The Reasons Why Internet Marketing Businesses Should Not Promise More Than They Can Really Deliver

Right from the start of search engine optimisation, many Online Marketing companies have claimed guaranteed results on the service they offer, a trend which has continued right through to the present day. A Google search for Search Engine Optimization Company, shows thousands of results, many stating guaranteed high Search Engine Placement. Is this true? Can search engine optimisation companies always deliver first page rankings, or is this simply a con to get custom and compete with every other optimisation company claiming the same thing. The truth is, nothing is 100% guaranteed, a point by which no amount of flashy websites or seizure inducing advertisements can change. Indeed, many lay the reasons for the industry’s somewhat questionable reputation, squarely at the feet of those search engine optimisation companies who totally refuse to give up the word from their promotional campaigns.

Choose Your Words Carefully

Perhaps, a more ethical business method is the promotional model employed by some SEO companies, of only promising high Search Engine Placement ranking on particular key phrases they have picked themselves. Even though the know of any phrases they think have little chance of ranking high, and so offer a better list of relevant search terms.

Variables and More Variables

Search engine results are sometimes unstable and vary on the basis of location and user IP. This is curtsy of Google’s ever developing intent in search technology and one more reason why SEO companies should be weary when claiming guaranteed high ranking. Searching for say “Search Engine Optimization Company” in both Coventry and Newcastle, may offer up a list of varying results. Also, user’s logging into their Google accounts, could well see personalised results which distinctly differ from those found when not logged on.

High Ranking’s Not The Be And End All

A successful online marketing program cannot be measured by high rankings exclusively. Generating a high quantity of good quality traffic is what’s important. Higher rankings should clearly be seen as the means to reach this end. At the end of the day, its high conversion rates most companies are looking for when choosing the services of a Search Engine Optimization Company. Without this, the highest ranking in the world may be of minor consequence. There’s little point in a site receiving loads of hits per hour, if no one actually buys anything.

Promises Promises

If you promise the world, and don’t deliver, the client will soon move on. SEO is ongoing and no paying customer is going to hang around, if “guaranteed” performance forecasts targets aren’t achieved. My last ISP promised constant 8mb download speeds, even at peak times. The truth was nearer to 2mb. The subscription was cancelled and I signed up with a company offering a more conservative 4mb DL service. Though they promised less, they delivered on it and guess what, I’m still with them today.

Of course there will be times when the Search Engine Optimization Company will be asked to promote a particular difficult search term. In this scenario the SEO should make it apparent the search term has little likelihood of successfully gaining a high ranking. If the client continues to insist, the SEO should not labour the point any more and so time and effort should be spent carrying out the wishes of the paying customer. At no point should the SEO guarantee success here, as this indicates a promise and so an assumption that the desired result will be delivered, no matter what.
In closing, all that should be really guaranteed in a SEO campaign is significant improvements in high quality traffic to the website. This should also come with the stipulation of it being achieved via ethical means, which won’t adversely affect the reputation of the client or sustain penalties from the search engine. A guarantee all good Online Marketing companies should not need to renege on.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Leave a comment

Name: (Required)

eMail: (Required)

Website:

Comment: