10 Ways to Make Sure Your SEO Goes Out of Its Way for You
If they want to have success, companies should do everything they can to ensure that their SEO firm doesn't provide lousy service. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind: 1. Be realistic. Don't waste your time or the SEO firm's expertise by arguing about broad search terms. Don't say you want to be in the Top 10 for "e-commerce." The SEO firm should ask: "E-commerce and what else? E-commerce consultants? Please be specific." 2. Think long-term. If you can't help yourself and you want broad search terms, such as "toys," think through what it may take to pull that off. Variations on your favorite term may be best in the short term. If you start looking a year or two out, then make sure there aren't site design, programming and link popularity flaws. 3. Be open with log files. Don't shield log files from the SEO firm. Admit if your web analytics capability is poor. How can the SEO firm do a good job if your host company can't provide decent statistics, such as the number of visitors from search engines and the actual search terms they use? 4. Change text. If an SEO firm wants to change text, give the consultant lots of room. If a graphic can be modified so the words appear as text, be open-minded about the change. Chances are, it won't hurt the overall look of the web site. SEO professionals grit their teeth when clients say they want rankings and then resist change. 5. Don't sit on recommendations. You may end up discouraging the SEO firm you're paying if you hire them and then fail to review their suggestions. 6. Reply to e-mails, voicemails and other communications. If an SEO firm contacts you, especially for a scheduled meeting, make a point to return the e-mail or call. Really, it's a good idea to be available for strategic conference calls. 7. Stick to the program. Don't ask the SEO firm to optimize the web site and then expect them to provide Pay-Per-Click (PPC) guidance as well. If you can't handle PPC on your own, pay the experts. 8. Keep statistics in perspective. With many search terms and engines, it's always going to be possible for some keywords not to rank. Don't get hung up on what search terms didn't pop in the Top 30. Focus on your traffic growth and conversions. 9. Know your limits. SEO firms appreciate informed clients – to a limit. Read the articles. Pick up an SEO book. Keep up with the news. But don't hire an SEO expert and then tell them you're an SEO expert. For example, you may be excited to learn about all of the SEO devices that could be at your disposal. Don't blame the SEO firm for failing to use them all at once. Measured, gradual changes are best. 10. Take your company name out of title tags. Do yourself a favor and make title tags available for search terms, not your long company name. Only keep it if it's short and useful from a title tag proximity and density standpoint. Michael Murray is vice president of Fathom SEO, a Cleveland, Ohio-based search engine optimization (SEO) firm. He authored the "U.S. Manufacturers Resist Natural search engine optimization (SEO) and Online Sales Leads" study and a white paper, "Search Engine Marketing: Get in the Game." michael@fathomseo.com
|
 |
|
|
MORE ARTICLES:
If Content is King, then surely Relevance is Queen!
There has been a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in the searchengine world of late and there are lots of conspiracytheories as to why these things happen.
It is easy as a webmaster to get caught up in these webs ofintrigue.
Advantages Disadvantages Of internet marketing: The Good The Bad And The Ugly
The Advantages Disadvantages Of internet marketing are many.A few Advantages Disadvantages Of internet marketing are:* It's on the internet so it's low cost* Very fast* And you can reach a global audienceHowever it:* Can leave the businessman feeling isolated* Hard to tell if people are lying because you can't see their face* And you can be overloaded with information.
Software Companies: Generate New Revenue Streams and Decrease Costs with Custom e-Learning Content
It's no secret that Software Companies operate in a very competitive space where rivalry is increasingly fierce and where profit margins can be razor thin. New, smaller Software Companies are sprouting up each month and the leading Software Companies continually make strong advancements forward leveraging massive cash flow reserves.
Search Engine Marketing 101 For Corporate Sites
When most people want to find something on the web, they use a search engine. Millions of searches are conducted every day on search engines such as: google.
Where is King Content?
One bit of advice you'll read over and over about business websites is that "content
is king". Whether this is true or not is debatable, but most marketing and web
advisors agree that content is very important.
SEO 101 – The Basics of How to Get to the Top of the Search Engines
Depending on your site's subject matter, you might even be able to start earning a significant income purely from the popularity of your site. For example, if you have a site on jokes you might be able to get a substantial amount of traffic, but you're unlikely to earn a huge income.
Abandoned by Google! Googlebot, Wherefore Art Thou Googlebot?
As a search engine optimization specialist I often optimize
existing web pages for small business clients, upload them to
the site and see pages re-indexed by Google within a week.
This only happens with existing business sites that have been
online for a few years.
Creating Web Content Using Audio Recordings of Expert Interviews
Creating Web Content Using Audio Recordings of Expert Interviews
The easiest way to create content for your websites is also one of the best ways to create value for your clients. It's a wonderful technique that when used well can make a big difference to how professionally your work is perceived in the marketplace.
An SEO Checklist
search engine optimization is on every webmaster's mind these days. Achieving a favorable ranking for the right keywords can mean a steady stream of targeted traffic to your site, and all for free - that's hard to beat.
A Guide to Optimizing public relations Content
This guide to "SEOing" your PR efforts can help you get high-ranking search results for your press releases, marketing white papers and ezine newsletter content. Whether you are managing PR efforts for several online companies or just one website, you've probably wondered how you can increase your sites (more importantly, your work) overall impact in the Web community.
Why Some Experts Are Completely Wrong About linking
Why Some Experts Are Completely Wrong About linking And How You Can Get Your Website Marketing Back on Track! (Free Software Included)If you have read some information about reciprocal linking and other linking tactics in order to better promote your website, you have probably found some seriously differing opinions as to what the purpose of linking is.There are a wide range of articles and books about linking that come from polar opposite views as to why and how you should conduct a linking promotion campaign.
When internet marketing Gurus Sell Their Souls
If you're just getting started in internet marketing, you may be awed by the amount of "Internet Gurus" out there, each one making millions of dollars (or so they claim) and for some reason seem more than willing, for a fee, to teach you their biggest, most intimate secrets.
Well, I believe in one thing - "If it sounds too good to be true, it most probably is!"
While I have no doubt about the specialized skills and techniques used by these gurus, it can get a little too frustrating simply getting tangled and lost in all their hype, and find almost no value at the end of the day.
Adding Word Rich Content to Your Website
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.Adding Word Rich Content to your Website.
linking for Traffic not Positioning!
With more and more experts and search engine enthusiastsclaiming the right way and the wrong way to handle linkswapping, link exchanging or reciprocal linking!
You can tell something is important when there is more thanone name for it! GRIN!
There are also two schools of thought on the reasons linkswapping.
The first reason for link swapping has always been to carryfavour with Search engine rankings.
Are Keywords Destroying the Flow of Your SEO Copy?
With all the shuffling that's been seen in the search engine world within the last year, the issue of obvious optimizing has become a hot button. The current line of thinking is that most engines (especially Google) are on the lookout for sites that purposely make an effort to optimize their pages in order to get high rankings.
|
