Should I tell this to my client

So my SEO contract ended.

I wanted to email my client (Now former client) that I'll be re-pointing the links I built (Mostly on third party sites) to my existing or for future clients. I've already got my last payment from them.

If you would like to keep them, please let me know and I can send you the total cost.

I want to charge them like $50 to $100 (Average market value) per link for the 300+ links that I've built.

Should I send them this? I like to clear these things now before moving forward. Nothing regarding links, was discussed in the contract. I was just a 'Marketing Consultant' to their team. Also there are no clauses barring me from future work with related industries or any mention of backlinks, etc.

I see no problem with this if you are performing additional work with links that have been built.

I personally don't think that's a fair move. I mean you built those links for them, why would you take them away.. just build new ones for the existing and future clients. But that's just my opinion..

alrightythan said:

I want to charge them like $50 to $100 (Average market value) per link for the 300+ links that I've built.

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300 links at $50/link = $15,000.

300 links at $100/ink = $30,000.

So, your client must have paid you at least $15,000, and more like up to $30,000 or more. Is that right? If not, you lost money. Or your're over-estimating the worth of your backlinks. In any case, you think the backlinks were worth that much, so I assume you charged them at least that much. Right?

If you're really talking about tens of thousands of dollars in SEO fees to one client, then you probably should have had some agreement worked out in advance. You said you didn't. Was there any kind of agreement at all about backlinks you created for the client that they would be *permanent* backlinks that never went away, regardless of whether or not they remained your client? Sounds like "no."

But clients don't know anything about SEO, and backlinks, and permanent backlinks, and quality backlinks, and all that. That's your job, and it's what you are being paid for. So, you should probably expect that a client will just assume work that was paid for was paid for, for good. Forever.

If you did not have such an agreement, then you're free to remove the backlinks. However, if you think it was just "kind of, sort of" assumed by the client that your SEO efforts would "stick," and you had said nothing to let the client know that wouldn't be the case, then it would probably be kind of a dick move to remove all your work.

Maybe try to explain to the client now (a little late in the game), how backlinks work, and that it would be fair to have some kind of "maintenance" fee in order for you to keep all those backlinks intact for the client's future benefit, even if you aren't doing any new SEO work for them going forward.

There seems to be no issue in mentioning this stuff to your client!

If nothing regarding links was discussed why did you expand your position as marketing consultant to build a bunch of links?

If you did this on your own initiative without the clients consent or knowledge you're being unethical.

If you were hired as my marketing consultant and started messing behind my back back with links on your personal pbn that impacted my website I would take legal action.

You built those links for them based on the money they paid you (on third party sites) and you want to remove them or hold the client hostage to pay you to keep them up?

If that is what you are saying I think that is a chicken feathers move.

Big time.

I even leave up the PBNs I build for them until the hosting runs out and never mess with any third party sites as those are part of what they contract with me to provide (I don't sell links etc, I sell rankings) and those contributed to the rankings for your client's site.

alrightythan said:

I'm not looking for a moral lesson here Mother Theresas (Especially from PBN builders lol) but I want to know any legal implications of this. Just to be clear, they knew I was building links. Contract has NO mention of backlinks or anything weird like that. If it makes you guys feel better, they totally deserve it. You don't just tripple organic traffic / sales and then the man in charge tells you I haven't received ANY boost in traffic. Are you kidding me? So that's why I'm going this route. if legally I'm safe then I don't give a flying you know what.

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Legally you are ripping your client off.

Mother Teresa would agree as would any Judge with half a brain.

They paid for rankings with you and part of the process you used was to build links on third party websites.

You are considering taking the links off those sites but there was no agreement for them leasing the rankings but rather you producing rankings.

Chicken feathers move at best.

You don't give a flying you know what because your moral compass is all sorts of damaged and your doing something like that is not only screwing your client, breaking the contract but making the industry look bad... other than that it is fine.

BassTrackerBoats said:

your doing something like that is not only screwing your client, breaking the contract but making the industry look bad... other than that it is fine.

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F$%#ing LOL!

I have to say this is a bit messed up mate. I would go with what someone above suggested and try and educate them first as to the value you have given and try and ask for a maintenance fee if you really must but anything else is messed up. if they properly wronged you then that's another story and I certainly don't have all the facts but what you are sort of proposing right now is messed up and you would be furious if someone did that to you especially if you paid a decent amount for the work carried out already, just saying but who am I

alrightythan said:

Wow . . .

You seem so knowledgeable.

Especially someone who hasn't even read the contract or anything.

Please oh great one . . . share more.

We await your wisdom.

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I'm not a great one but you either offered rankings or you offered links.

If you did not offer either I have no clue how you obtained a client.

In either case switching out the links is a garbage move.

And you are not "we", just a guy who is trying to screw someone because they no longer do business with you and, from your posts, is making a smart decision.

Its sort of unfair if you were paid for a service that included building links for them. Also, the amounts you are quoting are really unrealistic unless you have full control on the links built and that they are going to stay and that they are on very high quality websites.

People like you make it harder for us to get clients.
Unless you specifically mentioned and agreed with them that the links built would remain your property, then you should let them keep it.
A maintenance fee may be an up-sell but you cant blackmail them into it with the links hostage IF you have any morals but I guess not
A devils advocate may say differently so do what you feel is best. Karma is a bitch.

living2xl said:

People like you make it harder for us to get clients.

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Yeah having real skills wouldn't hurt either. What happened? Got tired of blaming the white man or Trump?

living2xl said:

A maintenance fee may be an up-sell but you cant blackmail them into it with the links hostage IF you have any morals but I guess not

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Maintenance fee??? For what??? A link that is already there? What are you going to "maintain"? Make sure it looks good? Make sure the font color doesn't change or fade away? Yeah I'm the one with no morals . . .

And I'm doing something 'immoral' by actually having the balls to contact the client directly and giving them an opportunity to keep their links?.

Where pretty much all of you will slowly move them away anyways?

PBN building mofos on a forum called BLACK HAT WORLD talking about "morals" and giving legal advice . . .

If you get kicked from BHW, bad luck, but something you probably don't have to worry about too much. In the real world, you can't change your identity like a nickname. If you are planning to grow your business, acquire more clients, build a brand (no matter if you are the brand or if it's an agency), your reputation is something really valuable. Ripping off people for the quick buck rarely pays off long term.

So, apart from the moral discussion, it's simply a bad decision for you business.

alrightythan said:

Where pretty much all of you will slowly move them away anyways?

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I don't. Please do not generalise. I do not think the majority does this. I dont even know where you got this "info" from, can you give the source please?

alrightythan said:

Yeah having real skills wouldn't hurt either. What happened? Got tired of blaming the white man or Trump?

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Do not see what Trump or the white man has to do with this, can you explain?

alrightythan said:

PBN building mofos on a forum called BLACK HAT WORLD talking about "morals" and giving legal advice . . .

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What makes me or us on bhw a PBN mofo? If you do not like the advice given here. Feel free to seek it elsewhere.

alrightythan said:

Maintenance fee??? For what??? A link that is already there? What are you going to "maintain"? Make sure it looks good? Make sure the font color doesn't change or fade away? Yeah I'm the one with no morals . . .

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I was not the one to suggest the maintence fee, but this is normal in the seo industry. With a maintence fee you ensure links are kept up, replace if necessary, you perhaps add new links if the ranks drop one or 2 positions, check their on page with new algo updates, all in all you give them peace of mind that rankings will be looked after.

alrightythan said:

And I'm doing something 'immoral' by actually having the balls to contact the client directly and giving them an opportunity to keep their links?.

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It takes more balls to be fair and honest then write an email to ripp people off buddy
Greed has nothing to do with balls.

alrightythan said:

And I'm doing something 'immoral' by actually having the balls to contact the client directly and giving them an opportunity to keep their links?.

Where pretty much all of you will slowly move them away anyways?

PBN building mofos on a forum called BLACK HAT WORLD talking about "morals" and giving legal advice . . .

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Keeping the links they paid for that you built on a third party site should not even be a part of your thought process if that is what you sold and you have alluded to that being part of what you sold.

You asked for advice/thoughts and when they go against your dysfunctional moral compass you bitch and moan.

Go ahead and take them down and let the courts decide.

I'd love to see the court rulings if they bother to take a low level SEO to court over this.

In fact I'd pay for the plaintiff to take it to court as this is a slam dunk win for them and, yeah, despite you deleting your post that I have no clue, I have enough of a clue to know that it would be a win for them in a USA court.

In fact, I'd offer this thread to the plaintiff as part of their argument.

I'm out as you have no interest in a 3rd party opinion but only opinions that back you up.

Maybe it`s just me, but any time I get a big fish, and I don`t mean 15k worth of big fish, a smaller 2 grand one is enough for me to give them all I got and respect them even after they dump me for whatever reason. You have the know-how and the resources obviously to build similar links, just build other ones instead of killing off a business.

starki said:

If you get kicked from BHW, bad luck, but something you probably don't have to worry about too much. In the real world, you can't change your identity like a nickname. If you are planning to grow your business, acquire more clients, build a brand (no matter if you are the brand or if it's an agency), your reputation is something really valuable. Ripping off people for the quick buck rarely pays off long term.

So, apart from the moral discussion, it's simply a bad decision for you business.

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Thx for one of the few 'mature' responses here. Jesus CHRIST!! Well my dilemma is this.

All my clients are referrals. They love me. We are kicking ass in various markets. I also started my own Lead Gen which is kicking ass too.

Got someone who'll sign up this week and got a phone call tomorrow. I was just about to finish my lead gen for today but this dreaded thread took my time (Got stuck in the shit storm).

About the guys I want to charge, I have NOTHING to gain from them. ZERO, NADA! This was the most ABRUPT out of nowhere cancellation ever. No references nothing. Bizarre really. Good riddance.

My question is simply this:

LEGALLY, can I do this or not?

That's all.

I should've mentioned this right the beginning but PLEASE keep your incredible high value morals to yourself.

If you can answer this question with some legal weight / know how behind it, I would appreciate a response.

alrightythan said:

LEGALLY, can I do this or not?

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Share your contract to get a legit response.

You posted 1/2 half of the equation expecting a response that is complete.