SEO for an events company

[Tehan123]

I've recently been approached by a company (based on a historical landmark) who asked me to help them with SEO.

However, it is not for their B2C services.

They are looking to promote B2B services they offer such as, evening banquets, renting out a large conference room, as well as historical teambuilding exercises. (It's a castle)

Does anyone have any advice for this? I personally think using AdWords is going to prove to be more effective than SEO.

 

[LGNDFRVR23]

AdWords will not be more effective, especially not cost-effective in the long run.

 

[t2van]

Id target things like 'business venues X location' 'conference venues location x' I'm sure you know that anyway.

Then id look at getting in touch with the local sports clubs and charities these are going to be a local business that will more often than not hold events more than once a year.

Once you do that then I would start to target local business with more than 25 employees with promotions and booking offers for 2019.

If not done so already printed flyer/poster get in touch with local town hall (sometimes just got there) and ask if you can place it up on the notice board - people go to these places to give notice of marriage, death, birth and so on so you never know who might see it and who might want a venue that is a bit different!

Id run the first two ideas as direct marketing. Well design leaflets, information about the venue and where possible if the venue has images of past events include them to sell the 'vision' id not waste time looking to advertise anything now offline or online most places will have all venues booked up.

Id hit the ground running on this from Jan onwards and see if the venue will do seasons discounts - valentines day, easter, summer, christmas.

 

[Maxim Alston]

AdWords will not be more effective, especially not cost-effective in the long run.

On what basis? Depends entirely on the margins the business is working with and the effective CPA (worked back from CPC). Can't agree with this statement. You don't know anything about the profitability of the products in question...

OP, I'd so some probing with the client regarding profitability of their offering. Then, once you've done some keyword research to understand the CPC and search volumes (you definitely need to be geo-targeting pretty stringently), you'll then have a decent idea as to whether or not PPC has legs. Then run a test to see if the forecasting is accurately, without spunking their whole budget. You'll then have your answer.

 

[Tehan123]

Id hit the ground running on this from Jan onwards and see if the venue will do seasons discounts - valentines day, easter, summer, christmas.

Thanks for the advice man, sadly I work in an office and operate solely within digital means though, so some of your advice won't be possible.

OP, I'd so some probing with the client regarding profitability of their offering. Then, once you've done some keyword research to understand the CPC and search volumes (you definitely need to be geo-targeting pretty stringently), you'll then have a decent idea as to whether or not PPC has legs. Then run a test to see if the forecasting is accurately, without spunking their whole budget. You'll then have your answer.

That's good idea, I'll find out their profit margins and then test PPC.

 

[Deleted member 813988]

SEO and AdWords work perfectly together
SEO is probably won't bring immediate results, but AdWords will require money to get those results

B2B or B2C doesn't really matter, just target specific keywords on both

 

[t2van]

Don't see what profit margins has to do with any of it, all you need from the client is a spend budget, it's their job to work out if its going to be profitable not yours.

If any of you guys asked me what my margins where Id show you the door - that's my business! Your job is to operate within my marketing budget you can either do that or you can't.

As for offline stuff. I think it's a trick missed if you can't offer it. Maybe something to consider the future maybe, the problem is the type of businesses who use venues tend to go back to the same place that's why a PPC might not always work and some form of direct marketing is going to be needed.

 

[torched]

I had a similar client many years ago, i ignored all SEO and adwords and stuck to the old school methods of contacting major corporations, schools (for field trips), charities (fundraising events), and wedding planners with email, phone, brochures, etc.

These days it'd probably be a lot easier with the targeting facebook and linkedin provide to do some ads but at the end of the day they're paying you for results, i don't think they care how you get there.

 

[Tehan123]

Don't see what profit margins has to do with any of it, all you need from the client is a spend budget, it's their job to work out if its going to be profitable not yours.

If any of you guys asked me what my margins where Id show you the door - that's my business! Your job is to operate within my marketing budget you can either do that or you can't.

As for offline stuff. I think it's a trick missed if you can't offer it. Maybe something to consider the future maybe, the problem is the type of businesses who use venues tend to go back to the same place that's why a PPC might not always work and some form of direct marketing is going to be needed.

I disagree - there's no point in running an AdWords campaign if I know from the start a conversion rate of 50% still wouldn't allow them to break even.

 

[t2van]

I disagree - there's no point in running an AdWords campaign if I know from the start a conversion rate of 50% still wouldn't allow them to break even.

You thinking too much like it's your own product.

A company will have set a budget for the year to spend on marketing. That's what they have to spend.

What profit margins they make on hiring out the venue is of no concern of yours. It's not your business!

 

[Tehan123]

You thinking too much like it's your own product.

A company will have set a budget for the year to spend on marketing. That's what they have to spend.

What profit margins they make on hiring out the venue is of no concern of yours. It's not your business!

If I'm selling someone's product I'm gonna sell it like it's my own.

 

[t2van]

If I'm selling someone's product I'm gonna sell it like it's my own.

So if you came to market my products you would want to know what all my costs are before hand? - It does not work like that.

Your given a budget, you are paid a monthly fee for your services. You set out expectations for that budget and create a plan for the client. It's your job then to get the best possible out of that ad spend. There is no guarantees just like any other advertising thats why a business will set out some kind of marketing spend for the year.

The running and costs of the clients business has NOTHING to do with you.

 

[KJREDDY247@]

well you got a client over here , let me know if it is in USA, i can check if the location feasible for my upcoming events.

 

[Tehan123]

So if you came to market my products you would want to know what all my costs are before hand? - It does not work like that.

Your given a budget, you are paid a monthly fee for your services. You set out expectations for that budget and create a plan for the client. It's your job then to get the best possible out of that ad spend. There is no guarantees just like any other advertising thats why a business will set out some kind of marketing spend for the year.

The running and costs of the clients business has NOTHING to do with you.

In my experience, clients are more than happy to disclose information if it helps me make their business grow.

I'd rather help my business earn more, get paid more in return, and not lose a customer.

 

[Tehan123]

well you got a client over here , let me know if it is in USA, i can check if the location feasible for my upcoming events.

I'm from the UK but thanks for the offer

 

[KJREDDY247@]

we have an event in UK as well but it will be in 3rd quarter of 2019, you can get back to me at that time

 

[projectlegents]

Back links are one of the best ways to promote event website. There are a lot of ways to do that including commenting, quora, social media posts, event listing websites, etc..

 

[Maxim Alston]

So if you came to market my products you would want to know what all my costs are before hand? - It does not work like that.

Your given a budget, you are paid a monthly fee for your services. You set out expectations for that budget and create a plan for the client. It's your job then to get the best possible out of that ad spend. There is no guarantees just like any other advertising thats why a business will set out some kind of marketing spend for the year.

The running and costs of the clients business has NOTHING to do with you.

And this is the problem with the marketing industry. You strike me as happy to take the money and run, if they get results - fine, if not - fine. Not your problem, right?

You're gaining no education about the client whatsoever and, as a result, you'll have no idea if your campaigns are successful. Profit margins was perhaps the wrong turn of phrase, as the need to know their total running costs etc. is irrelevant, but you 100% need an idea of what a reasonable cost per acquisition would be from the client. If they only make £100 per booking, but PPC is £15 a click, you'd need a mega conversion rate to make it workable... Without this information - of which I have NEVER encountered an issue speaking to my clients about - you can't possibly be effective with your forecasts, campaigns or recommendations.

 

[Tehan123]

And this is the problem with the marketing industry. You strike me as happy to take the money and run, if they get results - fine, if not - fine. Not your problem, right?

You're gaining no education about the client whatsoever and, as a result, you'll have no idea if your campaigns are successful. Profit margins was perhaps the wrong turn of phrase, as the need to know their total running costs etc. is irrelevant, but you 100% need an idea of what a reasonable cost per acquisition would be from the client. If they only make £100 per booking, but PPC is £15 a click, you'd need a mega conversion rate to make it workable... Without this information - of which I have NEVER encountered an issue speaking to my clients about - you can't possibly be effective with your forecasts, campaigns or recommendations.

Thank you, I complete agree with you.

Budget is pretty much irrelevant, it's about delivering a good ROI to the client.

I don't need the complete financial background of the company, I just need a brief idea of what products or services they make the most money from.

 

[t2van]

Jeez.

From the replies, you both gave me. Where does the money come from for the ads?

I can only assume you are paying for this out of your own pocket first rather than accepting any kind of advertising budget from the client beforehand.

IF so great hit me up a PM I got a ton of ads you can run for me and I'll pay once I see an ROI.

You both must be marketing wizz kidz to work out an ROI for a new client having not tested the landing page or where ever your driving traffic to, the ads and the best performing text/images to use and placements before running any data set.

How many ads is it going to take to get all of that dialed in, where is the client's sales then? How are they paying for the adverts? Are you running a credit line until they become successful? Because your both telling me the ads are covered from the cost of the sale / booking.

No advertising budget just paid on results. Sign me up lads.

Like I said advertising budgets are set by real companies to spend X per month, the time it takes for ROI based on data pooling, sampling and analytics comes down to time and that's what part of having an advertising budget is all about.

You set the outline to the client from the get-go you tell them what to expect you tell them, you tell them what sort of expecations they should have, you're the expert that's why they hired you!

If they spend out £150 per month (15per click as your example and 100 product sale price) and get no sales first 2 months but start to see 5 sales in the 3rd month. Do I not pay for the first 2 months of ads? is it no longer worth me doing because you made me £50 on the advertising spend?

Month 3 total spend on ads £450 client gets £500 in sales in month 3.

Rest of the year no growth continued on same level total 12 months spend £1800 sales over 12 months £4500 = £2700 for the client after ad budget is returned.

That's what having a marketing budget is about setting a budget over a set time frame with an expectation of a return over that same time frame. There are no guarantees.

But if you guys are telling me you are letting clients run an ad and your setting out an ROI on every single click I get. Then like I said PM me we can start the ad run today and ill pay you as soon as the adverts are paying off.