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I build websites for a living and I continually get asked by people " how do I get to number 1". Never mind that this question in itself is a bit vague but I do my best to explain to these business people that it is slightly more complicated than this.
Needless to say they still do not understand, however I also explain to them quite clearly that Yes websites can be made "search engine friendly" but there is a thousand other things you need to do as well, Links, inbound and out, affilkiates, keywords etc etc. Things have taken a turn.
Now I dont understand!
The major search engines are changing their parameters frequently and it is causing tremendous grief for alot of web design and marketing people. Try explaining why that site is now number one and yours isnt anymore to the average business person! They dont care, they want results!
This is all well and good but then try telling them that they have to wait 6 months while we adapt to the new inbound links only algorithim!
I really am unsure at the moment where all this leads but any replys concerning solutions to the "I am joe Q public where is my money going" would be appreciated!
- make the site as easy to "get" by the search engine's (standard-navigation links)
- use the primary keywords on primary locations (title/h1/etc)
- use the secondary keywords at least somewhere (so when looking for that word you won't get excluded from the result; in google the search-word has to appear on your site to be in the SERP)
- `create` inbound links
I told them I couldn't garantee a #1 spot and that the position they get might change due to changes made by the search enginge's or on other site's.
They seemed to understand what I meant.
You could allways compare the search engine's with a butler who has to get a number of articles about a certain topic from todays newspaper for his employer.
Where the site can be compared with the newspaper and the searcher with the employer.
How would the creator of the newspaper be able to garantee that the butler chooses his article to be more important then the others? He can't!
Has no one else encountered this, I must be doing something seriously wrong if they havent!
Tell them to go to one of the people who claim to be able to put them at number 1. Then tell how much you will be charging them in one years time when they come back with their tale between their legs and cap in hand after squandering lots of money for no sales.
I also can't help thinking that any business person investing in something for which he doesn't have at least a rudimentary understanding of the marketing channels they are to invest in and use is probably going to lose out anyway.
Maybe I'm just lucky but my managers have a more than adequate understanding of the complexity of the issues involved.
But a #1 spot in the SERPS isn't something that can be delivered on demand.
Nobody can garantee that! That is the simple fact!
If I had a possible client that would require me to put them in #1 spot in the SERPS I would turn them down.
Simply because I know I can't deliver that; nobody can!
tenerifejim's advise about sending them to another company that claim they can do that is a good one.
Do ask for more money if they were to come back after a year though; also tell them that in advance.
Also get a good contract with them containing what exactly you will be doing for what amount of money and what will be charged for additional work if they do hire you for the job.
I wouldn't be suprised if you would need that at some point.
