10 replies to this topic

[SmellieNellie]

My webstats are saying that in the space of 1 month (since 10th of Feb), there have only been 2 search strings for which my site was brought back, and one of those was the name of my company.

If this is the case, then I need to do something about it, has anyone else found themselves in this situation, and if so, how did you deal with it?

Am I expecting too much too soon?

Thanks.

SmellieNellie

[adore]

Are you talking about site in your profile?
If so, then it's quite strange - I see PR4, home page is indexable and contains text links...
In other words, only 2 referers from SE sounds really strange to me...

[OldWelshGuy]

Hi Nellie, it all depends, look on the bright side, 50% of incoming traffic was by name, so your branding efforts seem to be working

Seriously though, most of the traffic to my site comes from referrals, so the bulk of searches come in from search by name, or directly typing the url into the browser, (or following the link on an email signature). I often mail bits of information to my customers (personally not automated), and suggest they forward it on to any one else they know who it maybe of interest to. I know that quite a few customers have come to me by this form of viral marketing.

I do get quite a few hits from the SE's though, it does take time, and the way I look at it is if you only need one customer a week to hit your revenue targets, and your conversion from visit/sale is 50:1 then all you need to worry about is getting 50 well qualified hits a week, it is all about perspective.


OWG

[qwerty]

I don't know what you want to be found for, but a search on web development wrexham has you at #10 in Google. It may be that no one's searching on that, though.

My SEO site gets almost no traffic from search engines. A search for search engine optimization somerville (highly competitive, of course ) does bring up my profile on various other sites, and people do tend to click through to my site from those pages, but I sincerely doubt anyone who is looking for an SEO is going to specifically want one whose office happens to be in a town 5km outside of Boston.

Most of my leads (of those that don't get farmed out to me) come from people who've found me in places like this, or directories like SeoPros and SEOConsultants. And I don't post so much on the forums exclusively out of altruism

[SmellieNellie]

it all depends, look on the bright side, 50% of incoming traffic was by name, so your branding efforts seem to be working

Like it! So, I could quote this to prospective customers?!!

The problem is I have been getting too wrapped up in this because I feel that whilst I am offering these types of services, I will be asked to prove it by succeeding at it with my own site. In fact though, as you all seem to say, the majority of your business comes from referrals etc.

I would like to see some search phrases turning up though! At the moment I still only have 1 page indexed by google and I have 7 search phrases ranked at #1 but they are all either "North Wales" or "Wrexham".

Because I am new into this field I do not yet have the benefit of referrals so I am having to secure appointments via telemarketing. It's a good job I can sell!

Thanks for the feedback.

Smellie

[qwerty]

That's something I've never been able to do. In fact, I've never dared try it. I have an email in my inbox from a friend of mine who was looking for the web site of a very well-known local restaurant, and couldn't find it when he queried Google on its most obvious keywords. So he wrote to me saying I should call them up and tell them how I can help them. The message is dated 3 November 2003. It's just sitting there, taunting me....

[OldWelshGuy]

bob, do it, it's great fun

[SmellieNellie]

Qwery - it is well worth doing it, in just 1 hour I got 2 appointments! I used to do it telemarketing for a living though so I am used to it! Sell the benefits, not the facts, after looking at their site you will know what they are lacking and so you go straight in with those benefits cos they will hit a nerve probably - that's what I did recently! I looked at a load of local sites that I knew were poo and then use the relevant benefits without even telling them I had looked at their sites.

"Feel the fear and do it anyway"!!!!!!

Feels great after!

Smellie

[Scottie]

Telemarketing...

Hats off to you who are brave enough to do it! <glad you won't be calling me cause I'm likely to hang up on you...>

[Jill]

Or get "Edgared" if you called my house.

[SmellieNellie]

Ah well - I have never had anyone being negative toward me - I am always polite and pleasant - always ask if it is ok to take the time to speak to me, and always thank them for their time! Works a treat!