The Honest Truth That Business Owners Should Know About SEO

An SEO’s Perspective

There are a few very important things that business owners need to know before they start using Search Engine Optimization for marketing and advertising.  My name is Shannon McCraw, Owner of Virtual Surge and I would like to share my honest opinion with business owners. Listed below are important tips you should know:

SEO Takes Time

This is my most important message I relay to anyone who wants to use my services.  It is going to take a MINIMUM of 6 months to start seeing good movement if you have a newer site or have never had SEO. In some cases, it can be longer and in others, shorter. It really depends on different factors which include the competitiveness of your market and your current marketing position. I make it a clear point to have this be known because I understand that it is hard to pay thousands of dollars per month with no immediate results. It is important to not get anxious or frustrated for at least the first six to seven months.  Ask your SEO service provider about how long before they expect strong movement for your particular business.

You should also know that what your SEO company works on today may not be effective until 60 days from now. Google is in no rush to move sites to the top 3 positions.  It takes time to build authority and to be recognized as an entity.  In addition, too much SEO at once could cause a red flag leading to penalties.

No Cookie Cutter Pricing

There should be no package pricing. The cost of your monthly SEO is going to vary on a number of factors.  Below is a list of factors taken into consideration when I quote a potential client:

• Do you want to rank nationally or locally?
• How many locations do you have?
• What is your niche?
• Have you had SEO before?
• How large is your site?

Here is an example – A single attorney is going to cost less to rank versus a law firm. A single attorney will most likely want to focus on one practice area for one or two local locations whereas a law firm may have many practice areas and may be statewide with many locations.

For budgeting purposes, some SEO’s may offer a standard or aggressive package.  An aggressive package is going to cost more but may get you ranking a little faster.  When shopping for SEO services, keep in mind that some will cut prices just to get clients and they will not have the funds needed for much-needed resources.  If you are serious about your marketing strategy then you need to be willing to make a reasonable investment.  This is one area you do not want to cut costs.

About Proof of Ability and References

I cannot speak for other SEO’s but I have had a few clients ask for specific data showing graphs and ranking data to prove my abilities. Due to the privacy of my clients, I can’t send out hard data. In addition, I have had people ask for references. Personally, I do not like to ask my clients to provide references. I only ask for reviews on Google and then will tell potential clients to check out my reviews. In addition, I offer to hop on a call and do a screen share showing some data to prove my abilities. Find an SEO who is willing to work with you to gain your trust in some way.

It Takes Time to See ROI

As mentioned before, SEO is a process and takes time.  While you may start seeing results on the search engines, your ROI may take even longer.  It depends on how much a lead is worth and what you are investing. If you want to use SEO services, you must have patience.  However, it is okay to ask for an average time to see a return on your investment.

There Are No Guarantees

While I can assure most clients that I can most-likely get them ranked on page 1 of Google, I never make a guarantee.  Google is in charge and has the full ability to figure out who gets ranked where.  The work that I do can only influence how Google see’s your page.  It isn’t just about getting links to your site. It is an SEO’s job to have Google see your site as the authority for your market.

SEO Can be a Sketchy Business

“If you think it is expensive to hire an expert, wait until you hire an amateur.”  

I hate to admit that but it is, unfortunately, true on some occasions. I have had people come to me and tell me that their previous SEO service was worthless and a loss of investment.  It is very easy for people to claim to be an SEO expert and then provide negative results. Make sure you ask potential SEO’s where they got their training and whether they belong to any SEO groups. In addition, ask them if they continually keep up with training. I invest thousands of dollars per year to belong to some of the top mastermind groups and my knowledge is unlike most. I share this with you because I hate to see businesses, especially smaller businesses lose their money to someone who claims to know the business.  Do your homework and ask questions.

Originally Published by Shannon McCraw @ www.virtualsurge.com

Do you need help with your SEO?  Contact me for a consultation or free video analysis.