Comments on: Choose Your SEM Wisely… Power To The People! http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/ SEM Help For Local Service Businesses Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:01:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Miriam Ellis Asks A Lot of Questions | Website Promotion is not Voodoo http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2291 Miriam Ellis Asks A Lot of Questions | Website Promotion is not Voodoo Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:25:55 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2291 [...] This argument sometimes leads us to counsel against paying for inclusion even when there’s traffic to be had from that source.  And it always leads us to be skeptical… and to test (see upcoming post on managing offline conversion). [...] [...] This argument sometimes leads us to counsel against paying for inclusion even when there’s traffic to be had from that source.  And it always leads us to be skeptical… and to test (see upcoming post on managing offline conversion). [...]

]]> By: Local Search Hound http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2280 Local Search Hound Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:43:36 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2280 Shelley, I appreciate your input as I believe this is a very important issue for small business... and in many ways its a new issue for them. Miriam Ellis at the <a href="http://www.solaswebdesign.net/wordpress/?p=194" rel="nofollow">SEO Igloo</a rel="nofollow"> posted a response to this that is very similar to what you are saying. And I agree. Also, with Eric Pender's comment above; about "being forthcoming." This turned into a very interesting discussion and the 2 take- aways are: 1) Be upfront with your client and 2) Sell and service the client according to their needs. Sometimes the best lessons are the simplest! Shelley, I appreciate your input as I believe this is a very important issue for small business… and in many ways its a new issue for them.

Miriam Ellis at the SEO Igloo posted a response to this that is very similar to what you are saying. And I agree. Also, with Eric Pender’s comment above; about “being forthcoming.”

This turned into a very interesting discussion and the 2 take- aways are:
1) Be upfront with your client and
2) Sell and service the client according to their needs.

Sometimes the best lessons are the simplest!

]]> By: Shelley Ellis http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2273 Shelley Ellis Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:13:17 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2273 I work for iCrossing but before I started working for them, I ran a small paid search agency for years. Here's my take on this from working with multiple clients in the same industry. They all had different budgets. They all had different goals. Most had just a slightly different spin on the industry that made them unique. Yes, I learned from account A and applied that to account B and yes, many of the keywords did crossover. But because of the differences in each account...I ended up managing each account very differently. I work for iCrossing but before I started working for them, I ran a small paid search agency for years. Here’s my take on this from working with multiple clients in the same industry. They all had different budgets. They all had different goals. Most had just a slightly different spin on the industry that made them unique. Yes, I learned from account A and applied that to account B and yes, many of the keywords did crossover. But because of the differences in each account…I ended up managing each account very differently.

]]> By: Local Search Hound http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2270 Local Search Hound Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:54:30 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2270 Thanks for stopping by Eric... I agree being up-front solves the problem. But are the firms only up-front when they offer exclusivity and don't even mention it when they don't? Probably. If you're advice were taken and the firm covered it either way... problem solved. Not sure that's going to happen, so I think small business is going to have to be educated enough to ask the question. Thanks for stopping by Eric… I agree being up-front solves the problem. But are the firms only up-front when they offer exclusivity and don’t even mention it when they don’t? Probably.

If you’re advice were taken and the firm covered it either way… problem solved.

Not sure that’s going to happen, so I think small business is going to have to be educated enough to ask the question.

]]> By: Eric Pender http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2268 Eric Pender Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:39:35 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2268 I think the most ethical way to go about this is to be forthcoming with both the existing client and the potential client. If there are safeguards in place to maintain the integrity of a client's critical strategic information regarding SEM , then I think both client-agency relationships can exist. The trouble is that for many small interactive marketing firms, these safeguards haven't been established. As for your hypothetical example about having a client rank #3, taking on a new client and getting them to #2...I don't see a problem with that. I think back to what Steve Jobs said at All Things D, that Apple didn't need Microsoft to lose in order for them to win. It's not a zero-sum game. What does it matter if one of your client is ranking #2 and another #3 for the same keyword? We must keep in mind that there will always be someone in the #2 or #3 spots, that is, whether or not I'm working with both clients or just one client, the competition will ALWAYS be there. And it might be different competition, but there will always be someone in that spot. If you are able to have multiple clients ranking for a competitive keyword in organic search, that's a huge testament to your ability and skill as an SEO. And from the clients perspective, I think I would rather be with the agency that can get me competitive with my competition, then going with another agency that can't get me competitive. I think the most ethical way to go about this is to be forthcoming with both the existing client and the potential client. If there are safeguards in place to maintain the integrity of a client’s critical strategic information regarding SEM , then I think both client-agency relationships can exist. The trouble is that for many small interactive marketing firms, these safeguards haven’t been established.

As for your hypothetical example about having a client rank #3, taking on a new client and getting them to #2…I don’t see a problem with that. I think back to what Steve Jobs said at All Things D, that Apple didn’t need Microsoft to lose in order for them to win. It’s not a zero-sum game. What does it matter if one of your client is ranking #2 and another #3 for the same keyword? We must keep in mind that there will always be someone in the #2 or #3 spots, that is, whether or not I’m working with both clients or just one client, the competition will ALWAYS be there. And it might be different competition, but there will always be someone in that spot. If you are able to have multiple clients ranking for a competitive keyword in organic search, that’s a huge testament to your ability and skill as an SEO. And from the clients perspective, I think I would rather be with the agency that can get me competitive with my competition, then going with another agency that can’t get me competitive.

]]> By: Local Search Hound http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2244 Local Search Hound Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:15:36 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2244 Will, you're right about them having options... I wonder how much they realize... I think the reputation of the industry still has some problems, so they are looking for a brand, as above. I think those willing to take a little risk in choosing their SEM will reap big rewards. Miriam, thanks for the kind words... heading there now. Will, you’re right about them having options… I wonder how much they realize… I think the reputation of the industry still has some problems, so they are looking for a brand, as above. I think those willing to take a little risk in choosing their SEM will reap big rewards.

Miriam, thanks for the kind words… heading there now.

]]> By: MiriamEllis http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2243 MiriamEllis Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:55:31 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2243 Hey Tim, I'm so glad you and Will got together. He mentioned to me that he was hoping to chat with you soon. Sounds like you had a whirlwind conversation. I thought this was such an interesting post, I blogged a response to it over at the SEOigloo. Hope you'll check it out! Miriam Hey Tim,
I’m so glad you and Will got together. He mentioned to me that he was hoping to chat with you soon. Sounds like you had a whirlwind conversation.

I thought this was such an interesting post, I blogged a response to it over at the SEOigloo. Hope you’ll check it out!

Miriam

]]> By: SEO Igloo Blog » Should SEO Contracts Be Exclusive? http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2242 SEO Igloo Blog » Should SEO Contracts Be Exclusive? Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:49:58 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2242 [...] friend Tim at Convert Offline has just posted a very thoughtful article on the exclusivity of client [...] [...] friend Tim at Convert Offline has just posted a very thoughtful article on the exclusivity of client [...]

]]> By: Will Scott http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2207 Will Scott Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:42:09 +0000 http://www.convertoffline.com/choose-your-sem-wisely-power-to-the-people/#comment-2207 Tim, it was great talking with you as well. It's amazing how assuring a voice conversation can be (must be getting old). The great news for small business is there are now so many options for them, even at the most competitive price point. The remaining challenge is knowing the difference between a good product and a good pitch. Will Tim, it was great talking with you as well.

It’s amazing how assuring a voice conversation can be (must be getting old).

The great news for small business is there are now so many options for them, even at the most competitive price point.

The remaining challenge is knowing the difference between a good product and a good pitch.

Will

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