66 replies to this topic

[Scottie]

We've seen some heated discussions in the past few months over SEO techniques... I think the argument is chasing the wrong goal.

What's more important- high rankings or high sales/conversions? If you gain high rankings on competitive terms but the site doesn't convert, did you still do a good job?

As an SEO, do you feel it is your responsibility to simply get high rankings or actually help the client improve their business?

[SearchRank]

That's a good question. It really depends on what the client will allow you to do. My goal is both high rankings and high conversions because that is what is going to keep the client for the long haul. However I have been in situations where my hands have been tied in trying them to make their site more conversion friendly. I have also been in situations where my hands have been tied in trying to get their site higher rankings but the traffic they did get converted well. Finally, belive it or not, i have been in situations where my hand have been tied with rankings and conversions and yet they still paid for a monthly service.

Bottom line - if you can obtain high rankings and high conversions, those are the customers you are going to keep for years and years. I feel I have done the best job if I can succeed in both areas.

[Jill]

Oh how I wish it was just about rankings still. Those were the good old days.

I wrote about this somewhere recently, can't remember if it was here or in the newsletter...I think the newsletter.

J

[JamesW]

I agree David. High rankings + high conversions = happy client

[Minerva]

This sort of ties in with an earlier post of Shari's. You can't always control what clients do on their own. Also, what if they simply have a lousy product or too high a price? All the traffic in the world won't help that.

-Andrea-

[DanThies]

Any SEO/SEM consultant, site designer, etc. who doesn't *start* with the client's business goals in mind has already failed.

Smart business people don't bring in outside help because they want more traffic or higher rankings, they hire consultants because they want more growth/profit.

[lcobb]

Yes, but many businesses just assume that more traffic or higher rankings will equate to growth and higher profit and that is not necessarily the case.

Larry

[K.S. Katz]

Yes, but many businesses just assume that more traffic or higher rankings will equate to growth and higher profit and that is not necessarily the case.

But that's where educating the client comes into place. The reason why clients ask for high rankings is because they believe that high rankings = business growth. I usually spend at least 1 hour meeting with the client and explaining how the SEO process works and what they should be looking for. A smart client will definitely appreciate an SEO who has their bottom line in mind.

[SearchRank]

In the good old days, one could assume that if you were on the first page of the SERPs that more people would find your site and in turn you would see more sales/conversions. That was usually the case but not always.

I had a client back in 98 I think, who sold a device that would set the hook in a fish once they took the bait. We obtained great rankings for him, he saw an increase in traffic but no sales, I mean not one. He said his site was broken. No, everything worked (links, order form, etc.). The problem was that no one wanted to buy a cheater device for fishing. I mean that is most of the fun in fishing, setting that hook when you feel the fish taking your bait.

I asked him to test his product is some small bait and tackle shops around the local lakes. He wouldn't and ended up giving up. Sad for him that he had a full room of those things sitting around and probably still does!

[Scottie]

I wrote an article a while back for Jill called SEO without Usability.

I needed to buy screenprinted plastic bags for a promotion. The top sites were highly "optimized" but I was unable to buy from them. Their SEO's did great jobs at getting them ranked for competitive terms...

[JamesW]

Gosh. That takes the errr....fun(?)....err out of fishing :laugh:

Cheers

James

[SearchRank]

I wrote an article a while back for Jill called SEO without Usability.

Hey, Scottie. Glad to see your site is back up and running. New host I assume?

[Randy]

Sales, sales sales. If you can get the client to hold still long enough for them to start rolling in.

[Scottie]

Hey, Scottie. Glad to see your site is back up and running. New host I assume?

Man what a mess! I'm still finding things broken across the sites, but yes. I found an excellent host.

[anthonyparsons.com]

What's more important- high rankings or high sales/conversions?  If you gain high rankings on competitive terms but the site doesn't convert, did you still do a good job?

As an SEO, do you feel it is your responsibility to simply get high rankings or actually help the client improve their business?

#1 You need high rankings to get visitors to your site in order to get a conversion in the first instance!
#2 A high ranking on any term, competitive or not, I don't think as an SEO you have finished your job!
#3 As an SEO I believe it is my job to get my customers high rankings that convert to give a substantial ROI for the customer!

My Opinion - They kind off go hand in hand. Bit hard to convert sales with no quality visitors to begin with and a bit hard to convert visitors into sales if the website doesn't work for the customer.