SEO Myths and Lie - GUARANTEED 1st. Place Position

[VancouverSEO]

What is your opinion on these SEO Service providers who are promising first place positioning on Google or any of the other major Search Engines?

Personally I think its a little bit misleading to be promising first place ranking in any Search Engine for any set of keywords, considering that no SEO consultant really has any real authority over the Search Engines such as Google, yahoo, etc.

As a Vancouver based SEO Consultant, you'd be amazed at how many phone calls I get from potential clients who simply ask: "How much does it cost to get on the first page of google?" See... because of so many misleading SEO Service providers, the general public is being lead to believe that SEO is something where you simply pay x number of dollars for a specific position as if you were placing an in a newspaper.

I'm just curios... would you be more likely to seek services from somebody who promises a #1 position in google for a set fee, or would you appreciate the honesty in being told that SEO is really a service which is intended to provide you with an edge over your competition and to give you better chances of showing up closer to the top of the Search results than they have?

[RimaNaj2011]

I would never guarantee something especially if it's not in your hands. Also, that's putting expectations too high. You can guarantee a high ranking in the SERP's (1-5). Under promise them.

[NEseO]

It is a big problem trying to explain to the general public about seo and what can be done. I used to visit potential clients and explain the whole process pretty well IMO so they understand.

In all honesty I gave up on this of to long ago. I have a few clients but don't have the time or energy to search out new ones.

Most don't understand, in fact my last meeting ended up in a guy telling me I was way too expensive and that a local company had quoted £50 to get him to page 1 and the niche was not a simple local one, not mega difficult but not easy so would need some work to get it ranking.

You can try to explain things but I think people like to believe the BS!! I went with the honest approach and as I am from a sales background I think I did a good job of selling without miss leading customers as you only end up in a bad position later down the line.

Your best option is to go for companies that obviously have a marketing budget, check out their sites and what they are trying to rank for and then approach them. You have a much better chance of success!!

I still think people like to hear the BS and think hell this guy can do it for next to nothing! Don't think they heard the saying you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

I tested some services on here and other forums to see their tactics and a few just seem to have a network or access to one like ALN or something and spam it with crappy content. I never saw one get any sites anywhere near page 1!!

[blueorca17]

Originally Posted by VancouverSEO

What is your opinion on these SEO Service providers who are promising first place positioning on Google or any of the other major Search Engines?

Personally I think its a little bit misleading to be promising first place ranking in any Search Engine for any set of keywords, considering that no SEO consultant really has any real authority over the Search Engines such as Google, yahoo, etc.

As a Vancouver based SEO Consultant, you'd be amazed at how many phone calls I get from potential clients who simply ask: "How much does it cost to get on the first page of google?" See... because of so many misleading SEO Service providers, the general public is being lead to believe that SEO is something where you simply pay x number of dollars for a specific position as if you were placing an in a newspaper.

I'm just curios... would you be more likely to seek services from somebody who promises a #1 position in google for a set fee, or would you appreciate the honesty in being told that SEO is really a service which is intended to provide you with an edge over your competition and to give you better chances of showing up closer to the top of the Search results than they have?

I personally would hire the person who doesn't guarantee 1st page results, however I also want results. I personally have tested a LOT of different SEO methods, and know that there are certain things that you can do that will make you jump to that first page with little effort regardless of the competition, however, not a lot of SEO firms and SEO "experts" know how to do this. People who charge a certain amount for a certain serp rank status are taking advantage of people and business who don't know what they're doing and tell them anything in order to get a sale. It's kind of annoying, to be honest. Honesty is the best policy in business, but sometimes when you're working with inexperienced clients, you have to kind of "woo" them if you want their business. That's just how the game is played, unfortunately. If the client is willing to pay for PPC, you can technically guarantee a 1st page result, so long as they pay enough to get there. PPC is partly SEO too.... especially with the quality scoring system that Google and Bing use. I suppose if they tell the client that they can rank them WITHOUT PPC, then that would be pretty shady, but it all depends on what the client expects and the services that the SEO firm is offering. A lot of them offer PPC services too....

[caseycase]

These guys do it because they think it helps with sales. And, some folks mean it too. Look at Matt LaClear and his service here on the WF. You get a refund if he can't do it.

[mattlaclear]

Originally Posted by caseycase

These guys do it because they think it helps with sales. And, some folks mean it too. Look at Matt LaClear and his service here on the WF. You get a refund if he can't do it.

Nope. Once we start working on a campaign we do not grant refunds. But we do keep backlinking every single day until it reaches page one. Even if it takes 18 months.

[dotgirish]

Originally Posted by mattlaclear

Nope. Once we start working on a campaign we do not grant refunds. But we do keep backlinking every single day until it reaches page one. Even if it takes 18 months.

I was about to tell that Matt won't refund and he is here .. To answer the question of OP....

Guaranteed first page works in different ways, if we ask client to pick 5-7 keywords of his choice which includes long tail keywords and offer to reach first page for at least one of the keyword, yes it is possible. Because when they get their buying keywords which are long tail, chances of having some low competing keywords are more. Theory of probability works here.

It how you put your offer and fact is if some one give you just one keyword and you offer a google page one, then it is absolute risky and rather its BS.

[dburk]

Originally Posted by VancouverSEO

... you'd be amazed at how many phone calls I get from potential clients who simply ask: "How much does it cost to get on the first page of google?" See... because of so many misleading SEO Service providers, the general public is being lead to believe that SEO is something where you simply pay x number of dollars for a specific position as if you were placing an in a newspaper.

Hi VancouverSEO,

Actually, this could be a result of your potential clients seeing the SERP listings that are clearly labeled "Sponsored Links". They are correct to believe that "you simply pay x number of dollars for a specific position as if you were placing an [ad] in a newspaper." Because that is how it works. Google has a special program to fill this exact need, it's called AdWords.

I certainly hope you tell your potential clients that yes, they can purchase a listing on the first page of search results, because they actually can. If tell them othersize then it is you that is misleading them.

Now you and I know the difference between organic listings and sponsored listings, however the client probably doesn't care which type of listing it is, as long as it is profitable to them.

[VancouverSEO]

Here is the problem that I'm having though... I have excellent seo techniques and I'm very confident in my skills, but even though I am almost 100 percent certain that I can get a client on the first page or whatever keyword, I don't want to make that guarantee... because there is no 100 percent way to be sure, because we don't OWN google... even though as an seo consultant, I am almost a million percent sure that i can do it, it still wouldn't be accurate to make that promise.

Now... with that being said, my clients are looking for SOME kind of guarantee... and I don't blame them... seo can be pricey and they obviously want some warranty on where their money is being spent... does anybody have any ideas on what I CAN guarantee or how I could handle the situation when a client asks me what kind of guarantee I offer.

There are a lot of seo guys out there who are scammers... but there are also good ones... I'm trying to be one of the good ones and give my clients the best value for their dollar... is there anything that I CAN gaurantee?

Thanks for everybody's help... this forum rocks!

[bnetwork]

^ never had that problem myself, and we run a pretty big SEO operation. You're targeting the wrong clients.

[Bofu2U]

Let's be honest about things though, guaranteeing anything that's not within your right to guarantee is just stupid. I never would.

However, I can -almost- guarantee (in my head) that I could rank almost anyone for <city> <state> <job> contractor, etc. It's just a numbers game when it comes to it.

The only guarantee the client will get from me is that they'll have a report showing labor that was performed on behalf of my agency for their website. What do they get from me that they couldn't from themselves (most of the time)? I know what to use, where, and how.

[Newbieee]

Okay it really depends.

If your sales model is monthly then market it accordingly and explain to people that they are paying for work done.

But i just feel that if you are confident in your service enough, like if you have high hit rates which generate enough profit to cover for failed projects then you can afford to give the guarantee.

So it really depends.

It doesnt make sense to say something is a scam or hype because of their sales model. Its more of whether they can deliver.

But for the record, even i dont guarantee Top spot like #1 ranking. I do have 1st page guarantee or above the fold [which is 1-3 or 1-5] guarantee depending on the project.


Its all about sales model and whether you can live up to it.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by VancouverSEO

or would you appreciate the honesty in being told that SEO is really a service which is intended to provide you with an edge over your competition and to give you better chances of showing up closer to the top of the Search results than they have?

Thats kind of the opposite extreme. No real business wants to shell out cash for a better CHANCE at showing up near the top. People pay for results. In my time in SEO I failed to deliver a top four result once (client backed out too early).

I see absolutely no reason that a SEO cannot give a guarantee - maybe not for number one but certainly for top three or four. Its the SEO's job to do keyword , competitive research and set the page up to be ranked. Why should he always be paid regardless of result? In any niche there are multiple keywords that a SEO could rank for.

Its one thing to be unable to guarantee a result if the client comes to you with a specific keyword but since its our job to pick the right keywords there is no reason whatsoever a SEO has to hide behind not being in control. They should and can be and if not then its their own fault.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by VancouverSEO

Here is the problem that I'm having though... I have excellent seo techniques and I'm very confident in my skills, but even though I am almost 100 percent certain that I can get a client on the first page or whatever keyword, I don't want to make that guarantee... because there is no 100 percent way to be sure, because we don't OWN google...

Theres your problem. You are not providing full SEO. With Full SEO the SEO does the research to find the right keywords. If you choose the keywords to get the customer search traffic and can't get to page one (which is WAAAAY easy with the right keywords) ranking then you would need to brush up on your SEO techniques in general. Plus most SEOs will have multiple target keywords so of course you should be able to give some guarantee.

Frankly getting first page placement is so easy if you have keyword choices (not just one the customer comes to you with) I don't even consider it ranking. Its not until you reach top three or four.

[mosthost]

Bottom line, don't lie to clients. Tell them the reality. Don't ever be the cheapest guy offering services and don't BS them about things you can't guarantee.

For companies in the USA who 'guarantee' first place rankings, they'll likely have to explain themselves to the FTC soon enough, since they clearly can't guarantee what a third party does.

I bet their disclaimers specifically state they won't get their clients rankings.