How To Avoid An SEO Disaster
Working in a burgeoning new field that few people are truly a part of can be both a blessing and a curse. The rapid expansion of the internet has created a virtual free market for those with the skills and knowledge to navigate it, so those who offer SEO services can basically name their price when it comes to helping a company or multiple clients raise their page rank and bring in more traffic.
However, the fact that the general public lacks even a modicum of knowledge on the subject can definitely pose a problem, especially when their eyes are full of the imaginary dollar signs that they think will magically materialize a month after they hire an SEO specialist. In short, the possibility of disaster striking is far more likely than lightning. Here are a few ways you can stave off catastrophe and get on with your work.
- Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. One of the biggest mistakes made by those who practice the fine and fickle art of SEO is biting off more than they can chew. Of course you WANT to be able to promise that you can get your company’s (or client’s) website on the first page of Google for prime searches (within 6 months), but in most cases this simply isn’t possible. You may be competing against millions of naifs who don’t have the first clue about SEO, but there are likely enough that do know what they’re doing to give you a run for your money, so don’t promise unless you are certain you can deliver.
- Manage expectations. This goes right along with the first point. Part of your job is to tell your bosses or clients what can actually be done within a particular time frame. If they have no experience or understanding of how the process works, they may have unrealistic expectations (especially if they have “friends” who know “everything” about SEO). If you don’t set them straight, they will likely make your life a living hell. So make every effort to let them know what you can reasonably be expected to deliver. And if they think someone else can do a better job, then by all means, let them learn their lesson the hard way.
- Educate others. You can save yourself a lot of heartache by making an effort to educate those who employ you. While it may not be feasible to teach them everything you know, you might want to give them a crash course in SEO, provide them with a copy of SEO for Dummies, or simply refer them to some industry websites. If they refuse to take the time to learn anything, then you should insist that they rely on your judgment in matters concerning your position. Either way, you’ll be better able to do your job without outside interference.
- Learn. In order to effectively do your job, you cannot be a Google-hater. You must accept that they command 70% of search traffic, and as such, must be used to your advantage. This means staying on top of changes in algorithms, requirements, and the industry as a whole. In short, continuing your own education is absolutely necessary if you want to succeed in the SEO arena and ensure top placement.
- Don’t be afraid to walk away. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your sanity and the viability of a project is to move on. There will be times when you simply can’t provide what people are asking for (and they won’t take no for an answer). In these instances, you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble by simply walking away and leaving the mess to somebody else.
Hope we all can avoid SEO disaster with the tips above or you have another things about how to avoid an SEO disaster? Please share here with us.
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Hi Guys. Thanks for visiting my blog, you must be full with the energy since you trying hard to find me here at the corner ;) I assume that you must be very curious about me.
Educate our client is surely important part. They should aware what we try to do so they expects the expected only.
Dana recently posted..Apple iOS 421 for iPhone Has Been Released
Yes, we need smart clients to understand the process, they must have a good understanding that SEO is not over night success.
I agree, never ever make enemy with Google, Google is your best friend, it provides the largest percentage of traffic.
And walking away will save you from trouble. Very valuable information here, thanks.
igoydude recently posted..Globe Broadband Internet Down for Almost 4 Weeks
If we concern about internet activities we must build a great relationship with Google, don’t we?
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/ November 25, 2010
I agree with you Sarah, some times the clients do expect a lot from SEO people in a small time frame without knowing that SEO can take a lot of time. I think it is really important for the SEO person to educate the clients and bosses about the time that SEO can take. Nice post
Shiva | Blogging Ideas recently posted..Hostgator Black Friday 2010 Special Promotion – 80 Discount
Yes Shiva but sometimes we forget to tell the true at the beginning that SEO need lots work to do and not an over night success.
I agree that managing expectations on SEO is crucial for success. I have seen many SEO campaigns fail before they start due to unrealistic and/or uneducated SEO expectations.
Yes, people sometimes didn’t counted the effect or their promotion. It was can give high expectation from the client and disaster start when the seo firm can’t keep their promises
Great points Latief! It’s so common for clients who don’t understand the concepts of SEO to have very unrealistic expectations. They think that if they pay you $2000 a month you will just magically make them #1 for a term like “Honda Motorcycle” in 1 months time.
The only advice I can offer in those situations is to jump straight to tip #5 and just walk away. If they won’t let you do the keyword research and tell them what they CAN rank for and where you can rank them realistically in a given time frame (say 3-6 months), just find another client!
SEOSage recently posted..Marketing Your Website
Tell them the true about SEO is the hard one, most people want to get rank in just few days, lol! Thanks for sharing your opinion bro.
i’m totally agree with you on this ” SEO is not over night success”. you damn right
sisca recently posted..The First Signs of Chicken Pox
So we are in the same side
Thanks