Disclaimer for Local SEO Services

14 years ago

Hey George

There was a post in here - can't remember who or when - but had a link to a source with some PDF's: the ones you need.

Try a inside search for offline contracts or similar.

Thanks
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gmr324 14 years ago

Hi Fernando,

Thanks for the reply. Not sure if I could find that thread through those search terms though.

Thanks

George
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Fernando Veloso 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by gmr324
  
  Hi Fernando,
  
  Thanks for the reply. Not sure if I could find that thread through those search terms though.
  
  Thanks
  
  George
  
  Forgot we can use Tags option on footer
  
  Here it is, http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-contract.html
  
  Take a look at post #8 by JMB.
  
  [ 2 ] Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  People make good money selling to the rich. But the rich got rich selling to the masses.
  
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  gmr324 14 years ago
  
  Hi Fernando,
  
  Thanks for the link. I checked that out and was hoping the PDF template would contain more verbage related to protecting my butt and limit my liability from circumstances that are out of my control. Conditions like Google changing its algorithm, client's site getting hacked, client removing any on-page optimization tags that I integrate, client's webmaster not cooperating with me, not getting information from a client in a timely manner, etc.
  
  I am looking for the fine print that should be standard stuff in a comprehensive SEO contract but can't find any decent free template that contains it.
  
  STMA: I couldn't agree more with your recommendations which is precisely why I'm being so particular about finding this liimit of liability verbage.
  
  Thanks Again
  
  George
  
  Thanks
  
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stma

14 years ago

It's more important to have them sign a decent contract.

NEVER DO ANYTHING (I REPEAT ANYTHING) seo wise with out a contract. You should also get yourself some liability insurance and get bonded if you are serious. It's not that expensive and can save your tail.

Also form a llc to limit your liability... eventually someone will try and sue you even if you are good.

Thanks

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Gary King

14 years ago

While you're protecting your backside, (a must), consider what the agreement will say if the client site gets banned.

I'm not suggesting you will do anything to make that happen, but hey, you said yourself and we all know that g changes it algo all the time. There are many things that used to be ok that will now get you banned, so it's a shifting target.

Just make sure you have something in there that lets them know it's a possibility and they agree to hold harmless, etc.

Thanks
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gmr324

14 years ago

I agree with you Gary. Some practices that were considered useful even last year, like directory submissions have been arguably devalued. Clients could even agree to pay for backlinks unbenounced to me that would qualify their site for a penalty.

Thanks for the tip

George

Thanks
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Gary King

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Fernando Veloso

Why don't we add up some items right here for future reference?

Great idea Frenando. *** spoiler alert - we aren't lawyers folks.

I would add a statement regarding the intent behind the seo steps that you would take. In other words, some people may WANT you to use black hat/gray hat, etc. The darker the hat, the bigger the warning. If you only use what is considered white hat, you can state something along the lines of "seo services company intends to use promotional methods currently considered to be acceptable best practices. Client understands that the definition of acceptable best practices is established by each individual search engine, without notice to the public. This may lead to changes that impact client's positioning in the search engines in a negative fashion, including but not limited to reduced rankings, banning from search results, hives and even death." (told you I wasn't a lawyer)

Originally Posted by gmr324

I agree with you Gary. Some practices that were considered useful even last year, like directory submissions have been arguably devalued. Clients could even agree to pay for backlinks unbenounced to me that would qualify their site for a penalty.

Thanks for the tip

George

No worries George, glad to help. You could include something that is a catch-all kind of thing like "Client agrees that other promotional efforts on their part should be disclosed to seo company to prevent negative results".

Basically saying that hey, if you do something I don't know about, don't blame me if it blows up in your face. They will naturally blame the seo guy because you're the one working on it, even though it may be their actions that cause the problem.

It also gives you a chance to showcase your expertise - if you add that, you can use it as a talking point, reference a good story about customer x that did this, got in trouble even though it seemed harmless and you helped bail them out. Everyone loves a good story.

It would also draw them closer to you as a client when someone else comes knocking - they'll think, "hey, George said we should let him know if..." and you'll get to head it off at the pass before someone else gets a piece of your pie. Doesn't always work, but I don't always like whipped cream on my pie. When I do want it, I enjoy it, you know?

Thanks

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Fernando Veloso

14 years ago

Why don't we add up some items right here for future reference?

Google changing its algorithm, client's site getting hacked, client removing any on-page optimization tags that I integrate, client's webmaster not cooperating with me, not getting information from a client in a timely manner, etc.

if the client site gets banned

Thanks

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gmr324

14 years ago

Great points Gary. I'm surprised there isn't some existing SEO boilerplate contract that doesn't already contain clauses to cover these points you mention.

Another clause should cover the negative delayed effects of any SEO company that was your predecessor and may have involved BlueFart techniques. You may not be made privy to these underhanded techniques, but may be subject to their consequences and it would appear as if your actions contributed to this issue.

Thanks

George

Thanks
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Gary King

14 years ago

Originally Posted by gmr324

Another clause should cover the negative delayed effects of any SEO company that was your predecessor and may have involved BlueFart techniques. You may not be made privy to these underhanded techniques, but may be subject to their consequences and it would appear as if your actions contributed to this issue.

Thanks

George

This is another great idea George... it may not be legal-eze when we're done, but we're (IMHO) getting some good ideas.

Thanks

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wordwizard

14 years ago

Originally Posted by gmr324

Great points Gary. I'm surprised there isn't some existing SEO boilerplate contract that doesn't already contain clauses to cover these points you mention.

Another clause should cover the negative delayed effects of any SEO company that was your predecessor and may have involved BlueFart techniques. You may not be made privy to these underhanded techniques, but may be subject to their consequences and it would appear as if your actions contributed to this issue.

Thanks

George

Actually, I think there ARE such contracts out there. They just aren't free. I have come across at least two of them, one of which was Maria Gudelis's pack of contracts way back when she had the 30 day challenge or something (it was $97 or something), in the "early" days. And the other one came with some high priced product, but I forgot which one.

Thanks

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kindsvater

14 years ago

George:

In my view there are two prongs to properly developing a disclaimer and terms & conditions:

First, go generic and broad. That's where you may find some language here or in other contracts. You want to cast a big net to disclaim liabilities and circumstances you have probably never thought of.

Second, go specific and narrow. Once the broad language is in place you also want to directly address specific issues. A local SEO service for offline clients is going to have some different issues for a bar or strip club versus a daycare provider. For example, on-page SEO and local advertising requirements, or client acceptance of permissible places to put off-page backlinks, can be affected by the nature of the client.

Then, unless you are down the street from your clients, language to control issues pertaining to the resolution of any disputes, ownership of backlinks and content, etc, will be needed.

You will certainly want to avoid some boilerplate agreement you find. And this was alluded to in an earlier post, but if you think anything you do could harm or embarrass the business in some way, or perhaps get its website deindexed, you had better have specific disclosures as to what you are doing, have the client sign-off on the particular tactic, and also consider looking into insurance.

Those terrible local websites can suddenly be worth 'millions' if the SEO had not been screwed up.

Thanks
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gmr324 14 years ago

kindsvater: Very valid points. I particularly like the suggestion of having the client sign off on specific SEO tactics. The question I have is how you would execute this sign-off for clients who are out-of-state? Do email replies constitute a legal sign-off?

I have thought of some other disclaimer conditions/clauses which should be covered:

o Top 10 competitors obviously are not going to be idle in their SEO efforts. They may have a larger budget or purchase PR9 backlinks which would outperform any whitehat organic efforts I could employ. Google may or may not be aware of the competitions' paid links, but that doesn't detract from the capacity for these paid links to outdo my conventional SEO efforts.

o Client does not submit regular keyword-specific posts to complement my off-page SEO work. The client could also be submitting duplicate scraped content which would result in getting their site de-indexed. Finally, they may alter their existing post titles or permalinks in a way which would counter my SEO efforts.

Let's keep the ideas coming!
- Thanks
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Disclaimer for Local SEO Services

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