Just HOW expert is your SEO expert?

[EdRust]

As a database designer and software support specialist, I felt that I should turn to an expert for some SEO service. I originally developed our site on my own but was not positioning well on any of the search engines. After paying a so called expert about $2500 to re-design our site, I was not happy with the results. The expert who worked on our site has now quit her job (where she was working when she worked on our site) and works for one of our major competitors! So I began the task of attempting to learn SEO on my own. And I am beating her on some engines (mainly MSN). But not yet beating them on some others. Oh and before you guess that it was her work not mine that improved our rankings, I waited over 3 months for some results. I guess my main point here is do plenty of research into an experts previous results, especially if you are in a competative market, before you sign-up for an "experts" service.

[Black Knight]

As with all too many online businesses (especially services) there are a lot of rather amatuer 'professionals'. Always ask for references and always check them.

Look to have telephone contact details for any 'references' that are not well-known companies. There have been SEO companies who pretended that their own 'pet project' sites and affiliate sites were customers.

An ideal set of references will include at least one client they began working for within the last six months and at least one that they finished working with a year or so ago. That way you get to check that their results are stable, and are capable of repetition.

Price should never be a concern. A good SEO is like a good accountant - their services may cost a bit, but you make much more back from their services than they cost you.

[janeth]

Hi Black Knight,
I do agree you need to check out the company that you are going to be working with. But there are also some small companies that are just getting started and can do just as good of a job as the big ones.
My site is only 7 months old. I read and learn something new everyday. I'm in Colombia S.A and because it would be almost impossible to design websites locally I knew my business had to come from on line. I started reading and learning about search engines the same day we started our business. We got ranked in the top 20 of the search engines almost the first month. I worked 20 hours a day then and still do know. I never planed to do SEO work but it seemed I was helping a lot of people on there sites for free. The only way to stop this was to start giving prices for it because it is hard to get business for your own site when your trying to help everyone else with there's.
We now offer SEO work. If I can not get a site in the top 20 I will give you a 100% refund. Also because I have been doing this for only about one month in order to get customers we have to do it a lot cheaper then I would like. Until we get several customers to the top of the search engines. Then we will charge what everyone else charges.
I would never risk my reputation or business by not taking care of the customer.
So in reality it is also a good deal for the business owner that I work with because I'm a new business and do not have the customer I can show him from 6 months or a year ago.
I think it is important to find out how much and how hard a business is willing to work for you.

[Mel]

As with any online business it is a good idea to check out carefully ANY SEO firm you intend to do business with.

My favorite check is to view their rankings for the keywords in their homepage title.

If they can't get rankings for themselves after being in business for sometime, they are suspect IMO.

And don't fall for that old line:
"We are so busy getting rankings for our customers, that we don'thave time to work on our site".

If they are so busy, how much time do you think they will spare for you?

[janeth]

I agree Mel,
You can tell a lot about a web design or SEO by there web site or the words there ranked for. You also have to keep in mind that if someone worked with a site a year ago and stopped that site is most likely not going to still be ranked in the top of the search engines.

[EdRust]

Black Knight, Janeth, and Mel
Thanks for your replies! I know I have a lot more to learn about optimizing my site for the engines esp. google, but I think for now I am just going to keep plugging away at it on my own. However if any of you feel like offering your opinion, I would welcome any suggestions! the site is www.BuyAccountingSoftware.com

thanks again, Ed

[Mel]

I agree Mel,
You can tell a lot about a web design or SEO by there web site or the words there ranked for. You also have to keep in mind that if someone worked with a site a year ago and stopped that site is most likely not going to still be ranked in the top of the search engines.

Whether a sites needs to be continually tweaked to continue ranking depends on how the site was optimized in the first place and to some degree the business they are in.

I have clients who consistently rank #1 in Google but their sites have not been changed in the past year.

[janeth]

Hi Mel,
I agree that sometimes that may happen but it is unlikely for a very popular key word.

[simonm]

I manage web presence for a number of companies and long ago reached the point of 'if you want it done right, do it yourself'. I admit that for graphics I outsource, also databases etc. But for web design and SEO I now do it myself and since bringing this in house we have gone from 10s of site visitors per month to 10's of thousands - 85% through search engines!

I have discovered that the vast majority of companies with web sites:

• Don't monitor web site statistics.
  Have no idea where they stand on search engines.
  Have 'vanity' web sites to satisfy the boss
  Are routinely taken for a ride by web designers

Equally, web designers cater for this vanity kick by making over complex - 'wonderful' websites.
Have no understanding of search engines
Design sites with the next job in mind - ie they want something that will sell their design skills not something that will sell product for the customer!

Sorry to be so cynical and certainly this criticism would be unfairly aimed at contributors to this forum (otherwise they wouldn't be on it!).

Another criticism - comapanies that pester for results from the web but won't supply up to date content! My experience: fresh informative content = increased likelihood of web site visitor making contact and doing business!
(Its good to end on a positive note)

[janeth]

Hi simonm,
Love your site.
I agree 100% with what your saying.
It is more important to sell the product not the site. I see 1,000's of sites that will never sell one thing for the customers. I would say the problem lies in both the customer and the designer. The customer should do the necessary research to find out what will work on line and the designer should help the customer in finding the right approach.
A lot of web designers want everyone to see what they can do can could care less if it will work for the customers. You have a splash page then a couple of really neat looking little tricks and ten pages later your at the product.
I can understand the customer not having the time to do the design work or seo for a site but they should still know how to read the stats, know what it takes to get ranked good and know what is in a good design.
If I'm running a business I may not have time to do it all myself but if I'm going to put it online I should understand how it all works.