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Why are you letting Google control your offline business?

by rambo9600
12 replies
Why do so many of you base 100% of your business on Google? Either through SEO or Adwords?

I work the offline crowd and I've convinced my clients to use Direct Mail campaigns, media buys such as Banner Ads and those 300x250 digital display ads. We do other stuff but those are just a few.

I had my clients in the top 3 spots on Google, many were #1 yet still little traffic. I think many have a belief that if you can get your client to #1 they'll be making tons of money. I can tell you that ain't going to happen for most business niches in most cities. Don't get me wrong, some will do ok but for the most part it ain't what we are led to believe.

Now I get guaranteed traffic and consistent results by using alternative methods.

I gave up the Google game about a year ago, tired of all the bitch slapping from Google. I'm sure some of you are making a killing but I'd say it's safe to say 90% of you are not making much dinero and still chasing that dream.

I can tell you it's a lot less stressful not having to deal with Google. Now I have the CONTROL. I control what mail campaign we do, I control what banner ads to buy for my clients.

I also make more money than just doing SEO. I'm also more diversified and can ramp up traffic anytime I choose. I've noticed that my clients are happier also and they don't ask goofy questions all the time about their stupid rankings. It's like we forgot they even had a website.

Google can kiss my ***

There's other ways to do this guys, that's all I'm saying.
#business #control #google #letting #offline
  • Profile picture of the author Ord Allenbea
    Any person in their right mind would never put everything they have into relying upon Google. Google is only one part of the puzzle but an important part. If you got #1 listings with little traffic maybe you should rethink your keyword research and how it is done.

    I can get #1 listing in 2 minutes but that does not mean I will drive traffic to my site because that #1 listing would be a non searched for keyword. Many and I do mean many fail at keyword research and when they do they claim they have top rankings but no traffic.

    You should have diversity in your marketing and should be doing many different marketing strategies but you also must have proper keyword research and proper seo for search engines.
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    • Profile picture of the author rambo9600
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      • Profile picture of the author Ord Allenbea
        Exactly why I said "diversity"! Yes there are many ways to make chicken soup but the fact is you can not make chicken soup without the chicken.

        It's not all about Google and anybody that puts everything they have into Google will not be totally successful. It is a fact though Google still matters and does help in marketing ones websites (when you actually do proper keyword research and provide high quality content).


        Originally Posted by rambo9600 View Post

        Are you serious? It seems like most here only talk about doing SEO for offline. It's all about Google, that's why I posted this thread.

        There are other ways to get leads for your clients folks.
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      • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
        Originally Posted by rambo9600 View Post

        Are you serious? It seems like most here only talk about doing SEO for offline. It's all about Google, that's why I posted this thread.

        There are other ways to get leads for your clients folks.
        You just must have not read the thousands of posts that talk about other ways then.

        Not everyone here relies on Google.

        However, I will pick up on your point about rankings and traffic.

        I've been helping offline businesses since 1997 and top Google positions DO get traffic and customers. My clients make a LOT more money because of the extra business they get from people finding them on Google.

        The only way you could get top rankings and not get traffic is:

        either:

        1 - You're ranking for something people are not searching for.

        or

        2 - Your listing sucks and those searchers are not clicking on it.

        or

        3 - You're measuring your rankings wrong and you don't have the ranking you think you do. (this happens a lot for people outside the US. They use tools that rely on US search figures to do their research but then check their rankings based on their location or with tools that use their location).

        I have clients that are shocked by how quickly they make thousands of dollars extra once their website (or even Google Places listing) goes live.

        So - The statement that getting rankings does not mean you will get traffic is either wrong, or based on poor research or checking.
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        nothing to see here.

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        • Profile picture of the author Ord Allenbea
          Exactly my point! I love it when people say they get top listings and get little traffic and seo does not work. These are the people that do not do keyword research properly because they are all told to use Google keyword tool which is designed for AdWords.

          Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

          You just must have not read the thousands of posts that talk about other ways then.

          Not everyone here relies on Google.

          However, I will pick up on your point about rankings and traffic.

          I've been helping offline businesses since 1997 and top Google positions DO get traffic and customers. My clients make a LOT more money because of the extra business they get from people finding them on Google.

          The only way you could get top rankings and not get traffic is:

          either:

          1 - You're ranking for something people are not searching for.

          or

          2 - Your listing sucks and those searchers are not clicking on it.

          or

          3 - You're measuring your rankings wrong and you don't have the ranking you think you do. (this happens a lot for people outside the US. They use tools that rely on US search figures to do their research but then check their rankings based on their location or with tools that use their location).

          I have clients that are shocked by how quickly they make thousands of dollars extra once their website (or even Google Places listing) goes live.

          So - The statement that getting rankings does not mean you will get traffic is either wrong, or based on poor research or checking.
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        • Profile picture of the author rambo9600
          Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

          You just must have not read the thousands of posts that talk about other ways then.

          Not everyone here relies on Google.

          However, I will pick up on your point about rankings and traffic.

          I've been helping offline businesses since 1997 and top Google positions DO get traffic and customers. My clients make a LOT more money because of the extra business they get from people finding them on Google.

          The only way you could get top rankings and not get traffic is:

          either:

          1 - You're ranking for something people are not searching for.

          or

          2 - Your listing sucks and those searchers are not clicking on it.

          or

          3 - You're measuring your rankings wrong and you don't have the ranking you think you do. (this happens a lot for people outside the US. They use tools that rely on US search figures to do their research but then check their rankings based on their location or with tools that use their location).

          I have clients that are shocked by how quickly they make thousands of dollars extra once their website (or even Google Places listing) goes live.

          So - The statement that getting rankings does not mean you will get traffic is either wrong, or based on poor research or checking.
          Since you've only been doing offline since 1997 I'm going to give you some slack since you're still in the learning mode.

          I'm talking about local offline, like pizzerias, plumbers, and so forth. Getting them to #1 does not bring a ton of business unless you are maybe in a huge city. I tell every business owner that getting ranked top 3 will definitely help get new customers, but don't think it's like winning the lotto.

          Getting ranked for Internet Marketing sites can make a huge difference, let's stick to local mom and pop type businesses. I have a top warrior member here who does all my keyword research. He actually provides me with too many keywords.

          My clients get to #1 for most major keywords for local business. It helps but it's not the entire answer and I still don't like being dependent upon Google for my income. That's why I diversify my marketing tactics.

          Too much emphasis in this forum is dedicated to the internet, I guess rightfully so. My clients do very well because they know that one source of traffic is bad, you must have several tactics for lead gen. That's all I'm trying to say.
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          • Profile picture of the author ZK
            Well, this is what IM is about after all, isn't it?

            You don't put ALL your eggs in google's basket, but you defiantly air for it as part of your many other aims.

            Google is Massive, and almost everybody is using it. on daily basis you hear people say "Google it", not "Yahoo it"! or any other thing. With Google's massive base of users, if you get #1 spot, you should be doing very well, if you are getting no conversions, you need to try and rethink your landing page, offering or the keyword you are ranking for.

            Yes the competition is fierce sometimes, and Google is not always the best to go with, and you difinatly can find less stressful and many more effective or feasible methods, BUT if you are in the top 3 for a specific search, you should try and utilize that!

            Finally, YES, there are MANY other ways of doing it. but i would say do all that you can afford to do and you will get more results and better long term value, and always at least consider Google. in many cases i ranked in the first 3 pages without even aiming for that, with a bit of enhancing i managed to get first 3 results and definitely saw better conversions
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          • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
            Originally Posted by rambo9600 View Post

            I tell every business owner that getting ranked top 3 will definitely help get new customers, but don't think it's like winning the lotto.

            Too much emphasis in this forum is dedicated to the internet, I guess rightfully so. My clients do very well because they know that one source of traffic is bad, you must have several tactics for lead gen. That's all I'm trying to say.
            I'm not trying to pick on your comments for the sake of it, but it's important to differentiate fact from fiction.

            I agree with the spirit of what you're saying and your advice to diversify is good advice - but I don't agree with your generalisation about lack of results from seo.

            I have very small business clients (1 to 5 people) who make thousands of dollars extra from the business they get each month from being top of Google.

            Whether that's a carpenter getting 2 new clients or a dry cleaning company getting 10 new regular customers - it makes a big difference - sometimes huge.

            Sure we still have them do leafleting, advertise on local radio and in newspapers etc. but the Google listing definitely makes them more money and they love it because they don't understand it but they know it's working.
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            • Profile picture of the author rambo9600
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              • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
                Originally Posted by rambo9600 View Post

                Leafleting? Is that an English term for Flyer?
                Yes. Sorry I forgot to translate it
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                nothing to see here.

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    • Profile picture of the author bogdanb
      Originally Posted by Ord Allenbea View Post

      Any person in their right mind would never put everything they have into relying upon Google. Google is only one part of the puzzle but an important part. If you got #1 listings with little traffic maybe you should rethink your keyword research and how it is done.

      I can get #1 listing in 2 minutes but that does not mean I will drive traffic to my site because that #1 listing would be a non searched for keyword. Many and I do mean many fail at keyword research and when they do they claim they have top rankings but no traffic.

      You should have diversity in your marketing and should be doing many different marketing strategies but you also must have proper keyword research and proper seo for search engines.
      I support you completely. Use what ever you want but never stop to search ranking and organic visitors. If you don't receive traffic when even has been ranked good - change your keywords, onsite etc.
      Visits that coming from search engines are 3 to 5 time better converted than any other visitors.
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  • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
    Banned
    Originally Posted by rambo9600 View Post


    I had my clients in the top 3 spots on Google, many were #1 yet still little traffic. I think many have a belief that if you can get your client to #1 they'll be making tons of money. I can tell you that ain't going to happen for most business niches in most cities. Don't get me wrong, some will do ok but for the most part it ain't what we are led to believe.
    Yeah, but if we let too many people know this, they might not buy the latest "Make money by ripping off clueless small business owners"....errr, I mean "offline marketing" product, lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author Paleochora
    I think what everyone is saying here is "Don't put all of your eggs in the same basket".

    Most of the traffic I get to my various sites and projects is not from Google. Although I do take care to get on-page SEO as good as I can get it without getting stupid and anal about it, I treat any Google traffic as a bonus rather than the prize.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Sneen
    You achieved success without an SEO focus. Congratulations!!!

    SEO is tangible. You can check your results. I realize you can with ad campaigns, but it is a bit more work. And, there are often variables. Google is a piece of the puzzle...but not the whole puzzle.~Ord But, it is the easiest to check for tangible results. As one who has watched my site progress in a very long-tailed keyword to page one, I can tell you I worked way to hard on SEO, and, in hindsight, that effort would be better spent doing social networking. But, I will continue and adjust my SEO efforts, hoping they will pay off some day.

    Meanwhile, I will place more emphasis on other traffic driving methods.
    Signature
    David Sneen
    It's what you do when no one is watching
    that determines what you will be able to
    do when everyone is watching.
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