One of the things I enjoy about Dog Star Media is that I often feel like I have my finger on the pulse of market trends. And, a recent trend I have noticed is a sudden understanding of what is really possible for a small business when it comes to SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Most people who have had some experience with SEO firms complain to me about the same thing. They almost always say they do not understand what they are paying for. The second most common complaint has to do with lack of reporting or communication to explain the reports. Mix in the fact that most SEO firms are charging at least $1000/month and you get a formula for disappointment and frustration. The facts, as I understand them, are usually that such a fee is perfectly justified for the services performed for optimization.
So, why is everyone quitting out on their SEO companies all of a sudden? It is because price, performance and perceived value are all off when you consider the fact that your practice is a small business. And, even though we would all love to be listed on Page 1 on the most searched terms in your area, no SEO company can guarantee that and at $1000 or more per month, that gets on your radar.
So, we started a little experiment last spring. Many of you are aware that Dog Star Media has been offering a limited Keyword SEO program. We have kept it simple and kept the price low at only $300/month. It is not full blown SEO but it works, is priced right and makes sense in the reporting. Communication has been consistent and our reports show real results. The response has been good and these clients feel much more confident in maintaining an optimization effort at that price point. The marketing lesson is that price, perceived value and performance is in alignment. The informed choice to do less but to do it better is yielding results and, better, understanding of how SEO works for these clients.
One of the side effects has been a sudden focus on what is really possible on a small business budget in SEO. Nearly all of these clients have chosen to add a Google Adwords account to supplement their SEO. We do not charge extra for this. It is only $300/month to manage and comment on reports as well. This move to add Adwords to a limited Keyword Optimization Strategy is a major step forward. One very informed doctor once told me that the best SEO strategies include both optimization and pay per click. He is absolutely right. What I like about what I am seeing is that, as our clients become more educated on what is really happening, they are adding Adwords to insure some results while their keyword optimization works its way up.
This is really the best you can do but it takes understanding how it works and what is possible before most people decide to settle into this sort of strategy. All I know is that we are seeing clicks on the Adword reports and rises in the rankings, little at a time, on most of our optimization.
Call it managing expectations. Call it balancing out a product specifically for a market. I like to think of it as us taking the time to educate our clients about how it really works. The results have been more stabilized SEO and Adwords strategies.
If you want to learn more about this, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
