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What Do You Do When Asked To Show SEO Proof & You Have None?

by goindeep
22 replies
I have a fantastic opportunity atm.

My problem:

I need to prove my SEO capabilities.

The sites I have done SEO for, are my own old sites and blogs which are no longer in existence (although I do have screen shots for one of them proving 1st page rankings) another clients site I worked on the new developer screwed it all up and that site is now out of existence also and I only have one current client's website that I worked on together with my partner at the time that is still ranking and showing good results that is still live.

My thoughts, options:

  1. be honest and show what I have.
  2. Use a white label service (which I will be using for the work anyway) and ask them for some of their testimonials/reviews
  3. Create some of my own mini sites and rank them for some easy to rank keywords


What do you think? What would you do or better yet what did you do in the start?
#asked #proof #seo #show
  • Profile picture of the author Jon Martin
    You could rank my website for free and use it? hehe kidding.

    I think #3 is the way to go in a temporary sense. Start to really build up testimonials and as you become more experienced and garner more sales you should hopefully begin to have websites you've worked with in the past that you can bring up on google as proof when needed.

    Best of luck with this opportunity of yours. Seems very intriguing!
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  • Profile picture of the author dobra
    Screenshots is enough in the most cases. From my own experience
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  • Profile picture of the author massiveray
    Build yourself some super niche lead gen sites and rank them fast, it's not difficult to do, throw a few videos in there and use them as proof.

    Secondly write an excel sheet detailing every keyword you ever ranked and the position you got it to, it doesn't need to be current. And send that over to them.

    These 2 are enough to convince some small fry businesses that you're the real deal.

    Also if you're using white label services it's fine to send their former results to potential clients, as long as you're sure the results are not false.
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Originally Posted by massiveray View Post

      Build yourself some super niche lead gen sites and rank them fast, it's not difficult to do, throw a few videos in there and use them as proof.

      Secondly write an excel sheet detailing every keyword you ever ranked and the position you got it to, it doesn't need to be current. And send that over to them.

      These 2 are enough to convince some small fry businesses that you're the real deal.

      Also if you're using white label services it's fine to send their former results to potential clients, as long as you're sure the results are not false.
      Unfortunately it is not a small fry business. That is my dilemma, hehe.
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      • Profile picture of the author massiveray
        Originally Posted by Andrei Rotariu View Post

        Unfortunately it is not a small fry business. That is my dilemma, hehe.
        Haha, I call anything that only has 1 or 2 decision makers (read as no corporate structure) as small fry.

        If it of the larger fry variety, make your seo report look pretty, put it in a PDF and you'll be sweet.
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  • Profile picture of the author dcristo
    Show results of your own sites. If you can't show that you likely don't have the experience to be charging clients for your services. Showing a client results for an easy to rank keyword is hardly going to convince them to open up their wallet. There are not short cuts to getting results.
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Originally Posted by dcristo View Post

      Show results of your own sites. If you can't show that you likely don't have the experience to be charging clients for your services. Showing a client results for an easy to rank keyword is hardly going to convince them to open up their wallet. There are not short cuts to getting results.
      Yeah I think that is the way to go.

      My partner has two websites we have ranked the first one real well, now we can start ranking his second one and use those as example sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author sallan
    I have gone the route of doing some free SEO work on a couple of friends sites, partly for being able to back up my claims and partly because I am using contractors for some of the work and I wanted to make sure they were up to scratch before I let them loose on paying customers sites.

    If you can do this it is a bit more credible for client I think rather than showing them sites you own anyway. Also many small business sites don't take long to get good results on some keywords as they are in local niches so I have been able to get top 5 results on some of these keywords in around a week. (Happy small business owners are a great source of refferals too)

    I think if you have the opportunity for a lucrative deal, or are setting up a long term business it is worth the investment spending time or money to get this type of proof both for your customers and for your peace of mind if you are using white label services or contractors.
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  • Profile picture of the author michael clay
    i show my number of visitors and who are taking my information
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  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    Do they need proof of results? Are you sure they wouldnt be more interested in what you will provide and acheive for them and what difference that wil lmake to their bottom line over the next 3-36 months?

    Talk them through that in a language they'll understand and its doubtful theyll want screen prints or anything else as youve already shown you know what youre talkign about and positioned yourself over and above many other SEO bods who will do exactly what youre thinking of doing.
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  • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
    Also, the results you could share for SOMEONE ELSE, would not be relevant to THEM and their situation as it's all unique... so I would dig further and figure out why they feel they need to see such things....

    It's usually an expression of anxiety or a bad past experience.... if you can help them overcome this with honesty, and simple explanations, you will be a hero to them.
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    • Profile picture of the author massiveray
      Originally Posted by HAdrian1239 View Post

      Also, the results you could share for SOMEONE ELSE, would not be relevant to THEM and their situation as it's all unique... so I would dig further and figure out why they feel they need to see such things....

      It's usually an expression of anxiety or a bad past experience.... if you can help them overcome this with honesty, and simple explanations, you will be a hero to them.
      Not really mate.

      People want to see evidence that you can raise serp positions, each individual situation and solution might be different but the essential aim is the same, seo=higher serp position.

      I wouldn't accept and pay for a service without evidence of previous success and neither will 99% of business owners.

      Same as I wouldn't hire an employee who couldn't prove that he can do the job I need him for.
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Barrs
    Hi Andrei,

    When I was getting started (as I still do now) I offered a guarantee that basically said, "If I can't get the results promised (whatever they are) within (whatever time period), then I will work for free until I do."

    You could modify this for yourself.

    My guarantees are based on income earned via the site - and they make their money back or...

    Give it ago.

    Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author EnzoBlaque
    Andrei,

    I'm not sure what your business model is or how you operate, but when I started out alot of my prospects would ask for examples and proof etc.. Some people are adamant about it, some just aren't too bothered.

    But either way, this hurdle is very easy to overcome.

    For me I wasn't doing any of the SEO work myself, I was outsourcing everything. So what I did was I asked the guy that was doing my SEO Work if I could use his portfolio as a reference for my clients.. He had no problem with it.

    This was the best solution for me as it really saved alot of time.
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  • Profile picture of the author PBScott
    You may have to invest some time in it, create an SEO blog and get to work. Alternately you could always request a computer and show them you know your way around the job, offer to do one page for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    This has been answered A MILLION TIMES. We have this Search button.

    Your prospect usually has no freakin' idea how SEO works.

    So go find a low competition keyword phrase that you can easily rank #1 with. Get that domain. Rank away.

    Then when they ask, get them to search for "cat underwear" or whatever silly thing it is. It won't matter that nobody is searching for that term--90%+ of the people you'll talk to will be impressed. Just get on with it.

    EDIT: Some lamebrain thinks that I'm suggesting being unethical here. I disagree. However, you must believe that you can genuinely improve your client's performance. If not, don't do it.
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post

      This has been answered A MILLION TIMES. We have this Search button.

      Your prospect usually has no freakin' idea how SEO works.

      So go find a low competition keyword phrase that you can easily rank #1 with. Get that domain. Rank away.

      Then when they ask, get them to search for "cat underwear" or whatever silly thing it is. It won't matter that nobody is searching for that term--90%+ of the people you'll talk to will be impressed. Just get on with it.
      Usually.

      But not this time.

      Although they are corporate big wigs, they have people within the company that know their stuff.

      The particular company employs almost 320K people world wide, has been in business almost 160 years, has annual turn over into almost the 60 Billion mark and so on and so forth. Luckily I am dealing with one of their smaller business units that is verticalized so there are the pro's of dealing with the smaller guy in the company and then expanding into their business but also the cons of having to be as cool as a james dean 100% of the time If they smell BS its all over.

      Im a brutally honest person anyway so bending the truth doesn't really suit my style. I think i'll just tell the truth and wait to see what happens.

      Im feeling positive though, wish me luck
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  • Profile picture of the author affilorama-portal
    Creating mini sites is probably the best way to show clients how well you can do in SEO. But if you do not have these yet, it is best to show them what you have done (even though they are not updated).

    Based from experience, in situation like this, I normally back-up my reference sites with records of SEO work/campaign I have done for a client. I am a very organized person and everything (I mean everything like dates, landing pages, PR, etc) is recorded in excel.

    Aside from that I normally ask the client's site and (on the spot) analyze his website and propose him several SEO work that must be done.

    Of course, clients' testimonials would not hurt too right? You can give one or two references if the client will ask more.
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  • Profile picture of the author infinityplr
    Be honest is one option you got right there.

    First off, how did you start having clients for SEO before? You can still do that trick now.
    you can just give then all you have and hope for the best. just be confident on presenting yourself. I find being confident, (not arrogant) is a trick to let people see that you got what it takes to do the job and do it well.
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  • Profile picture of the author HostWind
    I would not go the niche site route. It will likely be obvious the little site is cheap and may reflect on you or leave a bad impression. Be up front and let them know you are now (re)entering business. Convince them on what you know and what you can do for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author mac101
    In addition to ranking your own sites, make sure you have proof that these are your sites and when you purchased the domain and also show a screen shot of when you bought it indicating it was not transferred to you! Just my 2 cents
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