Part 2 of the Cowboy SEO company info
[Website Owner] I have already paid this SEO company to start work for me which I won’t get back! But I value your feedback and have taken what you’ve said onboard. I wish I had known this was a service you also provided sooner but never mind.
As I’ve ready paid this company, an additional payment for a SEO program from yourselves is currently out of the question, as on top of my other marketing costs its way outside of my budget. However, I would like to work with you as I do believe you would do a good job. You mentioned a mini SEO project whereby I would do some work myself which Im interested in. Please elaborate and advise what I would be expected to do myself to give me an idea. Also what kind of results I could expect to achieve.
Yes I’m aware there a lot of cowboys out there. It’s difficult to judge who is and who isn’t when you don’t know very much about SEO.
[Website Design / SEO Company] Sorry to tell you but we get regular emails from clients that have been ‘duped’ by cowboy SEO companies, indeed one of our biggest successes from a SEO perspective came from a company that had been paying £300 per month to a SEO company for 2 years, the SEO company (using Google Personalised results) were able to show the client via a video that they ranked in the top 3 for their key search terms but this was ‘personalised results’ and not real.
Using one metric (one search term) for this example after the SEO program that company moved from position 57 to position 1 and is still there 3.5 years on. We don’t do many ‘mini’ projects and no results can be promised or guaranteed, in SEO you cant guarantee any results, apart from telling you we do things the ‘correct way’ according to Google Webmaster Rules and that our goal is to improve your brand / visitor numbers / sales over the long term.
If you want us to commit to a mini-SEO project with you then to make it the most effective you would be expected to write a lot of news / articles / posts as well as doing some normal marketing (adding yourself to business directories etc) while we fully review the site and build / improve it.
We have loads of SEO / website design projects on currently and could only commence work with you on your SEO project after 8 weeks at the earliest. Please tell me what you agreed / have paid them and what the other company have physically suggested and done already for you as we need to know fully if they have done any damage yet.
[Website Owners] The company I’m using haven’t done anything as yet except to list me in 2 classified ads (I asked them for an update). Reason so little has been done is purely due to me. 1) I have been away a few times and haven’t had time to get back to them and 2) I stalled after you advised you provide SEO services. They don’t have any of my social networking info (although have asked for it) nor have they posted any blogs etc as I asked them to hold fire (also because I want to review everything before it gets published). So based on that, very little has been done so I assume no damage.
I have already sent you what they have suggested in the email and attachment in my previous email. Starting in 2 months would work for me. Also; can you tell me where I can get my Google Analytic info directly? Thanks for emailing it to me periodically but would be useful to gain direct access if you would let me know pls.
[Website Designers] Yes working loads and not enough hours in the day hence the late nights, I have added you to the Google Analytics and you should have an email telling you the same. Glad to hear they haven’t done any damage, link building if done incorrectly (spammy links on unrelated sites) now invokes a google penalty, Search for Google Penguin update for more info / clarification, thats why one of the first things we do is review and disassociate ourselves (disavow) from the links that were placed on website pages that aren’t relevant / appropriate and are there purely to game the search engines (black hat SEO).
