Archive for March, 2009

Managing Clients Expectations for Search Engine Optimization

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

I read a great article the other week by Mark Jackson from Search Engine Watch regarding setting expectations for search engine optimization.  In it, Mark wonders how many SEOs have suffered due to unrealistic expectations from clients. I applauded Mark for speaking about the giant “elephant in the room” and was even compelled to post a positive response, something I don’t normally do.

The truth is that beyond the rankings (and associated traffic and ROI from those rankings), the work we do for our clients is often hard to quantify. The reasons for this are many but stem in large part due to the length of time it can take for a result to occur from our efforts. Building links this month, for example, may not impact our client’s overall results until 3-6 months down the road.  It is this fact that often has clients and SEOs at discord. Conversely, many clients have left SEOs prematurely or even at the end of their contracts and have reaped the rewards for a long time after. So (and in keeping these relationship inequities in mind) what are the right expectations to set? Below is a list of items that I feel should be discussed prior to engaging with a client:

  1. SEO is front loaded- When you engage in SEO services, much of the heavy-lifting is done at the start of the program. It is important to discuss this fact up-front and realize that often much of what is paid during the life of the contract is the initial strategy and the execution of that strategy. Many SEOs charge accordingly with a heavy start/set-up fee, which is a great way to account for this main truth about optimization.
  2. Clients pay for knowledge and expertise – It’s not an exact comparison BUT you pay for SEO much like you’d pay for a plumber, engineer, or health care provider. Most of us in the Industry have spent considerable time and money learning our craft. Unlike those services, however, Clients are paying for a future “result” that requires experience, knowledge, and a solid strategy that may take many months to materialize.
  3. SEO is a long-term investment-  Yes, the benefits from a good SEO program can literally transform your business overnight. However, good optimization is a long-term process that deserves a long-term commitment. SEO is not about tricking the search engines into short-term results. Instead, this is a long-term process and should be contracted as such.
  4. SEO is a partnership- If you think that optimization is a one way street then you are dead wrong. Strategy, keyword selection, content development, and link building are collaborative efforts and best done in partnership.
  5. SEO is all about ROI – There is an ego thing involved in getting to the top of the rankings. However, being number one doesn’t mean a thing unless it is for a keyword that gives you a good return on your investment. When calculating your returns, however, make sure you the estimate the lifetime value of your gains.

Finally, I submit that everything in online marketing is trackable. So, one value of an SEO program can be measured via rankings reports, analytics, and the improvements made during the program. That said, however, it is important to remember that the true measure of SEO will not be realized until years after optimization starts. Too many customers get caught up in this month’s ROI versus calculating the lifetime value of their acqusitions and the competitve advantage of being positioned at the top.

No Comments »

Content Your Way to the Top!

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Why you need a content strategy, pronto.

It is a well-known fact amongst SEOs these days that content is the primary way to get to the top of the search engines.  Don’t get me wrong, on-page optimization and link building and all the other hundreds of seo tactics and strategies still matter a whole lot..it is just that now unless your website is content-heavy and can be seen as an “authority” website, these other seo variables won’t make much of an impact.  So, when did content start to matter so much and what can you do to get into the content game?

While you were sleeping….your competition went out and built larger websites. The size of your site has always mattered but never so much as it does today. The reason being, there are billions of websites out there and everyone wants the coveted first page of Google. The more competitive the landscape gets, the more important it is to be seen as the leader in your field. And simply put, you cannot be a leader, i.e. “authority” if you only have a 10-page website.

Now that you know the importance of content building, the next is to know how much to produce.  Since every website is different, the answer will depend on the competitiveness of your primary keywords. To find out where you stand in relation to your competitors, simply type this query into Google:  “site:www.yoursite.com”.  If you have 10 pages and your competitors have 200-300 pages, you know where you need to go.

So, what on earth could you possibly write to fill up 300 pages of content? It is actually easier than it sounds. Below are a few ideas:

  • Blog – Writing a blog-a-day would increase your web presence by 365 pages at the end of a year.
  • Glossary of terms – Place a glossary of terms on your site that lists and explains the verbiage and nomenclature specific to your Industry.
  • Tips and tricks – Easy to write and your customers will fancy pages filled with how-to’s.
  • State or city specific pages – Does your service cover many unique locales? If so, write specific pages targeted to each of them. Doing so can add many pages to your site quickly and will make your users feel unique and special.
  • User generated - Give you customers a voice, and they will respond. One of the fastest ways to content your way to the top is by offering user generated content tools such as the ability to blog, write reviews, start forums/discussions, etc.

Content will make or break you site in the coming year(s). Someday soon, I predict that only sites with 1000 or more pages will be able to crack the top ranks. Best to address your content needs today! If you need help with a content strategy, please do not hesitate to contact us at admin@sdinteractive.com.

No Comments »

Do You Want Better Online Marketing Results?

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

How To Get Better Online Results!

Do you want to get better results from your online marketing efforts? We’ve got an easy solution. Why not ask your customers?? I know this answer seems obvious, simple, even down-right ridiculous, but truly it is the most forgotten way to gain quick and valuable insight that just may help you improve your marketing results.

So how do you “ask your customer” exactly? For starters, information can be collected from surveys, focus groups, direct mail and phone calls. When it comes to Internet marketing, however, none of those options are as immediate or as effective as onsite testing.

Onsite testing, meaning running live marketing experiments on specific landing pages of your site, will take the debate out of what you think your site visitors want and tell you precisely what you know your site visitors want. To get started, all you need is a website, an analytics program, and a willingness to experiment with your site (all in the name of higher conversions, of course).

Onsite testing can take the form of A/B testing (testing one variable at a time) or Multivariate Testing (testing several variables at a time). Each method has their pros and cons but both can give you an immediate boost in your conversion rate. 

So what items should you test? For starters, try these:

• Test Headlines – Headers occupy a prominent space on your page.  Often overlooked, testing headlines can make a large impact on your bottom line. 
• Test Graphics – Your image may be fine but perhaps another will connect better with your audience. See if you can create a boost with changes in your imagery.
• Test Punctuation – Use different types of punctuation to see how your customers react. The difference between “Buy Today.” And “Buy Today!” may seem minor to us, but could dramatically improve your results.
• Test Design/ Layout – Perhaps you need an entirely new look/feel to get the message across. Try an A/B test to see if the updated look/feel increases sales.
• Test Buttons – There are many factors to consider when choosing buttons including the size, color, and text used in your button. Experiment and see what happens.

A final thought
While most people are now comfortable running ad campaigns, a surprisingly low number of these marketers are engaging in online testing. And if you aren’t trying to test your site for improvements, you aren’t taking advantage of the inherent benefit of online marketing – the ability to listen to your customer. Everything is measurable and your customers are telling you what they want with the behaviors and click-streams.

No Comments »