Search Engine Optimization
The other day, one of my clients got an email from a search engine optimization specialist. I was thrilled when he asked my opinion regarding the outfit that was wanting to do business with him, and I thought there were some points worth publishing.
Here’s the original email forwarded by my customer:
xxx,
I just got off the phone with your assistant; she was calling to find out more information about the message I left you regarding xxx xxx. She mentioned that you currently have a contract with someone who is optimizing your site to show up in Google for terms such as “Fort Worth bankruptcy lawyer.” The conversation ended pretty quick when I let her know from a professional standpoint that your website is not showing up for the major terms and probably will never show up if the work done on your site stays consistent (I think you are on page 25).
I mentioned xxx xxx to showcase our capabilities; he is a well know Dallas criminal (DWI) lawyer. We have optimized his site so that it shows up on the first page for “Dallas DWI lawyer,” and like terms (www.xxx.com). If you know anything about the market you will recognize that these are probably the most competitive terms in the market. I have met with 4 other bankruptcy attorneys in Fort Worth and am looking to work exclusively with just one. If you plan on growing your firm via the internet then it probably makes sense that we set aside time to speak at some point before the end of the week or on Monday. You may reach me at xxx.xxx.xxxx. If you would like more information please visit our site www.xxx.com.
And my response:
Hi xxx,
His is an extremely competitive industry, and it’s also a very new industry. There are some legitimate firms out there, but there a lot more snake oil salesmen. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- He’s talking about Search Engine Optimization which is designed to help your web site show up in the natural search results. This is different from the paid search campaign that we’ve been discussing.
- If search engine optimization is something you’re interested in, I would ask about their pricing, whether they intend to put you on contract, and whether they can guarantee results.
- The first thing most SEO companies will do is come in to work with the structure of the web site. This generally includes things like title tags, meta tags, proper use of headers, and the actual content of the site. These were all taken into consideration as we rebuilt the site, and it’s not something I charge for.
- Lastly, there are a lot of “tricks” to search engine optimization, but the most successful method is often times the least used because it requires a lot of effort. There is no substitution for publishing original, valuable content online. If his estimate comes back as high as I’m guessing, I would consider hiring a content writer to fill out your site rather than an SEO specialist. This is just an opinion.
Call me sometime and we can talk a bit more about this. I’ve had a good bit of success jockeying two of my projects to the top of the search engines over the last few years and I’m more than happy share what I know. They are:
Itintl.com
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+import1km1kt.net
http://www.google.com/search?q=free+rpg+gamesKeeton