Partial Seo Work For Clients Options

[incrediblehelp]

I am wondering what was the professional opinion from everyone here on clients that only want you to do SEO work on a small list of keywords or small part of their website. Would anyone here even consider this? An example of this would be a hotel website that offers booking in just in the northwest states, but they only wanted you to do work on few cities in Washington. THis is only what they had budgeted for.

As you know SEO changes and problems that present themselves are almost always occur on global basis. It is not just about changing a handful of pages on the website.

Of course this client would be more than happy to sign up with you if they saw more bookings from your work on these cities.

What do you think?

[qwerty]

It's not at all uncommon for me. Of course I'd like to take care of their entire site, as I'll make more money, but sometimes they just want me to take care of a few pages that they can treat as examples so that they can do it themselves. And of course I'm available to provide consultation if they have any questions.

As far as global issues go, like navigation, server problems, or code, I give them a page template (or multiple templates) so they can fill in the content, and if navigation is a problem, I take care of it, but that's not the same thing as working on every page.

[jehochman]

Every happy client is a value to your business. I've done some geographic optimization for regional businesses. We created individual pages for each store, showing pictures, map, address, and hours (useful info, not spam). We optimized them for "{product} {location}" and got good results. We first had to make sure the site didn't have any show-stopping problems. As long as the site is indexed, there are no spam penalties in effect, and you have some inbound links, I do not see a problem with a limited scope project.

[Jill]

I am wondering what was the professional opinion from everyone here on clients that only want you to do SEO work on a small list of keywords or small part of their website. Would anyone here even consider this?

I wouldn't do it these days, but would have in the past. Two reasons for that:

1.) It used to be that you could just do some quick and easy on-page optimization to a few pages of a site and it would work.

2.) The entire site structure used to not be as important as it is today.

Today, I wouldn't feel very confident that simply working on an isolated bit of a site would actually provide results for the client. And if I can't provide results, I've failed, and I don't take on any jobs that I will fail at. Afteralll, my client's success is my success!

I wouldn't do it.

[qwerty]

Something that gets mentioned pretty often here in the forum is that SEO isn't rocket science, and anyone can do it if they start off with some common sense and take the time to learn the rest. When someone with budget limitations asks me to do a few pages, it's to help them learn how to do the rest themselves. Success in that context is getting them to see how to work on their site themselves, and to rely on me as a source of information when they need it.

The ROI part of success, in such cases, is pretty much up to them instead of me. But the tag line on my site is "Steps in the right direction," and that's the idea. Making improvements on web sites may not be all it takes to turn them into profitable businesses, but since no site is ever really finished, it's really all a matter of taking steps to improve it.

[incrediblehelp]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I must be honest, one of the issues is that this is a partner project with another company that sends work my way. I try to help them out as much as possible and coach the partner along the way on how to properly sell this and future client on a whole SEO package instead of test pilots or parts of the website. Of course the partner comes back and says, "the client only has so much of a budget". This is usually is the root cause for only signing up for SEO on portion of the client website.

I just don't want to set myself up for failure as Jill has pointed out. The problem here is that I find myself working all kinds of other areas of the website including the pages the client has signed up. I am of the same belief that global changes are the only 100% to know you have done the complete SEO work on a clients website. I fell if this continues, in the end my partner will get the short of the stick, because I will have to bill them so many hours to ensure SEO success and they are billing the client for only small portion of changes because of their "budget".

[jehochman]

I like Jill's approach. It seems like a good way to spend more time with my kids, and less time answering calls from cheap, fussy clients.

[Jill]

Something that gets mentioned pretty often here in the forum is that SEO isn't rocket science, and anyone can do it if they start off with some common sense and take the time to learn the rest. When someone with budget limitations asks me to do a few pages, it's to help them learn how to do the rest themselves. Success in that context is getting them to see how to work on their site themselves, and to rely on me as a source of information when they need it.

That's a really good point, Bob!

I cover my bases, and those of my clients that way by offering lower priced consulting services as opposed to full out SEO. That way they still get to learn exactly what they need to do with their site as a whole, and can very much succeed if they choose to implement my recommendations.

But for full out SEO where my company is actually doing the work, it's not cost effective for us to do anything but the site as a whole.

[incrediblehelp]

But for full out SEO where my company is actually doing the work, it's not cost effective for us to do anything but the site as a whole.

Even if it would mean signing the large client/website to a full SEO package if you had success with a portion of the website?

I agree with you Jill, you should do the whole website or none. Their is no in-between now-a-days. Even to have success on a portion of the website more than likely you have to implement changes globally.

My problem is some agencies I have partnered with tend to think even a test run or a pilot working on part of the website can lead to getting the client to sign on for the full SEO services. Of course this could be true, but in the meantime I am actually working on the whole website during the test run and charging them for it.

It just seems to be a disconnect between them and myself I think.

[Jill]

Even if it would mean signing the large client/website to a full SEO package if you had success with a portion of the website?

I would (and do) suggest to that type of client that they hire me as a consultant. To either start with one of my full SEO reports, or to do some sort of monthly retainer consulting.

Generally, for most clients, doing the report is the best first step. I do it for my full service SEO clients anyway, but for those not afraid to commit to a long term contract, the report option is perfect. It provides them with information about why their current site isn't working, as well as the information to help them make it work. They can take the info and run with it themselves if they have the right people onboard, or they can then decide to hire my company to do it for them.

Regardless of what option any company takes when working with mine, it's always got to be a partnership since they know their business and I know mine.

My problem is some agencies I have partnered with tend to think even a test run or a pilot working on part of the website can lead to getting the client to sign on for the full SEO services. Of course this could be true, but in the meantime I am actually working on the whole website during the test run and charging them for it.

Right, which doesn't work. That's where the consulting and site analysis stuff is a perfect happy medium!

[incrediblehelp]

I think you misunderstood me Jill. Sure getting just reporting going for a client is a great "first step".

I meant, would you turn away working on a handful of pages or even just one section of clients website even if would lead to working on the whole website down the road?

[Jill]

Sure getting just reporting going for a client is a great "first step".

I'm not talking about 'reporting.' I'm talking about a complete site analysis and strategy report that you can plunk down on the client's desk that describes exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. (You might call that 'reporting' but that's definitely not a word I'd use to describe what I'm talking about.)

I meant, would you turn away working on a handful of pages or even just one section of clients website even if would lead to working on the whole website down the road?

I may not be the best person to ask that question, because I turn down most work if it doesn't suit the way I like to work.

But, in the situation you describe, if they first allowed me to do one of my extensive site reports, I might very well be happy to do a portion of the work to start out (after the report was done) depending on whether my report showed it would be beneficial or not.

A small part of the work, might at first be to come up with a new site architecture. If they didn't need a new site architecture (and it's rare that a site needing SEO wouldn't need that) then it's very possible one section of the site could be somehow SEO'd. But without my blueprint to work from (my report) there's no way for me to know it. And like any good builder, I don't do any work without a blueprint.

Unfortunately (for clients) the blueprint ain't cheap and I don't do it for free to see if I can take on a portion of work on a site or not. Regardless of how much future work it might create. (That's usually a crock of (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_images/poo.gif) too. If a company throws you that line, run like the wind!)

[qwerty]

A pretty high percentage of my clients end up sending me more work than we initially agreed on, even if I did the whole site. Maybe they want to add something new to the site, or they want me to start tracking rankings or traffic.

[incrediblehelp]

Yeah "reporting" was just weak word I used.

Agree on all other points.

Thanks Jill.

[Karri]

I am finding this thread to be thought provoking.

Jill, the business model you practice and advocate here makes a lot of sense (there's that word again (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ). Your site analysis puts things "right" in everyone's mind from the get-go. And, if the prospect is not willing to invest in that initial analysis/consultation, then you have instantly weeded out the tire kicking and/or nickel-'n-diming types who are not really that serious about making their business work for them (monetize) online.

I am currently in the process of redesigning my own business structure ... i.e. weeding out the crap I hate doing, the kinds of clients I don't want to work with, and refocusing my energies on what I love and can offer the most value in.

So, thanks for your honesty. Always nice to hear "been there done that" insights ... so many so-called "gurus" never actually share their business models ... they just act like they sit around and collect cheques without much work. Grrrrr!.

Karri