16 replies to this topic

[YungCEO]

If you received an inheritance of $10,000 and had to spend it on search engine optimization and internet marketing, how would you spend it and where would you spend it?

[mcanerin]

Give it to me! (well, that's how *I'd* spend it...)

Just throwing out some numbers:

1-2k for a website usability touchup (and possibly content added)
2-3k for optimisation
2k for paid inclusion in top directories and sites
3k for PPC, spread over 3 months

This will obviously vary wildly depending on the site and niche, but I'll throw that out just to get people flaming me

Ian

[ajeshnair]

Hi Yung CEO!

Interesting question!

The reality is in general can do around 15-20 websites for the amount you have mentioned if the work is outsourced offshore. Well if i am in USA, the process splitting will be identical to Ian's.

Website Usability Analysis, Search Engine Friendly Re-Design or Re-development, Content Development, Link Building, PPC etc. The timeline also varies depending on the market, If keyword is like "britney spears". After finishing the work i will move to a new office with more facilities!!



-Ajesh

[anthonyparsons.com]

Interesting Ajesh....sounds like a sell job to me mate.

I won a job over that amount not long ago and let me just say, that that was quite sparing now that I am conducting some of the tasks that just aren't going to plan and burning up more of my time than expected. A five page website, yep, a real website with many many pages, and the same results......questionable.

To the question though.....I am like Ian....I would divide the money up into make believe SEO for my own site and be sitting in Tahiti or somewhere thinking about it all for when I return.

[ajeshnair]

It depends on the website Anthony. If the website is already having a good online presence and belongs to niche market then such a massive budget (in indian point of view!!) is not necessary. I am wondering how a sensible customer will spend like that. May be LARGE corporate companies. Well if client is still "insisting" to "spend money" then it is a jackpot!!

[anthonyparsons.com]

Stable results don't happen overnight, nor do they come cheap.

[OldWelshGuy]

With $10,000 I would forget about SEO & my site, and pay the invoice I have for my going on Tour watch to New Zealand with the British & Irish Lions Next year

Hey there are more important things than work, like rugby, and lager

[ajeshnair]

Looks like a pub thread!!

[JeffR]

Hi,
New to this forum. Just developed a site and soon to get started on some internet marketing with a budget of 5-10K. (a newbie to doing business online) I noted the original question to read 10K for SEO and "Internet Marketing" What about any $ allocated to affiliate marketing and/or banner deveolpment and advertising. Or are these avenues a waste of marketing $ .

2nd question: Would link building be a part of the $ spent on SEO, or a separate animal

Thanks.

[Scottie]

Depending on the site, $10k isn't very much to spend. You could spend that much just doing a usability analysis, SEO report, and redesign.

If you are sure the site is primed to convert, you might look into paid directories and other "permanent" links from respected sources that will boost your link popularity then invest in a PPC campaign both for traffic and to test the most profitable keywords you want to target.

Now if it's an inheritance... I'm headed to Europe! Get me a Eurailpass and a map...

[shahid]

Hello Jeffr,
Banner advertising is not much effective now.Text links are much more effective and can add to PR also.

[cline]

It depends entirely what the weak chain in the link is. Most of the clients I deal with should spend the money on website upgrades to make the sites more interesting and easier to use.

SEM stuff generally pays off pretty quickly. Investments here aren't typically big judgment calls. But website upgrades are a much harder sell.

[mcanerin]

Affiliate marketing can be VERY effective, if done right. there is at least one thread around here regarding an affiliate that is doing far better than the mothership, rankings wise.

Ian

[projectphp]

Depends on business model. If you have a product that is low margin, high volume, more on SEO. If it is big ticket, one offs, go for more money on the actual site design, as the impression you create is vital.

$10k isn't a lot, especially if you are just starting out and have to buy inventory (the widgets you sell), fit out an office (desks, computers etc) or actually have the site designed. So what you really need to do is work out where you are weakest (it could even be in business management, thus the money would be better spent on a business course at a college).

Have a look at not only your businesses soft points, but your own. An education lasts forever, and is well worth the money spent.

[Scottie]

An education lasts forever, and is well worth the money spent.

Nice one!