Search marketing matters.
As the owner of a local search engine optimization (SEO) consulting agency, it seems to me that it’s almost every day I hear potential clients say things like, “Well, I can get SEO done for $50 a month” or whatever price-range they have been given by a previous guru. After being in the SEO industry for a fairly long time, I have met more than a handful of marketers who outsource their SEO and link building, and most of them think they are getting such a great deal, but from the looks of things, it seems to me that none of them are making any money through any of their online efforts. When looked upon from afar, there’s really no such thing as cheap SEO or cheap link building.
Maybe it’s a good thing for those of you (close-minded) who “think” your’e getting a good deal, but the truth is, there’s no such thing as a cheap SEO plan. There are those who are very desperate, and they offer SEO services, as well as link building services, at a low rate, but if you’ve been doing business for any amount of time, you have hopefully come to learn that, you get what YOU pay for.
Are you coming out on top by hiring (outsourcing) a cheap SEO company, who doesn’t get you the results you need or the results you were promised? And then, this results in you having to turn right back around and hire a different, more realistic SEO company, now that you don’t have any budget left? For those of you who haven’t really thought about it, let me just point out to you that in the long-run, it’s costing you “a lot more”, if you start off by making these simple mistakes, in the beginning.
image credit: seo.ericanfly.com
It’s true that only a very intelligent (experienced) Website owner will succeed on the “modern-day Web“, but being smart doesn’t have anything to do with being a tightwad. In fact, as an SEO, I’m not too sure I’d want someone performing my keyword research for the goals that I have set forth for myself and my website, by using a Google Translation tool. Now, let’s not assume that all freelance SEOs are low level and cheap. Many freelance SEO and link building professionals do what they do, extremely well.
When it comes to choosing an SEO company or a link builder, that’s right for you and your business plan, don’t let your budget make all those decisions for you. Price is obviously a concern for many people, and I’m more than aware of that, but you can’t let it single-handedly decide your future. If your budget is just too rigid, then I strongly advise you to put off hiring an SEO or link builder until you can afford to hire one who’s a professional, with at least – some experience.
Meanwhile, there are many ways you can work, to market your business and yourself. You might not be an expert, but I promise you, it’ll be well worth it when you look back on things, a year from now. But I digress…
Why So Many Suffered from Penguin and Panda
The primary reason so many businesses and Websites suffered from Google’s Penguin and Panda updates is solely due to inexperienced SEOs (and Black Hat SEOs) attempting to “experiment” on websites. Those of you who allowed this practice to take place are the primary cause of Panda and Penguin, and it was long overdue.
From a recent experiment we performed, it seemed to me that nearly 99% of all beginner SEOs experiment with Black Hat SEO at one point or another because it produces fast results. Beginners have to have somewhere to experiment (whether it’s on your site or someone else’s), and it’s also true that many outsourced SEOs don’t have their own websites, and if they do, it’s probably not ranking very highly in the SERPs.
I’m not implying that every real SEO in the world should rank #1 for local SEO, or any generic term for that matter, but what I am implying is that Penguins and Pandas wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for so many SEO secrets, tricks, and “wannabe” experts. SEO is a long-term strategy. I don’t care how you’d prefer to look at it.
Well, in order to separate the SEO experts from the SEO amateurs, you need to not only pay attention to the price of the services being offered to you, but you also need to do your job and do some “simple research.” Knowing what questions to ask is key to understanding whether you are dealing with an SEO expert or a Black Hat amateur. Most Black Hat SEOs won’t openly admit to you that they are Black hat (i.e lazy, broke, and scamming). Getting to the bottom of things is very important if you feel like you just have to search for an SEO outside the box.
How to Separate an SEO Professional from an SEO Faker
- Pay close attention to the prices they offer.
- Confirm their website by checking the URL and using a contact form to confirm that they own it, and then check their own website ranking.
- Read the “About” page on their website to learn more about them.
- Check their social media platforms and research them thoroughly.
- Have a thorough chat with them using Skype and ask plenty of questions.
- Ask if they are Google Adword Certified.
- Learn some of the Dead Giveaways you’ll need to notice
These are some very basic things you should do when meeting someone for the very first time or when outsourcing via Odesk or Elance. I suggest that you forget about outsourcing the most important marketing strategy you’ll ever implement, and go with a reputable SEO consulting agency, one that pops up on the first page of Google results. That way you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re going to get took for an idiot. Take the time to find out who they are, and if the task seems like it’s too much an obstacle, then report them to Google – and move on with your goals. Common sense can go a very long way when you are attempting to hire someone via the Internet.
- Come August 6th, 2012 the World Wide Web (www.) will turn Twenty One years old.
“The Pyramids of Egypt Wasn’t created over night”
And We As Marketers – Shall March Carefully!
SEO Is the “Wisest Investment” for Any Business Owner
Apart from social media implementation, search and search engine optimization are the most beneficial investments a business can make to receive the greatest R.O.I and benefits from their online promotions and their Website. If you own a Website, but you haven’t properly implemented SEO, then there’s really no reason for you to even have the site, because no one is going to see it. Your website is similar to that golden necklace lying at the bottom of a landfill. Sure, it might be a beauty and extremely valuable, but who gives a shit.
The point is that SEO is going to be your most successful investment, when it comes to you dropping the first little red cent into your site. With SEO, you have the opportunity to drive a ton of organic (FREE) traffic to your site by the droves, depending on your SEO strategy and implementation.
“My Conclusion”
image credit: digitalproductsreview.blogspot.com
So the next time you think of how awesome it would be to have hundreds of thousands or even millions of people browsing the pages of your website, think about how important it is that you understand – there is no such thing as cheap SEO.
If you have any questions, please feel free to use the comment section below. I will respond to each of you – as promptly as I can.
