| Let's begin with a case study: | | | | has you sign a contract is unethical, but again, buyer |
| I had a client who had me build a website, and then we | | | | beware. If they are doing their job, why do they need |
| optimized it for the search engines. After a few short | | | | to hold you hostage? What if you are not satisfied |
| months, the site was achieving prominent placement | | | | with the results after a month or two? The song and |
| on the search engines, both organically and in paid-for | | | | dance you'll get is that "it can sometimes take several |
| listings. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, I received a | | | | months to see top results on the search engines." That |
| call from the client that he had signed a contract with | | | | doesn't answer the question. The real reason is that |
| another search engine company and was no longer | | | | such companies 1) want your money, and 2) know |
| going to use my services. When asked what had | | | | that someone else will be calling you (or emailing you) |
| made him unhappy with his current placement, his reply | | | | shortly with the next best offer, so they are solely |
| was "nothing." He was perfectly happy with the work | | | | interested in protecting their own interests, not yours. |
| performed on his site, but this new company boasted | | | | "That's shameful," you might be thinking. Well, it should |
| "cutting edge technology" and offered a "guaranteed | | | | be, but keep in mind that in order for these people |
| placement" on major search engines. They also | | | | (freelancers) and companies who use these |
| provided him with a "report" on his website and | | | | techniques to feel shamed, they must first have a |
| arranged the report in twelve categories, grading each | | | | conscience. Somehow, when their cash flow is |
| category in a "Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor" matrix. | | | | booming, they don't seem to have much trouble with |
| Of course, they marked his site as "fair" or "poor" for | | | | their consciences. What it amounts to is "search |
| all categories, promising him that they'd fix everything. I | | | | engine malpractice" at the expense of YOU, the |
| had equipped his website with Google Analytics, and | | | | unsuspecting business owner. But unfortunately, the |
| subsequently was able to watch his search engine | | | | legal system has not yet caught up with technology. |
| traffic plummet 78% over the next month. His | | | | Therefore, there are not yet any significant laws in |
| positioning on the search engines continues to slip, and | | | | place to penalize such unethical practices. That puts |
| his Google PageRank is no longer progressing in the | | | | YOU squarely at risk for the money you spend on |
| right direction either. Consequently, he got scammed | | | | SEO and SEM, because search engine companies |
| and is now contractually bound to pay the "intruding" | | | | cannot ethically guarantee any particular placement in |
| company for six more months. The ironic part is that | | | | the major search engine listings. |
| the former client is an attorney and admittedly has no | | | | Here is the paradox, where you are caught in the |
| recourse from a legal standpoint to correct the | | | | middle: |
| damage that has now been done to his business. He | | | | - If a company makes such a guarantee for search |
| has become a statistic: another victim of a "too good | | | | engine placement on any of the major search engines, |
| to be true" search engine sales pitch. | | | | they are not being ethical. No such guarantees exist. |
| Do not put yourself in the same predicament. To | | | | - If a company disclaims any search engine placement |
| prevent a similar scenario from happening to you, you | | | | guarantees (which they must in order to be ethical), |
| need to know enough to be an informed consumer for | | | | they can legally take your money and are not really |
| your business. | | | | liable for anything if your website does not achieve |
| What makes you "low hanging fruit"? | | | | good placement. |
| As soon as you participate in pay-per-click | | | | Does that scare you? It should. |
| advertisement, or as soon as your website begins to | | | | Here's the funny part, ironically: |
| become visible in the organic (natural) rankings, you are | | | | If you know enough about what to ask, you will be |
| vulnerable. By taking measures to promote your | | | | amazed at the "tap dancing" that results from |
| website, you unwittingly have "pre-qualified" yourself as | | | | questioning some of the solicitors. In the telemarketing |
| a target for SEO and SEM solicitations. Some | | | | world, the person who is trying to sell you a package |
| solicitations are legitimate, but many (if not most) have | | | | generally is unfamiliar with the actual process of SEO |
| an underhanded element to them. Reputable SEO and | | | | and SEM, so your questions are met with circular |
| SEM providers get a lot of business by word-of-mouth | | | | reasoning, babble, and scripted responses to common |
| referrals or by incoming phone call requests from their | | | | objections. When I receive such phone calls myself, |
| advertisements. They remain pretty busy. In | | | | they usually begin with the same "flavor" of |
| comparison, if you are receiving telemarketing calls, | | | | conversation: the solicitor identifies him- or herself as |
| unsolicited emails, and junk mail ads, there is a pretty | | | | being with a search engine expertise company, and |
| good chance that you have been identified as "low | | | | further explains that I am "losing a lot of business in my |
| hanging fruit." | | | | local area" because my site is not optimized. (I live out |
| How did you become "low hanging fruit"? | | | | in the "middle of nowhere", so I'm always amazed |
| There are several ways that result in targeting you for | | | | amused at how I could possibly be losing a lot of local |
| SEO/SEM solicitations. Here are a few of the most | | | | business when there are more cows than people in |
| common: | | | | my rural town.) |
| - You placed a pay-per-click ad on the search engines, | | | | There always seems to be a sense of urgency and |
| thereby letting solicitors know that being found is | | | | concern in their voice that I take immediate action to |
| important to you. They therefore call you or email you | | | | fix the problems, especially "in this economy", as I'm |
| and make lofty promises, or promise to save you | | | | often told. When I question them as to how they found |
| money. | | | | me to let me know about this huge revelation that my |
| - You registered a domain name recently. Many | | | | site is in some kind of problem status. Many times, their |
| companies monitor the registration of new domain | | | | answer is that they were looking online and "came |
| names, and then target those businesses with | | | | across" my site, and they "happened to notice" that it |
| solicitations to get your website optimized and | | | | wasn't optimized well, could be optimized better, or |
| marketed. | | | | other such thing. |
| - Solicitors do searches for common topics, products, | | | | My response: "So, if you happened upon my site |
| services, etc. and then target whoever shows up. It is | | | | inadvertently and you managed to find it, how can it |
| simple for them to do a search and then quickly skip | | | | possibly be so poorly optimized? Did you spend hours |
| down 10 to 20 pages and "cherry pick" companies | | | | trying to find a site that you didn't know existed?" |
| who are obviously trying to improve their positioning. | | | | Now the flopping and twitching begins. Sometimes |
| As a general rule, the more easily findable you are, the | | | | they'll change gears after a few moments of wrestling |
| more solicitations you will get. By pre-qualifying yourself | | | | with the question, and they'll tell me that they can save |
| and making progress on the search engines, predatory | | | | me money on my optimization and marketing. Really? |
| search engine companies already know that 1) search | | | | "How can you tell me you'll save me money when you |
| engine positioning is important to you, 2) a lot of the | | | | don't know what I've paid to optimize and market my |
| "heavy lifting" work has already been done in order to | | | | site?" More flopping and twitching. |
| attain the position you have, 3) they can solicit you and | | | | Maybe I should be kinder about it, not giving the |
| get your attention by suggesting better results for less | | | | telemarketer such a hard time by asking sensible |
| money, and 4) they can take your money while riding | | | | questions. I just find it disgraceful that such scams, |
| on the momentum achieved by your prior efforts, | | | | deals, pitches, and packages are sold to the |
| knowing that you probably won't recognize that that's | | | | unsuspecting all the time. When I let them know about |
| what happening. By signing you into a contract for six | | | | my own experience with SEO and SEM, the |
| months to a year, they virtually guarantee themselves | | | | telemarketer thanks me for my time, apologizes, and |
| an income at your expense, and as your search | | | | hangs up-- or just simply hangs up, depending on how |
| engine position and traffic begins to slip, the damage is | | | | embarrassed they are. |
| already done. You lose the momentum, and you're | | | | Key points you must know: |
| financially obligated to buy your way out of a contract | | | | - The better and more effective your search engine |
| in order to recover. | | | | efforts are, the more solicitations you will receive. It |
| Common ploys to convince you to give away your | | | | simply makes sense that the more visible you are |
| money: | | | | online, the more solicitors will find you to try to get your |
| Emails that begin with "I just looked at your website | | | | money, and you have already pre-qualified yourself as |
| and we can help you get better search engine | | | | a prospect for them because you have shown active |
| placement." | | | | efforts in SEO/SEM. |
| These kinds of emails are usually false. I have multiple | | | | - There is no such thing as "guaranteed placement" on |
| email addresses, myself, and it is very common for me | | | | major search engines. |
| to receive five or six such emails from the same | | | | - Package deals where you pay a flat rate to optimize |
| source within a minute or two. They are spam. | | | | your site are frequently scams, and are often |
| Sometimes these emails are more personalized, citing | | | | overpriced to favor profitability of the service provider, |
| exact placements on the search engines. For example, | | | | rather than consider the unique needs of your business |
| the email might read, "Your website is showing up in | | | | - To market a site effectively, it must first be |
| position 162 on Google, but we can help you get to | | | | optimized. Solicitations for submitting your site to |
| number 1." Keep in mind, the email is spam. I must ask, | | | | search engines without optimizing it being optimized |
| Position 162? For which keyword phrase? Did these | | | | first are deceptive and can do damage to your |
| guys actually take the time to look and sort through | | | | ranking. |
| seventeen pages of search engine listing just to | | | | - The better your search engine placement is, the |
| contact 'little ole me' because they are so helpful and | | | | more solicitations you will receive. The fact that you |
| they want to see me do better? No, of course not... | | | | have good placement is how many scams and |
| The position number might be accurate for one phrase | | | | unethical companies find you. |
| or another, but it is simply pulled from the search | | | | - Email solicitations that claim to have evaluated your |
| engines by a computer program and automatically | | | | site or provide you with an analysis report of your site |
| pasted into the body of the email. Although it may look | | | | are usually automated, computer generated spam |
| personalized and appear as though the sender is being | | | | from companies that prey on the unsuspecting. The |
| helpful, you are likely just the target of a bulk | | | | fact that you call them to inquire is a good tip-off to |
| advertising email campaign. Such companies that | | | | them that they are dealing with "low hanging fruit." |
| practice this technique often are banking the fact that | | | | - As a general rule, be wary of solicitations and |
| you don't realize this. If you contact them in reply, they | | | | telemarketers that contact you. If they call you, you |
| probably see you as gullible, and "low hanging fruit." | | | | may be a target for SEO/SEM scams or deceptive |
| Emails and junk mail that begin with "We have | | | | practices. You should seek out a provider and ensure |
| performed a free analysis of your website, and we | | | | they are qualified. |
| can help you get better search engine placement", | | | | - Proper SEO and SEM on your site cannot be done |
| accompanied by a report of some kind. | | | | until your site has been individually analyzed with |
| Think about it for a moment. Is there really a company | | | | relevant market research for your industry and your |
| out there that will really take the time to analyze your | | | | location. It therefore can't be priced without an |
| website (which typically takes several hours to do it | | | | appropriate consultation. |
| right) at no cost to you, then provide you with a | | | | - The market analysis of a site is part of what is |
| meaningful report that can be used as a | | | | necessary to define the best keywords to use. If a |
| decision-making tool? My guess is, "no", especially | | | | company asks you to provide the keywords rather |
| when you consider that such companies are sending | | | | than help you define them with statistical data, buyer |
| out hundreds or thousands of such "reports" each | | | | beware. |
| month. A company that would actually take the time to | | | | - Always get references. View a portfolio. Ask |
| do that many hours of work for free would | | | | challenging questions. Do something to qualify the |
| undoubtedly go out of business. Those reports are | | | | company as being legitimate. |
| nothing more than marketing propaganda, designed to | | | | What you should do about it to protect yourself and |
| get your money. | | | | your business: |
| Of course, the initial reports are all peppered with "fair" | | | | Please, for your own benefit, get familiar with the |
| and "poor" marks. Be sure to examine what is actually | | | | common deceptive practices that run rampant in the |
| being assessed in the report; you will likely find that you | | | | SEO/SEM world. Most web developers and search |
| are "graded" in categories that do not even apply to | | | | engine companies are reputable, earning an honest |
| the current content of your website. If you hire that | | | | living. They are not typically the ones who are |
| company to work on your site, how do you think they | | | | predatory, calling and emailing you with unsolicited |
| grade themselves after they finish taking your money? | | | | spam. In fact, a good sign that you are working with an |
| My bet is "excellent", which makes you feel good | | | | honest, ethical company is that you called them for |
| about the money you've spent until the next company | | | | help, not the other way around. |
| solicits you and says "We've noted several problems | | | | Every web development and search engine company |
| with your website, and we can help you improve." At | | | | that is ethical should be forthcoming with information |
| some point, buying into these kinds of deals will make | | | | that is verifiable. Most will want to provide a free |
| you feel "burned", and for good reason: you have | | | | consultation prior to accepting your job. They should |
| been. | | | | provide you with options, working with you closely to |
| Emails with promises or links to websites that | | | | determine the best strategy that meets your needs |
| "guarantee" your placement on major search engines. | | | | within your budget, rather than throwing an arbitrary, |
| First, be aware that there is a different meaning | | | | packaged price on the table before they get to know |
| between "top placement on search engines" and | | | | your business. |
| "placement on top search engines". Top placement (or | | | | Avoid 6-month or yearly term contracts if possible. |
| any specific ranking) can't be guaranteed. Placement | | | | You may be asked to sign an agreement that defines |
| on top search engines can mean just about anything. | | | | the scope of work for your project, but avoid the |
| The words "top", "best", or any other such qualifier is | | | | six-month or one-year commitment that typically |
| very subjective, and is open to interpretation. If there | | | | contains penalties for early termination. Some |
| are 3 million listings for companies similar to yours, "top | | | | contracts might define the scope of work to be done |
| placement" may be assumed to be anything that is in | | | | each month, but there should be a penalty-free out |
| the top 10 percent. And if your listing is the 3 millionth | | | | clause that gives you the right to "fire" the company if |
| one on Google, you would have been listed on a "top | | | | they aren't performing. |
| search engine". Tricks on words are commonplace, | | | | Be sure to have your website equipped with statistical |
| and the interpretation will conveniently be in favor of | | | | analysis tools so that you can see the results that your |
| the company that takes your money. | | | | SEO/SEM provider's efforts are yielding. You need this |
| Both "top placement" and "placement on top search | | | | data in order to make good decisions. Usually, the |
| engines" tell you nothing about any particular sets of | | | | information is available in the form of graphs and |
| keywords. There's a whole lot of wiggle room for the | | | | charts, so you do not need to know much about the |
| SEO/SEM company. And how can they possibly | | | | Web to be able to determine how effective your |
| guarantee you top placement for keywords that they | | | | marketing efforts are (or aren't). If you see upward |
| haven't analyzed or evaluated. When two companies | | | | trends in traffic, and if there is a corresponding positive |
| both guarantee number one results, how is it possible | | | | impact in business transactions, new customers, etc. |
| that they can each deliver, especially when your | | | | then you should smile. If the trend remains flat or |
| business isn't the only one they're soliciting? In short, | | | | declines, then you should ask questions, make |
| they can't. A common ploy is that your site will be | | | | adjustments, or find a better provider. Having website |
| marketed under some obscure word or phrase that | | | | analytics reports available to you will help eliminate or |
| none of your legitimate customers would search for, | | | | reduce the "artificial traffic" resulting from the unethical |
| and the SEO/SEM company earns you the number | | | | practice of a service provider visiting your site to |
| one spot for a useless term in order to take your | | | | fabricate results, because you should be able to |
| money. Or perhaps they show you that your | | | | determine the source of your traffic. If all of your |
| company's name appears number one when | | | | traffic comes from the same source, and/or if your |
| searched for, and they use such results to document | | | | site is getting a flood of repeat visitors but few new |
| that they earned the money. Even without optimizing | | | | visitors, it's a hint that something shady may be |
| your site, your company name may likely be found in | | | | happening. |
| some searches with zero effort, but the fact that 1) | | | | Have your site evaluated by a professional you seek, |
| the SEO company made a change to your site, | | | | rather than a solicitor. If your site has already been |
| however small, and 2) you were found in the number | | | | optimized, in some cases you may actually have good |
| one spot, in any capacity, they can legally take your | | | | traffic numbers before an adjustment to your current |
| money, even if the search rankings did not result from | | | | optimization, but the traffic may be mostly from the |
| their efforts. | | | | wrong audience. This is a common result from some |
| Flat rate package deals that are offered by | | | | of the package deals from being "low hanging fruit." |
| telemarketers, email solicitations, and junk mail flyers | | | | Sometimes a re-optimization will yield less traffic but |
| advertising that claim that the solicitor will optimize your | | | | more sales, as is typical with niche market businesses |
| site for $X (some specific amount of money). | | | | or some seasonal businesses. This simply means that |
| Buyer beware. Search engine optimization and search | | | | the adjustment resulted in re-targeting your website's |
| engine marketing is not a commodity. It isn't something | | | | promotion to find the right audience that contains more |
| that can be boxed and shrink wrapped, then labeled | | | | buyers and fewer "tire kickers." In most typical |
| with a one-size-fits-all price tag. Every business is | | | | businesses, however, more traffic equals more sales if |
| unique, and every market is different. Companies that | | | | the SEO and SEM were done right. |
| offer pre-packaged deals are certainly not going to | | | | In any case, look before you leap. Check references, |
| price their packages in a way that will make them lose | | | | and don't fall for a sales pitch that includes, "we |
| money. If you understand that to properly optimize and | | | | respect our customer's privacy and therefore can't |
| market a website involves individual market research | | | | provide you with their contact information." Yes, of |
| based on your locality, your business type, etc., you will | | | | course it is important (essential) to respect customers' |
| realize that there is absolutely no way to rubber-stamp | | | | privacy. However, any website developer or search |
| your website. To do the job right, it has to be a | | | | engine optimization company worth its salt will have |
| custom job. Interestingly enough, this is one area where | | | | customers who agree to be cited as references. |
| a custom job, done right, should actually cost you less | | | | (Make sure it's a third party business and not a family |
| money than a package deal. In other words, if the | | | | member or friend. Ask about their relationship). In the |
| package deal costs less, it's probably done half-baked | | | | high-fraud, "no guarantees" environment of SEO and |
| or is a scam. For the package job to be done right, it | | | | SEM, solid references are about the only certainty you |
| would typically be over-priced to cover any | | | | have that a company is going to deliver on what they |
| unforeseen contingencies in order to "beat the odds" | | | | tell you they'll strive for, but can't ethically promise. |
| so that the solicitor remains profitable. In comparison, a | | | | Much like the wild west, Internet marketing is a |
| custom job, done right, is only going to cost you for the | | | | wide-open frontier that still being developed and |
| work that is done. | | | | explored. Consequently, there are plenty of traveling |
| Blanket solicitations that offer search engine | | | | charlatans and swindlers who will call you with |
| submission to X number of search engines, using X | | | | convincing presentations to sell you "snake oil" as the |
| number of keywords, for the flat price of $X per | | | | cure for all that ails you. They know more about |
| month or year. | | | | search engines than you do, generally, so that puts you |
| Again, beware. Optimizing your website means | | | | at a disadvantage. In a lot of industries, the expression |
| "preparing it to be search-engine-friendly." A website | | | | "you get what you pay for" is used to justify spending |
| must first be optimized before it is marketed in order | | | | more money or to explain how lower prices might |
| to be found effectively in the organic rankings, or found | | | | offer less value. It' takes on a bit of a nasty spin in the |
| cost-effectively in the pay-per-click rankings. Search | | | | search engine and Internet world, though. Even though |
| engine optimization is a pre-requisite to search engine | | | | a price you're quoted might seem better than others |
| submission. When you get a flyer in the mail (or email) | | | | you have received, sometimes with search engine |
| that offers some flat rate amount (like "$75 per year" | | | | optimization and marketing, you don't even get what |
| or "$50 per month", etc.), if your site has not been | | | | you pay for. It is almost completely "buyer beware." |
| optimized, you are throwing your money away. If the | | | | Your dollars are at risk. |
| advertisement specifies that you are paying for | | | | Someday there will undoubtedly be better laws and |
| submissions to the search engines versus optimization, | | | | several lawsuits to set a precedence for ethical SEO |
| you really have no recourse because the company is | | | | and SEM, and I look forward to that day because it will |
| actually doing what they are advertising, even though | | | | "clean up" the industry. In the meantime, however, you |
| they know that submitting an un-optimized website | | | | must do everything you can to protect yourself from |
| actually potentially damages your search engine | | | | being cheated. Unfortunately, it often costs more to try |
| placement, but does nothing to help it. They don't care. | | | | to get your money back through legal channels than it |
| They got paid. | | | | does to walk away from the money as a "lesson |
| Contracts that bind you into some minimum term for | | | | learned." Spare yourself the grief by asking the right |
| service: | | | | questions and doing your due diligence in consumer |
| How does the typical scam, deal, or unethical company | | | | research before you buy. Don't get sold a bill of goods. |
| assure themselves of an income? They make you | | | | It doesn't mean that you need to become an expert. |
| sign a deal that commits to using their service for | | | | You just need to know enough to sort out fact from |
| some defined period of time. Not every company that | | | | fiction. |