Outsourcing SEO – Web Designers Take Note!
Keywords: search engine optimisation web site marketing web site promotion SEO outsourcing
Web design and search engine optimisation are two quite different disciplines, and usually people specialise in either one or the other, but rarely in both.
However, there are synergies and consequent opportunities for strategic partnerships and alliances…
A great many web sites are launched every year, and during site creation, SEO requires extra effort and consequent additional costs. For that reason, many site owners opt to not do SEO at the outset, but will find it necessary to address SEO later – when site traffic and sales revenues do not match initial expectations.
The SEO Outsourcing Option
Web design companies lacking in-house SEO skills should seriously consider outsourcing professional SEO services to offer to their existing clients. Forming an alliance with a reputable SEO practitioner is a sound decision for multiple reasons;
- Gain client respect by guiding your clients to a good service provider
- Facilitate implementation of the required site amendments with least risk to site integrity
- Gain some additional billable hours inserting changes
- Generate additional commission income on SEO work done on the site
Many SEO firms have already developed and offer an incremental range of competitively-priced SEO services, and actively market their SEO outsourcing service on a commission basis e.g.;
- You quote the SEO companies price to your clients and you bill the client once work is completed
- SEO company supplies the webmaster (usually you) with the SEO amendments to insert
- On completion, the SEO company bills you the previously quoted amount, less the commission.
Most professional SEO practitioners are willing and able to work cooperatively with any web designer or web site developer seeking to outsource SEO reseller services for their clients.
Their general preference to offer SEO services on a fixed price basis. This presents clients with a known quantity for budgetary purposes.
The SEO Imperative…
To any business enterprise hoping for significant Internet-based sales, it’s imperative that prospective clients can actually find the web site. Many business / client relationships commence through contact established via search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.
The prospective client seeks a product by searching for a specific keyword or phrase. If the site doesn’t rank in the Top 30 results, it has minimal chance of achieving success as barely 10% of searchers will go to (or past) the 3rd page of results. If they don’t find what they want on the 1st or 2nd page, the majority will either refine their search term, or go to a different search engine.
Search Engine Optimisation is all about marketing a web site more effectively, with the goal of improving the site’s exposure to customers and clients on the Internet.
I’ve been practicing SEO since bG (before Google); back when Alta Vista, Excite, Hotbot and Northern Light ruled the search engine world. There have been many changes in that time – in fact, the only thing that is constant is change!
SEO Return On Investment…
In terms of the potential results for your clients, reflect a moment on the fact that there is a great deal of competition for rankings on the search engines. Not ensuring that a site is properly optimised dooms to mediocrity. The “return on investment” for SEO is usually very good indeed.
No-Risk Test of SEO Services
If you are considering outsourcing SEO services, here’s a suggestion. Ask each of the companies you contact if they are prepared to put their money where their mouth is… by doing a Basic SEO project for one of your clients on a “no cure, no pay” basis. Tell them you’d like a demonstration of their ability to deliver results, on one of your client’s sites. Pick a “normal” site whose owner thinks it needs a rankings boost, and provide the SEO company with the required details.
Ask them to provide a Search Engine ranking report before commencing the job, and again after completion – if there is not a demonstrable improvement in Top 30 rankings in 6 weeks, the job would be free!
I think that a reputable and professional SEO practitioner, confident in his or her ability, will cheerfully agree to this test of their services. The potential opportunities inherent in forging a long-term business alliance with you will outweigh any minor irritation at being required to prove their abilities.
As an additional benefit to both you and the SEO company, you could document the entire project and include all the details in your next monthly newsletters! This would not only give you additional credibility for actively seeking solutions to offer clients, but also solve the problem of what on earth you were going to write up in that next newsletter!
Ben Kemp is a free-lance IT consultant and one of NZ’s longest serving SEO practitioners.
The SEO Guy (NZ)
Email: bjk@TheSeoGuy.co.nz
Web: www.comauth.co.nz (+64) 09 9743553
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Search Engine Optimisation Explained: Part 2 (1)
If you are a web designer, you have an obligation to your clients to ensure their sites are built in a manner which facilitates search engine indexing, instead of impeding it.
Do You Believe These MLM Lies? (2)
If you try to build a business purely on referring others to the company, you position yourself as an incompetent leader when it comes time to conduct transactions. Rely on relationships initially, then learn to branch out at approach the cold market, as all salespeople must eventually do in order to grow.
What Might Actually Determine The Value Of Your Coin Collection (3)
This is a great source of information thanks to the number of sites that now offer lists of coin values. The best thing about these sites is that they are very up to date and stay in touch with any developments that are occurring (however this will depend on the site that you visit).
Correct Your Smile With Cosmetic Dental Veneers (4)
The dentist or oral surgeon does not make the actual veneers. They are outsourced to medical companies that specifically specialize in dental veneers. It is quite interesting to note that the porcelain dental veneers are actually quite fragile until installed and properly bonded or cemented to the teeth.
Reggae Island Of The Caribbean (5)
Spanish Town was the former capital of Jamaica.The Spanish named the town Santiago de la Vega and remained the capital until 1872 when the city of Kingston was named the capital.
The Home Of The Jarrow Marchers (6)
The Jarrow march was repeated in 1986 but the marchers came not just from Jarrow but from all over. Simon Temple built Jarrow Hall in 1785 Simon Temple opened the Alfred Pit in 1803 bring coal mining to the area and also open the shipyards in South Shields and Jarrow.
Ink Cartridge Refill Kits (7)
The printer manufacturers have learned that customers will pay only within certain limits for the ability to color pages at their homes or small business offices and the market has been forced to respond to these customer demands.
Cheap Ink Cartridges: Does Your Printer Use Them? (8)
There are cheap ink cartridges which fit top-quality inkjet printers and you should do 'reverse shopping' when it comes to buying printing hardware for your home or small office. Let's say you have a choice between two printers of equal capability.
Historic Town Of Hexham (9)
Meet the gaoler and Sir Robert Carey, warden. Hexham racecourse is situated in breathtaking country just outside of Hexham. It has meetings throughout the year and has excellent facilities for a family day out.
How To Purchase The Most Cost Effective Printer For Your Ink And Toner Cartridges (10)
This reveals your cost per page for ongoing ownership of the printer. You should look at the price of an ink cartridge in both black and color for the printer that is manufactured by the same company as the printer.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
How To Add Your Blogs RSS Feed To Your HTML Site (1)
RSS to HTML - use a hybrid PHP solution? Nothing worth having comes easy... but hey, you know that already! Until someone comes up with a better/easier solution, you are going to have to get your hands dirty with code!
Location, Location, Location - Is Your Site Located Where Your Customers Are? (2)
This means that your site should be physically located in a server in the UK, AU or NZ web space. If you've opted for cheap hosting on a server located in the USA, or Asia etc, you have effectively shot yourself in the foot, and severely prejudiced your chances of attaining top search engine rankings in your preferred web space.
How To Market Your Blog For Optimal SEO Gains (3)
Review Your Blog First, take stock of your blog's set-up, and make sure its ready for debut; 1.) Do your postings have some relevant key word content in the headings?
Multiple Domain Name Penalty (4)
This change can easily be implemented, at no cost other than a few of minutes of time. In this example, www.domain-no2.com is redirected to www.domain-no1.com and and neither visitors nor SE spiders ever "see" content under the secondary domain name.
Leadership Styles - Practice Effective Leadership (5)
Attend leadership trainings or leadership seminars. Read books on leadership. You can observe the leadership skills in your daily interactions not only in the working environment but even at home and social environment.
A Cramlington New Town (6)
Historically in the twenty century, the area centre around the development of mining. However like many other areas the decline in coal brought with it, many struggles. New industries now include Air Filtration Equipment, Merck Sharp and Dohme and Pharmaceuticals.
A Fishing Village Of Estartit (7)
The nightlife is huge and will suit all tastes from Spanish dances to family entertainment to young and lively bars. It therefore can be enjoyed by a number of age groups.
The Capital Of The North East Of England (8)
The Chinese New Year is normally celebrated with a colourful dragon dancing on the streets. Newcastle is famous for the drink of alcohol called Newcastle Brown Ale. It also has a famous football team as well as a newly built ground.
Olu Deniz Meaning Dead Sea (9)
The season opens in April and closes in October. The winter months are cold. The resort Olu Denizs offers traditional Turkish baths no trip to Turkey is without one.
Avoiding Home Business Scams (10)
Do your part in putting them out on the street by not falling prey. The best way to do this is through extensive research and questioning. Check out the 7 critical elements, which decides if your company is something worth building as a primary business.