict exactly where Google is heading with its search engine practices, many of the professionals who work at small business internet marketing companies were able to prepare for certain expected shifts in advance.

Armed with this kind of knowledge, small business owners who invest in a savvy internet marketing firm can ensure that their strategies will be able to weather these changes, so that their brand can continue to build momentum without costly, time consuming setbacks.