A Dunce In The Wild
Much like the Social Media Marketing scene today, the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) industry is still rife with cheats and dishonest marketers, who would love nothing more than to slowly drain your bank accounts while providing little to no value in return. These marketers, and I hesitate to even call them that, take advantage of those who are unfamiliar with industry terminology, and how to do business online. It's for that reason that I've created these 10 warning signs that you're working with an Internet marketing dunce.
1. They don't ask business questions
Let's be honest. You're not starting an Internet marketing program for your health, or because you have some unnatural obsession with Google. You're doing it because you want to make money. You want to start, grow, or improve your business, and through some form of research, you've determined that your best bet is to forage into the online universe. When you meet with prospective SEO's or Internet marketing agencies, the good ones will ask you business questions like, "How much is a conversion worth to you?" or "What's the most profitable segment of your business?"
2. They don't ask tough questions
As an Internet marketer, I don't expect you to know everything that I do. If you did, you wouldn't need to hire me, right? A good SEO will ask the tough questions that can only come with experience and skill. If you say, "I want to increase my traffic", I ask, "why do you want to increase your traffic?" Is it to sell more widgets? To build a community? To attract investors? It's not enough to say, "I want to increase my traffic" - there's always some underlying reason for that goal. 3. They guarantee rankings - and it's all they talk about Yes. Rankings matter. It's the Internet marketers job to provide visibility in the search engines for your website. And if you're not on the first page, you're not getting traffic. It's that simple. However, it's also the Internet marketers job to make sure your website is ranking for relevant keyword terms that convert AND provide traffic. Not to mention that sometimes, your website will convert better when it's ranked #3 for a term then it ever will at #1. Focusing on rankings is not healthy. It's a means to an end, so focus on the end - not the means.
4. They talk about time frames shorter than 6 months Despite the fact that Google and Bing are trying to incorporate more real-time offerings into their search platforms, search engine opimization is a very slow process. If you've got a brand new site, expect to wait a year before you see any major search results. If it's an existing site, or a site with poor or even no optimization, expect six months. If you run into an SEO who guarantees 1st page placement in Google within a month, run far, far away.
5. They don't give you a plan Just like any other form of marketing, good SEO requires a plan. If the Internet marketer you're talking to won't provide a plan, don't hire him. 6. They don't report You want to know what you're getting for your money, right? If you're not measuring your marketing activities, then how do you know they're working? How does the Internet marketer know they're working, if they're not measuring and reporting? If you're flying blindly into the wind, you're just more likely to crash and burn.
7. They refuse to discuss tactics Good SEO is not a mystery. If you're inclined to, there are hundreds of places you can turn to online for free and in-depth tutorials about how to do it right. Of course, it will take you a lot longer to produce results, but if you're on a tight budget - it can be done. A good SEO is confident in his skills, and unafraid to educate his client when necessary. There are no more trade secrets in SEO.
8. They don't talk about anything other than SEO Search Engine Optimization is one component of a good Interent marketing campaign. Maybe your business needs some Local Business optimization, or Social Media Marketing, or Pay Per Click services, or Conversion Optimization, or a new Website Design. If your prospective Internet marketer can't recognize these needs, or refuses to acknowledge them... well, you know what to do. 9. They guarantee an oddly specific number of backlinks Hey, I can guarantee that I can get you 200 backlinks. And I can do it tomorrow. Interested? I certainly hope not! Those 200 backlinks will be some of the lowest quality, most spam-tastic links you could possibly get. In fact, they may do your website more harm then good . But hey, I got you 200 links, right? It's exactly what I promised! Don't fall for these scams. Getting good, quality links that help your website is hard work. Really hard work.
10. They don't practice what they preach If your prospective Internet marketer pitches you on a dozen essential initiatives, but you find they're not doing a single one on their own website, well my good friend, you've found an SEO that's all talk and no walk. It's easy to talk theory. It's a lot harder to show documented and proven results. An Internet marketer with no documented experience is liable to do much more harm than good to your website - and your company. If you encounter any of these warning signs in your search for an Internet marketer, make sure you run far, far away. The last thing you want to do is waste money on marketing that's ineffective and misguided. Make sure you're selective, ask the right questions, and above all else - watch for the warning signs. Photo Credit
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