Comments on: Finding a Search Engine Optimization Company

By: John Puddifoot

John Puddifoot — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:19:36 +0000

This is one of my first blog posts but it seems pretty straight forward to me. As I mention in Who to seo? it's easy to judge people by results. I'm not an SEO'er, but if Google consistently rates an SEO consultancy highly, then they actually must be pretty good. Or is that over simplifying things? John P

By: Bubblegum SEO Links Volume Two Google SEO, Successful Blogging, Online Marketing

Bubblegum SEO Links Volume Two Google SEO, Successful Blogging, Online Marketing — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 04:18:30 +0000

[...] Finding a Search Engine Optimization Company - A marketing blog about the intersection of social media, search marketing and online public relations has released a nice list of sites that can help you with learning more about SEO. [...]

By: Yuri

Yuri — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 08:50:46 +0000

Let me rephrase Lee a tad: the only good lists are those, where the list creator knows himself how good the SEOs are and already actively recommends them. Otherwise, the list isn’t worth that much, in my opinion.

Yeah, that’s the problem with the lists: when you need to get there, you can’t. When you are there, you don’t need it that much.

By: Lee Odden

Lee Odden — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:42:16 +0000

The most important lists to be included on include no payment and involve the most scrutiny.

It is probably more important for SEO consultants that are starting to make a name for themselves to be included in such lists. For those that are already known, their absence may be conspicuous, so it’s just part of the marketing game to be included.

I can say being included in Marketing Sherpa’s book has been very beneficial to our firm.

By: Big Oak SEO

Big Oak SEO — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:12:37 +0000

As an SEO Company ourselves, I wonder about the importance of being included SEO “approval” networks. Many of our local competitors are in such listings but we have never joined any that required a fee. It hasn’t hurt as we have plenty of business and our work comes from referral (70%) and people find us for search terms (20%) and clicking on competitors sites (10%). No one has ever asked about our SEO credentials or memberships. Of course, maybe we have lost out on business because of it. I’d like to know what other SEO companies think. Is it worth it to be part of SEMPO? Am I thinking to small to pay for the membership?

By: Yuri

Yuri — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:29:56 +0000

You raise good points, Lee.

How about some more?

First of all, the company seeking SEO should be ready for SEO. They should make sure their product delivers value to the customer, they have enough people and resources to get involved in anything a SEO or Internet Marketer tells them.

And, for the most part, trust is the most essential thing here. Trusting who you work with is a key to success. If your SEO says you need to wait, you need to wait.

(Then again, various unrealistic expectations need to be demisitified before a SEO should start the work, I believe.)

As for referrals, I am a huge believer they are the best way to find great SEOs and get good clients. Why? Because you get them from a witness, who has seen results from the work of a SEO. You also get from someone you trust, from someone who also trusts the SEO. Did I say that trust is the most important thing here?

If you (as a SEO client) don’t know anyone who has successfully used a SEO (which by now should be a rare occasion), you can ask a person, who runs a SEO blog (like Lee, but some other person, because this is what prompted him to write this post) to recommend other trusted SEOs, if you don’t wish to hire Lee specifically.

So, no, you are not biased. You just have great experience in working with clients and SEOs

P.S. I can’t emphasize enough how much people, looking for SEOs, need to do before they get their website optimized. It is pretty astonishing both how they forget about making sure they are going to work with a nice guy/gal or how some SEOs not deliver what they promise them.

By: Irwin

Irwin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 02:02:27 +0000

I guess some of these companies charge in thousands but is it really worth to spend that much when someone with a little knowledge and a few books can do SEO themselves.

http://reviewszone.blogspot.com

By: Lee Odden

Lee Odden — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 20:09:52 +0000

All lists like this are flawed in one way or another. This list is not necessarily in order of value or importance. Some people find such resources helpful. However, I prefer referrals myself.

By: Tyson

Tyson — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:46:35 +0000

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but placing TopSEOs at the front of your list seems disingenuous. There is too strong a link between the companies that advertise on TopSEOs and the monthly rankings, it’s almost comical. I’m not sure how you can put them in the same list as Rand’s personal recommendation list or MarketingSherpa’s guide.

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:46:49 +0000

A company I previously worked for used KeywordRanking. For the $2000 we were spending a month on them, it seemed like they did $1 of work and insight a month. They didn’t come to us with any expectations, they just took the check and waited for us to ask them for help.