Just wanted to ask the community about their experiences with their own personal or their business website.

Have you experienced the deep madness that is internet website promotion,optimisation and marketing, did you understand it? Do you understand it now?  

How where you sold the service and how was the quality?  All that you expected or more?

And what was the cost against the return?

The reason I ask is that its the question and requirement that's everyone's lips, even above and beyond having a functioning website made and in my experience with our clients the expectations in all apsects of Search Engine Optimisation for the likes of Google vary to the point of insanity.  Some people will simply have no idea what to expect in return, they just know they have to do it and others will expect the sun, moon, stars, two pints and a chicken sandwich for one Euro a month!

Whats the communities feelings to costs, levels of service, expectations and beneifts for marketing your business online from your personal experiences?