When it comes to search engine optimization, comparing apples to apples often seems like scheduling a tour of Santa’s North Pole facility: really, really hard to do. This is because very few search engine optimization (SEO) packages use the same metrics for success, much less use the same services and approach for delivering.
So how do you choose the right SEO solution for your company?
Well, the starting place is understanding what different types of options you have. The most meaningful way to group these for comparison is based on the packages’ metrics for success, or what it is that the SEO companies are promising you.
Page 1 Guaranteed (GENERALLY speaking): This is a common approach for SEO companies. With this type of package, you will often hear: “We guarantee that we will get you on page one of Google for only so much per month!” On the upside, these packages are typically a very affordable price relative to other SEO services. But on the downside they do NOT specify for which keywords you will be placed on page 1. So you could be buying a brand new Lexus or a rusted out 1982 Ford – you just don’t know. Consequently, when evaluating these packages you should be sure to track your sales in the first few months to see if you are getting a strong ROI.
Page 1 Guaranteed (SPECIFICALLY speaking): For many people these types of packages may sound similar to the packages described above. But to an industry insider they are EXTREMELY different. With this type of package, you will often hear: “We guarantee that we will get you on page one of Google for terms X, Y, and Z for only so much per month!” These packages again have a page 1 guarantee, but this time the guarantee is for specific keywords. This does not necessarily mean that it is a better package, but it means that you can now evaluate how good the package actually is! When evaluating these packages you should make sure that you know how many people search for each of your guaranteed keywords per month. Then assume that you will receive 8% – 10% of this traffic once you are on page 1.
Traffic Focused: These types of packages focus on cumulative traffic rather than on specific keywords and page 1 rankings. The concept behind them is that the company will work to establish a variety of good rankings for your site, typically some page 1 rankings for lower traffic terms, some page 2 rankings for higher traffic terms, and a few competitive longer shot keywords thrown into the campaign for future development. The key when evaluating these campaigns is first to understand whether the traffic is a guarantee or a projection and second to understand how relevant the traffic will be to your company.
Reputation Focused: The concept behind these packages can be summed up as: “We do great work, we have a long history of happy clients, and we will do the same for you!” These vendors focus on past case studies and testimonials, combined with projections that include rankings, traffic, and sales. In the end, their guarantee is the reputation which they are putting on the line for you. Consequently, these are the hardest types of packages to evaluate. These options typically contain both the best values and the worst scams, and it is often hard to distinguish between the two.
None of the above packages are necessarily better or worse than the others. But in order to evaluate bids and proposals, you need to understand how to properly categorize what type of service each vendor is offering. Only then can you continue on to evaluate traffic, relevance, and ROI in order to make your final decision.
