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SEO in the UK - Enough Demand ?

by webladder
9 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hey Warriors!

Want to pick your brains for a minute:

Do any of you have clients over in the UK or work directly in the UK doing SEO/IM ? If so, how has your experience been working with overseas clients (Assuming you're US based..). I'm asking because I'm considering branching out into the UK market and want to gather some research information first. I figured I'd start here.

Is the demand for SEO in the UK growing ?
#demand #seo
  • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
    A third of my customers this year have been in the UK . Once you understand what it takes to rank in a foreign Google datacenter there is not issue with providing for them. The market is certainly there.
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    • Profile picture of the author webladder
      Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

      A third of my customers this year have been in the UK . Once you understand what it takes to rank in a foreign Google datacenter there is not issue with providing for them. The market is certainly there.
      Thanks Mike. Do you find that most UK residents are more susceptible to working with US companies as opposed to UK companies ?
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      • Profile picture of the author Adam H
        It really depends on what end of the market you will be targetting , You'll find that the small business and Hobby sectors are normally filled with people that are very careful with their money and if they cant see a short term gain it will take a good sales man to turn that around. Selling from the US and targeting those smaller end clients i would imagine would be a struggle unless you have a glowing portfolio, mostly which you have clients that do not mind the occasional person contacting them for a reference . ( because they will look into who you are and what you do 9 times out of 10 )

        At the top end of the market however all you really need is the portfolio, showing the larger businesses that you have what it takes in the competitive niches to dominate a UK search term.

        We have a mixed bag of UK and US clients and still to this day its the guys that dont know what they are doing and have the lower scale budgets that are the hardest and most demanding to work with because they "Need" to see a quick return of investments to make it worth their while.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
          Originally Posted by Adam H View Post


          We have a mixed bag of UK and US clients and still to this day its the guys that dont know what they are doing and have the lower scale budgets that are the hardest and most demanding to work with
          Aint that the truth but I think I have a half reasonable way of determining those. Most of the time their site and online business setup gives them away. I remember the first time I got a high paying customer. I was really uptight figuring that I had to knock myself out because the client would require so much more for the money. In fact up to that time it was one of the easiest laid back clients to work with.

          See those with the money and the successful business know it took them time and investment to get there. they also really don't value the money the way that people who are not successful yet do. First off I realized - the dollar figure was nothing to the client. They had spent thousands of advertising dollars before and saw it as the way business is done. Second in the overall operation of their business my fee was a small percentage. Now if I charge $99 and the person only has $150 to spend then sure my fee is a big deal to those people. Business owner that pours $100,000 a year into his/her business (And thats still very much small business) my $1,000 not so much.

          Plus to be honest. A lot of the lower paying clients were ultimately low paying in part because they didn't know how to run a business that worked and part of that was totally unrealistic expectations and those like you said make the worst customers. Their dollar to them is worth more than your dollar and they expect you to make them a millionaire. Plus their business is so poorly setup that their margins are too small. You can get them a number one spot and their monetization plan is so bad that they don't make even a tenth of the money a good business man would. On that basis alone the good businessman will value you and getting him to number one ten times more.
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          • Profile picture of the author webladder
            Thanks for all the feedback guys, very helpful and useful information. My main reason for breaking into the UK is the opportunity to extend my services overseas and open up the possibility of traveling. I'm a consultant and that's what I want to do - consult, as opposed to actually running operations and doing the physical SEO work. I'm in the process of developing a team to handle the work, which leave me open to the opportunity to continue selling and bringing in new business. I love the face-to-face interaction with prospective clients and it makes me feel accomplished to be able to answer the tough questions regarding SEO and IM that business owners have.

            Furthermore, I live in a retiree paradise (Sarasota, FL) and there isn't much young tech business here, which is what I need. I've heard the demand for SEO over the UK is steadily increasing and I'd like to get a piece of it before it comes so saturated that you couldn't get a client for $5 a month.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
        Originally Posted by webladder View Post

        Thanks Mike. Do you find that most UK residents are more susceptible to working with US companies as opposed to UK companies ?
        I find they don't give a rip about where you are located if you can deliver results. Thing is you have to be able to prove that so you need the resources to be able to easily show a client you can make their site move.

        I know people talk about testimonials and previous work etc etc but thats indirect and frankly you can't just go pointing at all of your customers. Some of your best work might have privacy concerns.

        Move a prospective client up significantly with a few quality links and you are through the door. Its DIRECT evidence you know what you are doing. Once they see that anywhere in the world they are located they have to take you seriously.
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  • Profile picture of the author iidesu
    If I were you, I would first do some research about the prospect of the sales of my product in the UK.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyscott
    The demand is certainly there and growing as more businesses become aware of seo. Personally, I work with a small number of medium sized companies here in the UK on an ongoing basis.

    My website is targeted at and ranks for local seo related search terms and brings in a trickle enquiries and business.

    I find it easier if I can visit the company to fact find and present to them.

    Why do you want to prospect in the UK rather than locally?

    Tony
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