An SEO Gets Shopped V 2.0
January 22, 2011
Welcome to the Google Places SEO blog at Tucson SEO Solutions.
An SEO Gets Shopped V 2.0
This post has been around a while and updated several times.
This post goes back in time to when we first began to domination all searches related to SEO and internet marketing in Tucson. I was just beginning to emerge nationally as a force to reckoned with in the SEO industry in the US.
If you have been any business long enough a competitor will dial you up on the telephone or as the lazy ones do, they send a email to get the shopping going. They always start the conversation off by inquiring about the fees that you charge. This is especially true if your product or service pricing is not posted on your website which ours are not. One must be quick and clever to determine who is a real potential client and who is a competitor trying to acquire your pricing structure.
The shopper is rarely an established player in your industry, but they could be. This is where I love to being to direct the conversation to where I am the inquirer. The shopper usually doesn’t have a website yet or they are in the process of acquiring a business that has an existing website.
Then there is the new kid on the block who starts of with “I have a client.” That may be true or they are breaking into the business and bidding on a job and that are looking for pricing guidance.
I don’t have a problem with this at all. I have done this dozens of times over the decades myself so I am very familiar with the sport and I play it well!. When someone calls I’m a very good judge of who is real and who is not or at least I have convinced myself that’ this is so.
Another clear giveaway is if someone starts off by asking a whole bunch of questions without identifying themselves first, you can almost be certain that you are being shopped.
If they pause or stumble when you ask these questions you know you’re being shopped.
• What is the domain name?
• What is your business?
• What do you want your website visitor to do on your website?
• Who are you trying to market?
If the visitor hesitates on any of these questions you can be sure that your time is being wasted by a shopper. However, those who are skilled shoppers may be prepared for these questions. They are a little harder to catch. After all I role play the call many times before I shop a business. If you know how to ask the right questions it can be easy.
Usually they seem more interested in pricing than anything else in the conversation. I clearly explain that everything starts with a website review and that it is a paid service. I then I might ask them to email me from their website to get the ball rolling or something to that effect.
If they are a serious inquiry they will email while you’re talking. If they make excuses, at this point, you know this is a waste of time and I quickly end the call. If they ask you why this is needed you can state its company policy to assure that this is a genuine sales call.
I mention this because I got shopped today by someone from the San Francisco Bay area code. We have just started targeting the area in advance of our new website launch. So I have been expecting these types of calls.
Sometimes the caller jumps right into the deep end of the pool from the get go. He asked if we did page titles, page descriptions, Meta tags, and ALT tags and what we charged. Well, nothing like cutting to the chase. What he didn’t realize is that real customers don’t talk like that. They just want to acquire search traffic and had read that SEO is the way to go. They don’t generally understand how we do what we do.
That’s was 2 years ago and things have changed dramatically since then. Callers inquiring about our services are smarter and more aware about the process of SEO. When I began this business back in 2007 things were much different as far the the potential client knowledge of SEO. The response was mostly “I read something on a blog like you need SEO to rank well, but that’s all that I know.”
Yesterday, I was being shopped by an inexperienced shopper and I thought I would have a little fun. It started with the basic questions I mentioned previously, and of course they didn’t have a website. They went on to explain that they wanted to market to the 48 states and that he was going to be selling computer parts.
Well, our website is very clear that we don’t provide service for highly competitive markets that are national. This is mainly due to cost of such a project. I went on to explain that if his market was local we would gladly consider him as a client. I further explained that we only take on clients that when know going in can benefit greatly from our services. This guy wasn’t likely one of those.
Trying to take a website that sells computer parts nationally to the first page of Google is not a challenge that we will undertake then or now. While I noted that it can be accomplished given enough time and money but that it was not anything that I wanted to be involved with. Its just not our core market.
This person quickly became very defensive and started talking SEO slang and started to explain how it could be accomplished. I thought this guy is so clueless that he is being played and he doesn’t even know it. Then he started talking about Page Rank. I have never had a client or potential client that knows what Page Rank is. Now this person is talking straight-up SEO shop talk. To this day I have never had a real potential client who knew anything about Page Rank. This was so obvious that I could barely contain my laughter.
Since I had flushed him out the conversation needed to end. I politely ended the conversation by informing him that we don’t work on these kinds of sites, I thanked him for his inquiry, and before he could say anything, I wished him a good day and hung up the call. I have become very skilled at ending a conversation quickly and abruptly when I have finally gotten bored.
The moral of the story is if you’re going to shop someone get the story straight first and don’t sound like you know so much that you really don’t need my help. If this caller knew about page titles, Meta tags, page descriptions, and ALT tags then why would they need me? Really, folks people who make legitimate inquires generally don’ understand SEO and will never use SEO jargon.
Update 2010:
With the economic slowdown like many I have had sometime on my hands. When I get shopped these days I am more likely to get up on a soapbox an give a long winded lesson on how I provide ethical services based only on the specific needs of each client. I go into great detail about our manual link building program Called Scratch My Back Marketing.
I also provide a detailed explanation about our website review. I go through just about every step in our processes. I provide them a map, a oral blueprint of how to provide services that assure that the clients needs are assured. If by change it turns out that it an actual potential client then they will certainly know that they are dealing with a professional.
For the shopper, I am an unashamed braggart. My attitude is, and I express to whomever I am speaking with. When I simply state “the difference between myself and most other SEO providers is that we simply this; I like to think that I work smarter and I put in more hours at this than they do.” If you are willing to do what it takes you will succeed.
I also remind my inquirer of our monthly ranking report. I also never fail to mention that we have never failed to get a client onto the first page of the Google results (pause for effect) multiple keyword phrases.
While I provide a huge insight into how I practice SEO I never allow myself to be placed in a position to make a guess about how much a project will cost. There is good reason for this because I don’t know who there competition is and what they have done SEO wise. All of our processes are based on a competitive analysis. This requires a bit of research that can not be accomplished while on a phone call.
Real SEO professionals know that while packages sell well they are not designed to meet the clients specific needs. Beware of any SEO provider who offers packages. If they have not done a competitive analysis there is no way to be sure if any package will work. SEO packages are designed to sell, to make the seller money and to meet a certain price point expectation, if they actually work, consider yourself lucky!
Having said that, I must point out again that we have never failed to get a client onto the first page of Google for multiple keyword phrases. And this all started out with a competitive website review.
Update April 2010: I got shopped again by a persistent shopper from the Los Angles area recently. This person called late one afternoon when I was unavailable. He called back again late in the afternoon the following day. His method was not very creative. He suggested that he wanted to outsource business to me. The real story was we was trying to add SEO to his web design services and didn’t know how to bid the contract.
His project was for a lawyer referral service that wanted to target 25 LA area communities. He never realized that I was onto him from the beginning. I took a lot of time explaining how our business approach is different from other providers such as his company. I went to great lengths to details the difference between making a sale and meeting the clients needs. I groused about the poor businesses practices of my competition.
Finally, after 45 minutes I explained that my free time was ending and that he would have to go on the clock and incur consulting fees. He quipped that he was only trying to give me business. At that point I explained that I would never bid on a project like he was describing.
This kind of project would require building links for 25 different cities to be accomplished correctly and the creation of specific pages to target those cities. I further explained that because of the cost involved he would likely never get the job as we would be bidding against companies that are offering packages to sell to a price point.
I have seen this over and over again on big projects. When you bid for what it actually will take to be successful you never get the contract. The company offering packages usually wins and this is why it occurs. The buyer likely does not understand the industry or the product that they are buying.
It is very difficult to explain that your higher bid is based on research and need. These buyers are generally price shoppers and they don’t make good clients. Many SEO companies need work so they adjust their contract to meet the clients expectations.
If the project doesn’t work as planned they simply go back to the client and ask for more money. I have never done this and I don’t plan to start now. If I told a client a job will require 250 links to be successful and that didn’t work then I continue until we have meet our goal. That has only happened once.
The young man was astonished that I would not want to bid on such a project. The reality was he was bummed that after 45 minutes I didn’t not provide a price for the project. I then went onto explain that I get calls from people like him all the time promising to outsource work. Every time they are just looking for help on how to bid a project. I then explained that I went into the conversation hoping to educate him on how to be better at his job. I emphasized that the clients success was more important than making a buck.
I indicated that I do this a lot in the hope that I might shine a light on good business practices. In the process, maybe, I could make a difference in our industry that is full of bad behaviors like his lying to me. I string these people on and in the process I let them know that I have been successful because I do business differently than they do.
This may seem silly and it might be a waste of time but I consider it planting seed. I also love to talk about my business and do a little bragging in the process. I rather enjoy telling my competitors that I am better than they are at assisting my clients. I have a captive audience that has already concealed the true nature of heir call and really expect that I will provide a price for their project.
Since I require an in depth website review before we can get to a price this never happens. They always prod me for an estimate, as do real customers, for an estimate which can not be provided without a detailed review.
What say you?
Our Arizona Services:
SEO Arizona Google Places Services
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Local SEO Services Tucson Google Places Phoenix
Local Internet Marketing Tucson Phoenix Services
Google Places SEO Tucson Phoenix Mesa Scottsdale Glendale
Marana Sierra Vista Green & Oro Valley SEO Google Places Services
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeting SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
If your business is located in the communities of Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, Tempe, Mesa , Benson, San Manuel, Arizona or beyond and you need Google Places SEO solutions please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
A Season To Be Grateful
December 25, 2010
Welcome to the Google Places SEO blog at Tucson SEO Solutions
Before I get into today’s post I want to recognize and welcome our visitors from the Arizona communities of Avondale or Tolleson. Please know that you are here because I have specifically targeted you and your businesses need to rank well in the Google Places search results. I hope that you find this information useful.
A Season To Be Grateful
After growing into adulthood with out children to worry about during the end of year holiday season this time of year has become not so special. Geri and I quietly spend the days together and usually don’t make much of a fuss about what day it is. This approach for me changed dramatically last year.
You see, on November 23 of 2009 Geri was hospitalized with a liver disease that became a life threatening event. She would end up spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years hospitalized and clinging to life. Then in March her new primary care physician gave her three months to live based on her condition at that time.
Well, Geri decided that she wasn’t ready to die and has staged a rather startling recovery. She is doing extremely well considering that she could use another liver! Of course, the wonderful state of Arizona has stopped funding transplants through Medicare. She also would also temporarily loose her medical coverage which we are appealing.
Fortunately, most of her medication are generic. She was able to acquire a 3 months supply for around $150.00. This was a real blessing. So yes, for me, this is a season to be grateful. Her illness has forced me to slow down and to spend more time with Geri doing things that she likes together.
As a side benefit of her illness she has had time to peruse her artistic talents. Our home is filling up with many of her home crafts projects. Geri’s artistic talent is something that I have always marveled at. If you are artistically challenged as I am it is easy to appreciate those that possess these skills.
I have learned to be grateful for everyday that we share together. I no longer just say I love you. I take the time to explain why I love her. This makes my words much more meaningful.
I am also grateful to still be in business. I have seen many shops in my central Tucson location shuddered in this economic downturn. Yes, I am grateful and looking forward to a better 2011.
What say you?
Our Arizona Services:
SEO Arizona Google Places Services
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Local SEO Services Tucson Google Places Phoenix
Local Internet Marketing Tucson Phoenix Services
Google Places SEO Tucson Phoenix Mesa Scottsdale Glendale
Marana Sierra Vista Green & Oro Valley SEO Google Places Services
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeting SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
If your business is located in the communities of Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, Tempe, Mesa , Chandler, or Apache Junction, Arizona, and beyond and you need Google Places SEO solutions please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
Google Places Listings Go Beyond Page One
November 28, 2010
Welcome to the Google Places SEO blog at Tucson SEO Solutions.
Google Places Listings Go Beyond Page One
I just saw something new (again) that I have never seen before in the Google Places search results. Today, I was doing some research for a client when I came across this. Google was providing Places Business Listing on page two and sometimes page three of the results.
This is a screen shot of the results from page two of the results for Tucson Family Dentist.
This is a screen shot of the results from page three of the results for Tucson Family Dentist.
This is a screen shot of the results from page four of the results for Tucson Family Dentist. As you can see here Google did not provide any Places listings here.
Have any of you seen anything like this? I have seen this across other varied searches as well.
What say you?
Our Arizona Services:
Tucson SEO Internet Marketing Blog
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Google Places SEO Tucson Phoenix Scottsdale
Arizona SEO Internet Website Marketing Services
Local Internet Website Marketing Services Tucson
SEO Tucson Local Small Business Marketing Services
Marana Sierra – Vista – Green & Oro Valley SEO & Internet Marketing Services
Nationally we offer the following services:
Detailed Website Review – Audit
Holistic SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Niche SEO Internet Website Marketing Services
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson Phoenix
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeting SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
If your business is located in the communities of Tucson, Tempe, Mesa , Chandler, or Apache Junction, Arizona, or beyond and you need Google Places SEO solutions please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
Orange Soda Goes After Tucson SEO Solutions Business
November 1, 2010
Welcome to the Niche Internet Marketing Website Services blog at Tucson SEO Solutions.
Orange Soda Goes After Tucson SEO Solutions Business
If you have never heard of Orange Soda you are likely new to internet marketing. They are a Utah based company that has been running with the bog dogs of SEO for some time now. They have competitor against our primary keyword phrase Tucson SEO for some time now by using sponsored ads. These adds appear at the top of the search results. It may be hard to see but it appears as the first result.
I actually find it amusing that they consider Tucson SEO Solutions a keyword worth going after. I just wonder if it is an effective strategy. If someone was looking for this business by name would they actually click on a competitors paid ad? I will never know but it does seem like a long shot to me. For now, I will accept the fact that they have recognized us as a market worth targeting.
I just doubt the numbers will work out for them in the end. But as we can see here two others companies are also targeting the businesses name. Interestingly only one of these three is targeting the more productive keyword Tucson SEO.
I actually follow Orange Soda on Twitter and I was surprised how inactive they are. Maybe the did a cost benefits analysis and concluded Twitter doesn’t provide very good ROI. I know that if I wasn’t using Twitter as an RSS feed reader I would also have an inactive Twitter account.
Update 11/03/2010: Since I posted this Orange Soda has pulled there ad that targets Tucson SEO Solutions. Is this just because its a new month? Or did they do a cost benefits analysis and figure going after this keyword was not worth the effort? I will likely never know.
What say you?
Our Arizona Services:
Local Small Business SEO Solutions Blog
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Arizona SEO Internet Website Marketing Services
Local Internet Website Marketing Services Tucson
Local Internet Website Maps Google Places Yahoo Bing
SEO Phoenix Local Small Business Internet Marketing Services Tucson
Marana Sierra – Vista – Green & Oro Valley SEO & Internet Marketing Services
Nationally we offer the following services:
Detailed Website Review – Audit
Holistic SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Niche SEO Internet Website Marketing Services
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson Phoenix
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeting SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
Affordable Quality Ethical Links – BackLinks Building Services Training
Please check out our monthly Google keyword ranking report.
If your business is located in the Tucson, Phoenix, Arizona, the US, Canada, or beyond and you would like to learn more about how your website can benefit from Local Small Business SEO, Niche SEO, Internet or Website Marketing services or solutions please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024, 520-777-6479 or 843-882-7661 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
What Does This Mean?
October 12, 2010
Welcome to the Niche Internet Marketing Website Services blog at Tucson SEO Solutions.
What Does This mean?
Every once in a while I will get a comment left here that leaves me scratching my head. Today, I found the following comment on my post that formerly hosted a Do Follow blog list. I though I would share it with you folks.It is a good example of the stuff that I deal with on a daily basis. When I read these comments I can only concluded that the author was off their meds on this day.
The comment…
“I could not disagree with you more. Your spam comments will acceptable be deletedâ�¦ And it has the aftereffect of abbreviation the basin of blogs that are accommodating to be Do Follow. You acquire a abbreviate appellation action that hurts us all for your gain.
You are a archetypal archetype of what I am talking about. You appointment my armpit and never fabricated a animadversion until it has too backward to accomplish a difference. You again went and about antibacterial a actual nice activity and I am declared it sit aback and abide to acquiesce this to happenâ�¦ I acquire assuredly said I will no best to allotment of this.”
I will acquiescently acquire the 40% bead in cartage from you and those like you. All you anytime did was take! I ambition to focus on a abate basin of business owners who accept the abstraction of Scratch My Aback Marketing.
What say you?
You can find me on
Facebook.
Our Arizona Services:
Local Small Business SEO Solutions Blog
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Arizona SEO Internet Website Marketing Services
Local Internet Website Marketing Services Tucson
Local Internet Website Maps Google Places Yahoo Bing
SEO Phoenix Local Small Business Internet Marketing Services Tucson
Marana Sierra – Vista – Green & Oro Valley SEO & Internet Marketing Services
Nationally we offer the following services:
Detailed Website Review – Audit
Holistic SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Niche SEO Internet Website Marketing Services
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson Phoenix
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeting SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
Affordable Quality Ethical Links – BackLinks Building Services Training
Please check out our monthly Google keyword ranking report.
If your business is located in the Tucson, Phoenix, Arizona, the US, Canada, or beyond and you would like to learn more about how your website can benefit from Local Small Business SEO, Niche SEO, Internet or Website Marketing services or solutions please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024, 520-777-6479 or 843-882-7661 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
A Video Worth Sharing About Social Media Marketing
August 2, 2010
Welcome to the SEO Phoenix Internet Marketing Services Blog at Tucson SEO Solutions
A Video Worth Sharing About Social Media Marketing
This may actually be the best and most useful video about social media that I have ever seen. It really reminded me of our marketing technique that I call Scratch My Back Marketing. It is simple, short, and to the point. Not only that it is professionally done. If you ever wanted to understand how to use social media then this video is for you.
These guys call themselves Upside Down Iceberg. What they means I don’t know but I thought it is a clever name.
Unfortunately, they do not allow there videos to be embedded but here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gza8dvN8Hkc
What say you?
You can find me on
Twitter.
You can find me on
Facebook.
Our Arizona Services:
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Phoenix Niche SEO – Internet Marketing Services
Local Internet – Website Marketing Services Tucson
Local Internet Website Maps Google Places Yahoo Bing
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson – Phoenix
Yuma – Flagstaff Arizona SEO -Internet Marketing Services
Scottsdale SEO – Glendale internet Website Marketing Services
Marana – Sierra Vista – Green & Oro Valley SEO – Internet Marketing Services
Nationally we offer the following services:
Detailed Website Review – Audit
Holistic SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Niche SEO – Internet – Website Marketing Services
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson Phoenix
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeting SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
Affordable Quality Ethical Links – BackLinks Building Services Training
If your business is located in the US, Tucson, Phoenix, Glendale, Flagstaff, Yuma, Scottsdale, Arizona or beyond and you would like to learn more about how your website can benefit from a blog, SEO, Niche SEO, or Internet Marketing services please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024, 520-777-6479 or 843-882-7661 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
The Dangers Of Honest Blogging V 2.0
June 12, 2010
The original post: The Dangers Of Honest Blogging
The fact is that the world, no make that the internet is full of rude people who hide their identities but not their thoughts. What I am referring to is my recent posts here and on other sites about Geri’s struggles with her health issues. She has ended up in the hospital on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Years Days.
The last trip was extremely scary for me as the visits to the hospital were coming closer and closer together. She didn’t have insurance at the time thus she could not get or afford her follow-up care. We are dealing with life and death issue here and I have paid a price her being honest. The latest insult was a comment on a post that I did about her return from the hospital on Christmas Day and that was all the present that I needed.
I poured out my heart on a forum called Hall Pass. I picked it for no specific reason other than I was visiting the site and I needed to tell my story. There were several nice supportive comments. Then a very rude one. It simply read “Geri’s gonna die deal with it we all die” or something to that effect. I was extremely upset by this rude behavior. I started to respond and then I stopped myself. I thought getting me angry was the whole purpose behind such a comment. So I perused a high pathway. I choose to respond to the positive comments rather than the negative. I though I’m not giving this person validation.
These are just a few examples of what I have experienced and what others have experienced by being honest in their blog posts and since its my blog I will continue to do so. On a positive note: writing about our life and death struggles has been very beneficial for me. I am a very private person in my day to day life. I don’t enjoy a large support group that is why I turned to blogging and it has worked very well. When I started writing about Geri’s life and death struggles it was interrupted with bitter weeping and sobbing. I have overcome that, at least for now!
On the update front: Geri has returned home from the hospital. While she was there she was approved for Arizona’s version of Medicaid. So now, she can be seen by all of her specialists and receive all the meds that she needs. However, getting to see her primary care doctor was a bit of a challenge. When she called they gave her and appointment two weeks out. At that rate she will have returned to the hospital again without follow up care. I called the service provided and they offered to move up the appointment three days. I responded that even by then she will have likely been back in the hospital without ever have received follow-up care.
I was told that she would see what she could do. Amazingly, the phone rang within minutes. It was the primary care physicians office. They were offering a Monday appointment. Yea… What this means is I now am wearing another hat. This one belongs to the appointment setter which I don’t mind. As I later explain to Geri sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
As things settle down here I hope to finish a lengthy series on link building… Maybe!
Update 06/09/2010: Well, at lot has happened since I wrote that first post. I most important thing has been the improvement of Geri’s health. She still could use a liver transplant, but she has improved tremendously. Sometimes when I look at her it hard to imagine that she is critically ill. She has not looked this good in years.
I am so grateful that we changed primary care doctors. Her new doctor, one one that gave her six months to live, has been very active with her care. The former doctor asked “what do you want me to do, I’m not a specialist.” We then said come back in three months. Yes, that advice was given to someone who had spent more time in the hospital than out over the last two months!
As for that link building program that I was working on that has morphed into a much bigger program. I am currently working on an SEO and link building video training series. I have already scripted and completed the first 20 or so. Now, if I only could figure how to place them on this blog. I worked on that project last night.
I created a video about the daily life of a local SEO where I recorded my work on the internet while doing research for a n upcoming video marketing campaign for myself. The video ended up being a critic of several video websites. I had not intended doing that. It just became very obvious that many of these sites are difficult to use registration wise and I pointed out the difficulties of using the site.
I see really bad sites almost everyday and this video highlighted three sites that where not very user friendly. Some times its the color scheme or the font size that make reading the content difficult. One site had its join now link located at the bottom of a very large page.Not only that, but the font color was a very light gray and it blended in with the white background which made it extremely difficult to read for these eyes.
I will be working on learning how to add video again today.
Here’s some other valuable resources:
Would you like to download the Scratch My Back Marketing anti spam plugin? Then go here.
Would you like to learn more about the Scratch My Back Marketing (not the plugin?) Then go here.
Too learn more about our services please check out these links:
Our Arizona Services:
Increase Website Traffic Phoenix Tucson
Phoenix Niche SEO – Internet Marketing Services
Local Internet – Website Marketing Services Tucson
Local Internet Website Maps Google Places Yahoo Bing
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson – Phoenix
Yuma – Flagstaff Arizona SEO -Internet Marketing Services
Scottsdale SEO – Glendale internet Website Marketing Services
Marana – Sierra Vista – Green & Oro Valley SEO – Internet Marketing Services
Nationally we offer the following services:
Detailed Website Review – Audit
Holistic SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Niche SEO – Internet – Website Marketing Services
Local SEO Internet Marketing Services Tucson Phoenix
Geo-Targeted Geo-targeted SEO – Search Engine Optimization Services
Affordable Quality Ethical Links – BackLinks Building Services Training
If your business is located in the US, Tucson, Phoenix, Glendale, Flagstaff, Yuma, Scottsdale, Arizona or beyond and you would like to learn more about how your website can benefit from a blog, SEO, Niche SEO, or Internet Marketing services please call Tucson SEO at 520-505-6024, 520-777-6479 or 843-882-7661 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
Does Google Give An Unfair Linking Advantage To Established Websites?
July 25, 2008
Since Google has encouraged blogs not to pass link juice, a valuable but very time consuming white hat method has been diminished. For many website marketers, making comments on blogs were our main or only tool for acquiring links.
Many blogging platforms, such as WordPress have been set as “No Follow.” This simply means that the link created by leaving a comment is only good for generating website traffic. The “No Follow” link attribute renders the link incapable of assisting in the pursuit of higher search ranking.
In the past we would begin blogging our way through Top Ranks huge SEO – SEM list at the beginning of each month. The goal was a letter a day. This left a few extra days for things like the letter “S.” Back then almost all blogs were “Do Follow” now most of them are not.
We just completed covering the entire list scouring for blogs to be included in our “Do Follow List.” I was shocked by how few blogs are actually passing link juice. Since thousands of websites depend on this method they now are scrambling to figure out how to find usable links.
This is where I believe Google gives an unfair advantage to established websites that have already accumulated a huge amount of links. New websites are playing by a different set of rules then the older sites used when they established their links in the past.
The Top Rank list is a good example of that advantage. If you worked the list in one month you might have ended up with 300 links from one list. Now you might be lucky to get 30. Thus Google is making it roughly 10 times harder to obtain links through this method.
It becomes extremely more difficult to produce enough links to overcome any website with a sizable link advantage. The unintended consequence is that this sharply increases the cost related to any website link building program.
Another unintended consequence is that it will force many out of the ethical white hat approach to search marketing. They will conclude that if you can not win by playing by the rules then they will find new ways to manipulate the search engine.
Like many things in life, solving one problem often creates another one somewhere else. Now, don’t get me wrong I’m a big fan of Google; we owe our businesses existence to Google. We are merely writing about our industry, and Google is the Big Dog in this neighborhood. When you write about websites and linking you inevitably will write about Google.
We invite you to join the conversation and leave a comment. We also invite you to continue the conversation on your blog or perhaps use a trackback, or maybe even social bookmark this article, give it a Digg or Stumble it.
To learn more about our services please check out these links:
Local SEO Tucson Website Designs Phoenix SEO Tucson Search Engine Optimization
Small Business SEO Solutions Geo-Targeted SEO Solutions Niche SEO Solutions Do Follow Blog List
If your business is located in US, Canada, or in the Arizona cities of Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, and beyond and would like to learn how your website can benefit from a blog please call Tucson SEO at 520-777-6479 or 1-866-512-1230 Now!
Tucson SEO… Solutions that create probabilities out of possibilities.
