14 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
14 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

What to do when two different clients want to rank for the same keywords?

by unifiedac
12 replies
  • SEO
    • |
I'm not an SEO consultant, but I was wondering how SEO professionals deal with the situation where two different clients are competing for the same SERP space? I know it's unlikely that these two clients approach you at the same time, but how do you deal with a new client wanting to rank for keywords that a current client is paying for? Example:

July 2012
John is obsessed with kittens and starts a "cute kittens blog." To his bewilderment he finds an incredible following, generates significant revenue and decides to invest in SEO services. So he approaches you and says, "I want to rank on the first page of Google for 'cute kittens blog' and I'll pay you to get me there." So you do.

July 2014
Juana is obsessed with kittens and starts a "cute kittens blog" and wants SEO services. You get the point.

How do you approach this problem?
#clients #keywords #rank
  • Profile picture of the author JulieWhite
    I personally think this is unethical.

    There should be no such clash of interest, or at-least the client should be made aware of the fact that such competing projects might come on-board as well.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397479].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author unifiedac
      I agree Julie. So you would just tell the client up front, "Sorry, I already have someone on payroll ranking for those keywords."

      But then that client goes to someone else and becomes your competition. They may bump your existing customer anyways and you've lost the job.
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397500].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SEO Power
    It's simple. Give them what they want. If one client is ranking on the first page for one keyword, there would still be 9 other spots where a different client can rank for the same keyword.
    Signature
    ONE HOUR INDEXING - STOP WASTING MONEY ON LINKS GOOGLE NEVER FINDS
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397517].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Josh Mayers
    Originally Posted by unifiedac View Post

    I'm not an SEO consultant, but I was wondering how SEO professionals deal with the situation where two different clients are competing for the same SERP space? I know it's unlikely that these two clients approach you at the same time, but how do you deal with a new client wanting to rank for keywords that a current client is paying for? Example:

    July 2012
    John is obsessed with kittens and starts a "cute kittens blog." To his bewilderment he finds an incredible following, generates significant revenue and decides to invest in SEO services. So he approaches you and says, "I want to rank on the first page of Google for 'cute kittens blog' and I'll pay you to get me there." So you do.

    July 2014
    Juana is obsessed with kittens and starts a "cute kittens blog" and wants SEO services. You get the point.

    How do you approach this problem?

    Hey,

    The best way that I would approach this problem is first by letting each customer know that there will ALWAYS be competition in every niche. However, "cute kittens" isn't the only niche that you can get targeted traffic from.

    I would recommend that you do a bit more keyword research on other keywords that are relevant, and still get traffic. John requested to be on the 1st page, so I would go ahead and get that done because his order was in before Juana's order.

    Or you can let Juana know that you currently have a customer paying for that keyword, and nicely recommend that she should choose a different keyword. But, if you were to rank her on the 1st page of Google for a keyword pretty close to that one, then she shouldn't have any problem.

    At the end of the day, if both of your clients are getting traffic from the same keyword, or related keywords, it is a win for all three of you.

    Hope this is helpful!

    -Josh
    Signature
    Learn How This Simple System Can Generate UNLIMITED $25, $100 and $300 Payments Directly Into Your CashApp Account Using Nothing But Your Cellphone. . .
    ~ www.CashAppFreedom.com ~
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397530].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    I won't take on a second client. I can't make both of them rank #1. It's a conflict of interest, in my opinion.

    Forget targeting different keywords. That is dumb. I'm targeting damn near every relevant keyword for most clients. It's not a game of "Here you get these keywords, and these are for you. And you over there, here you go. You get these ones..."

    If you are taking on more than one client in the same niche, you should disclose that to both of them so they have the option of seeking out another SEO if they have a problem with that. I think most would.

    Plus it just creates potential trust issues. The guy ranking #2 is probably going to feel like you are not doing everything you can for them.
    Signature

    For SEO news, discussions, tactics, and more.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397557].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author SEO Power
      Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

      I won't take on a second client. I can't make both of them rank #1. It's a conflict of interest, in my opinion.

      Forget targeting different keywords. That is dumb. I'm targeting damn near every relevant keyword for most clients. It's not a game of "Here you get these keywords, and these are for you. And you over there, here you go. You get these ones..."

      If you are taking on more than one client in the same niche, you should disclose that to both of them so they have the option of seeking out another SEO if they have a problem with that. I think most would.

      Plus it just creates potential trust issues. The guy ranking #2 is probably going to feel like you are not doing everything you can for them.
      How would the guy ranking #2 know that the guy ranking #1 is using the same SEO service as him? It's simply not possible.
      Signature
      ONE HOUR INDEXING - STOP WASTING MONEY ON LINKS GOOGLE NEVER FINDS
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397775].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author unifiedac
    Does committing to "first page results" versus "first place results" solve this issue? I could see telling clients you'll get them somewhere on the first page versus #1 placement. Then you could have several clients ranking somewhere in #1-10 and still meet your original service obligations.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397720].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author SEO Power
      Originally Posted by unifiedac View Post

      Does committing to "first page results" versus "first place results" solve this issue? I could see telling clients you'll get them somewhere on the first page versus #1 placement. Then you could have several clients ranking somewhere in #1-10 and still meet your original service obligations.
      It certainly will as there are 10 ranking spots on the first page but only one #1 ranking spot. That's similar to what I wrote in my first post.
      Signature
      ONE HOUR INDEXING - STOP WASTING MONEY ON LINKS GOOGLE NEVER FINDS
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397768].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by unifiedac View Post

      Does committing to "first page results" versus "first place results" solve this issue? I could see telling clients you'll get them somewhere on the first page versus #1 placement. Then you could have several clients ranking somewhere in #1-10 and still meet your original service obligations.
      I don't like that model. Promising page one rankings is snake oil garbage salesman stuff.

      Your job as an SEO is traffic generation. Spots #5-10 are probably not getting any traffic, and there is a huge dropoff from #1 to #2, and #2 to #3 in most SERPs.
      Signature

      For SEO news, discussions, tactics, and more.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397779].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author unifiedac
        Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

        Your job as an SEO is traffic generation.
        I guess that's true. Since I do all my own work I tend to set lower expectations of myself. If I can get my own sites on the first page, I feel there is hope for better results down the road. I understand the point that #1 placement will typically get higher traffic than #2, #3, etc. but getting from page ## to page 1 makes a huge difference in traffic. Many customers are excited to simply be ranking.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9397976].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
          Originally Posted by unifiedac View Post

          I guess that's true. Since I do all my own work I tend to set lower expectations of myself. If I can get my own sites on the first page, I feel there is hope for better results down the road. I understand the point that #1 placement will typically get higher traffic than #2, #3, etc. but getting from page ## to page 1 makes a huge difference in traffic. Many customers are excited to simply be ranking.
          Customers are excited to get sales, new clients, prospects, leads, etc. Being #10 will probably not bring any of that.

          Page ## to page 1, usually does not bring a huge difference in traffic. Take a keyword that gets searched 1000 times a month. If you are #10, you are probably getting 20-30 visitors a month at the absolute most. Probably not even that. For most businesses, that probably means they are losing money on SEO.

          Clueless newbies are excited about showing up on page 1. Until they realize two months later that they are making no money. Then they start a thread on a forum like this asking why they are not making money even though their site is "ranking".
          Signature

          For SEO news, discussions, tactics, and more.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9398197].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Laubster
    I agree that it's wrong to take both clients on without disclosing it, but you guys are getting hung up on rankings for big money keywords when 85% of traffic comes from longtail. There's plenty of opportunity for both clients to get a lot of traffic, and if you can rank one at #1 there's no reason you can't rank the second client at #2 or vice versa.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9398418].message }}

Trending Topics