by Jonathon Hyjek | Jan 10, 2013 | Search Engine Optimization
In the process of learning SEO, I have tried many different tactics to improve rankings as I am sure other SEO companies have also done. There is some trial and error as it relates to SEO and figuring out what works and what doesn’t work.
However…
There is a big difference between doing testing and trial and error on your own websites versus those of a client. I learned SEO through building and doing SEO on approximately 50 of my own niche websites. Some were successful and ended up earning me some money, some where not, but I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by learning the SEO business this way. If I messed up, I was only hurting myself.
Unfortunately not all SEO companies are created equal. It would seem that many SEO companies are still using techniques that are old and out-dated and are more likely to get your site de-indexed by Google, rather than get it onto the front page.
Two scenarios come to mind when I think about all the different problematic SEO tactics I have seen used by SEO companies in the past 5 years.
1. A few years back I owned a few article directories. This was when article marketing was at the height of it’s effectiveness for SEO. Day after day I would clear out hundreds of spammy articles, written by offshore writers for some pretty reputable companies. Time after time I would see the same poor quality article, submitted to all 4 of my article directories. Spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes and often they just didn’t make any sense whatsoever.
A few times I was tempted to contact the owners of the businesses being represented in the articles to let them know what their SEO company was up to, but I never did. It would have been a full-time job in itself. I think it’s safe to say that they had no idea what their SEO company was doing to get them higher rankings.
2. A few months ago I was doing some SEO work for a client. When I logged into the control panel for their website, I noticed that their website had hundreds of blog posts about various topics, which in no way related to their business. It would seem that their SEO company had signed them up to some sort of private blog network which allowed other people to post articles on their website (unknowingly) everyday, linking to various websites. None of the posts were accessible through the website’s main navigation, so customers weren’t seeing these articles, however they were there. Google was indexing these articles and many were about gambling, online poker, online dating and prescriptions drugs.
What’s My Advice?
While you don’t need to know every detail of your SEO company and what they do to get your website to the front page of Google, you need to be able to trust them. If you don’t get the sense that you can trust them, don’t work with them. It’s that simple! Get to know your SEO company or SEO expert, ask them questions, learn about their integrity (if they have any) and then move ahead with the business relationship. You don’t need to choose your SEO company overnight either. Choose carefully and make sure you are going to be comfortable working with them since this is not a one-time transaction.
A word of advice though: Don’t breathe down their neck. SEO takes time and sometimes, LOTS of time. If you hire an SEO company today, don’t ask them in 3 days why your website isn’t on the front page of Google. It takes time. Most likely they will want to work with you ongoing for several months to start and at first, you may not see a lot of results. Rest assured that a good SEO company is building a foundation and that over time, you will see those rankings improve.
by Jonathon Hyjek | Nov 4, 2012 | Online Marketing, Search Engine Optimization
If you operate a business, it’s important to build a strong online profile for you or your business. Your online profile is like a trail that leads right to your business and will show prospective clients and customers that you are serious about doing business online.
What Do I Mean By Online Profile?
Put yourself in the shoes of your potential customers or clients. They will fall into two different categories when searching for information about a business:
1. They don’t know who you are, but they are searching for keywords related to your company’s activities.
2. They know who you are and they’re searching for your company, using search terms like your company name.
SEO most often deals with the first scenario. We help our clients get found in search engines by keywords that customers are searching for. For example, in my business, it’s important for me to be found by the terms “SEO company” or “London Ontario SEO Companies.” Those terms are of value to me and I optimize my website and try to build backlinks to my website with those terms in mind.
Scenario number 2 seems to get overlooked by far too many people, but it is equally as powerful.
Imagine that your customers have been referred to your company by a friend or family member and they decide to search for your company name. First and foremost, you hope that your company website is the first website that appears. If that’s not the case, you have some work to do.
After your company website, if you have spent any time online building your online profile, your customers will find other profiles about your company. Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Quora, Weblocal, Manta, Yelp and the list goes on and on.
The goal of this second scenario is to fill up the first page or two of the search results with your company.
Why would you want to do this?
Because it makes you look like a large company, with plenty of reach. If someone searches for my company name, Jonathon Hyjek, the first two pages are filled with my profiles on various websites. Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Quora, Manta, Yelp and so on. If they don’t go to the first option, which is my company website, there’s a good chance that they will still end up on my website eventually by choosing any of the other links associated with my company.
While this isn’t rocket science, it gets overlooked and it’s too bad. Some of these websites can also offer valuable backlinks to your website, which will help improve your organic search results as well.
What’s the Final Word?
Seek opportunities to build online profiles and accounts on social media sites, local directories and more. Just be careful not to build these profiles too quickly and make it appear that you’re spamming the search engines. Just be diligent and serious about growing your reach online and making sure you’re everyone that your potential customers are.
by Jonathon Hyjek | Aug 1, 2012 | Search Engine Optimization
There seems to be a wide variety of SEO experts that offer services in various cities around the globe and their talents are just as diverse as their geographic locations. Some SEO’s spend all their time focused on the mechanics and technology of search engine optimization, while others focus more on the marketing and creative aspects of SEO.
Which Way is the Right Way?
That’s not an easy question to answer because it’s going to depend on the stage that your company and your website is currently at. For example, for an established brand with a strong marketing behind them, they may need a more technical SEO to analyze their website structure in detail, scan their HTML or other coding to make sure there are no issues or to dig through your Analytics data to find an issue. Don’t get me wrong. This is an important task and should be done, but that’s not all there is to SEO either.
Good SEO starts with a plan. A plan that involves the previous elements mentioned, but also goes on to address branding, your message, your target markets, where your target market spends their time online and how to reach them. A good SEO will help you to connect with your audience online through persuasive copy that resonates with your audience, hits them at the heart level and creates an action or reaction.
The SEO professional who is able to create a reaction and connect with your audience through effective and persuasive content may not be the same person or company that’s able to dig through your html code and find the errors. On the other hand, it might be the same person or company.
A good SEO company is going to have a great blend of both creative individuals, but also a technical side as well. Finding both of these traits in a freelance SEO may or may not happen, but here’s a tip: If you’re looking for an SEO and you find one offering services for $10 per hour on an internet forum, run the other way. A good SEO knows their worth and it’s definitely not $10 per hour. It’s more than likely $100+ per hour and in some cases much, much more.through your code, or comb through your website structure to determine the issue.
SEO is one case where you get what you pay for
