myweddingcaketoppers
BANNED
- Feb 3, 2015
- 60
- 2
What expectations the unreasonable a SEO?
The Real Truth Behind Client Based SEO in 2016!
DerekFranklin
Newbie
- Sep 11, 2015
- 44
- 1
Any special self made offer available?
Datalore
Junior Member
- Apr 1, 2010
- 181
- 45
Thanks Scritty. Most people don't understand the nature of google rankings. There's a technique and tricks to SEO, but if it's not paid to Google themselves (adsense), then they're paying someone aside of google to use these techniques to better their chances of getting to the coveted #1 position organically. But working for the misinformed client, you almost need to flat out say that you need to 'game' the system. Businesses receive that as doing some shady, dishonest tactics. Well, it is! But then the company worries they may get caught (and they might obviously), and their reputation goes down the drain. JCPenney style.
They even feel they are doing some sort of criminal activity. Well, they are, according to Google's TOS, the very nature of "SEO" is doing activity against the rules. The conundrum comes in when they look in the phone book and call up a professional SEO company. They think, ok, this is legitimate, they can help in an honest business-like manner, nothing shady about it. So what they end up getting is your basic web profile cleanup, website fixing and so on.
Then they ask why they're still not #1 and have to be explained that you need to use a network of private blogs, stay under the radar, etc. etc. and they look at you like "what? I thought you could help us.. we pay you to get us to the top".. not how it works, unless you do adsense. Or you do some social branding like Facebook and hope that people link to their site from their own high ranking websites. Hope springs eternal. This is why we (not that you can't be successful working with clients), but we can often do better for ourselves than we can for others.
They even feel they are doing some sort of criminal activity. Well, they are, according to Google's TOS, the very nature of "SEO" is doing activity against the rules. The conundrum comes in when they look in the phone book and call up a professional SEO company. They think, ok, this is legitimate, they can help in an honest business-like manner, nothing shady about it. So what they end up getting is your basic web profile cleanup, website fixing and so on.
Then they ask why they're still not #1 and have to be explained that you need to use a network of private blogs, stay under the radar, etc. etc. and they look at you like "what? I thought you could help us.. we pay you to get us to the top".. not how it works, unless you do adsense. Or you do some social branding like Facebook and hope that people link to their site from their own high ranking websites. Hope springs eternal. This is why we (not that you can't be successful working with clients), but we can often do better for ourselves than we can for others.
I appreciate you posting your valuable experience with offline seo and your preference to work strictly for yourself and "not the man." However, you are lucky that you have a roster of good, high-paying clients that keep money flowing into your bank account. I'd like to be in that position within 3 months or less.
Scritty
Elite Member
- May 1, 2010
- 3,019
- 4,707
Typically it would be something like "We would like to rank page 1 for high commercial terms inside 90 days using safe SEO".
Of course we tell them that isn't likely - or in many cases possible. We emphasise the long tail (where the value normally is anyway), the need for traffic diversity and pledge to do our best with their target keywords.
However, no matter how precise and detailed you are in pointing out the value of the long tail and traffic diversity. 3-6 months down the line the client is likely to be questioning movement for the "location/vocation" keywords. Of course there is normally positive movement. Typically they will have gone from not ranking at all to page 3 or 4 or similar.
Traffic levels will be up, revenue will be up. ROI will be good - but the client still wants a long chat about ranking for "Lawyer in London" and "Why is that crappy business down the road ranking number 5 on page one and not us".
Typically the worst clients are those that do not enter into any level of partnership with us. They aren't interested in providing content/value, and just want to pay the money and see the results. Fair enough of course, that is their prerogative. They are professionals in a different field with no interest in IM.
It's so much easier when you and the client agree base level performance indicators early - and those performance indicators are based on things that REALLY MATTER like ROI, profit and sales.
The emotional tug of wanting to be seen on page 1, and higher than their competition (who they often know personally and have done for many years, and see regularly at meetings and when tendering for work in there own profession) remains high.
It's emotional then, rather than practical more often than not.
niche racer
Regular Member
- Feb 16, 2015
- 400
- 82
Have to appreciate for your great sharing. It will be helpful to all.