Do you work for Google or for your client?

[iamlost]

I love when the truth hits the fan and the denial runs deep...
Note: I also love to mix my metaphors.

Russ Jones of Moz asked the following Twitter question:

Quick poll: Do you REPORT rankings on Yahoo/Bing to clients/stakeholders (not just track).

with the following reported results:
Yes: 14.1%
No: 85.9%

In Search Engine Roundtable mention of this ‘Harold’ commented:

Based on this post, i did a quick poll on my SEO FB Group, here is the results.
The question is: do you check your rankings on BING, Yahoo, etc?
Results: 149 No
vs
18 yes

Note: my emphasis italic, bold.

Illustrating my long held opinion, often reinforced by posts here at WebmasterWorld that many/most SEOs (and webdevs wearing that hat) are NOT now and have NOT been for ~15 years Search Engine Optimisers; rather they have been Google Search Optimisers.

The excuse most often given, as it was in the SER comments, is that Google is so dominant that ignoring all other SEs is a good and natural behaviour...

If done by a webdev on/for their own account this may be a valid business decision. By a contracting SEO service, acting as client’s agent, this is (1) taking the easy simple choice, (2) implicit admission of specialisation at best, ignorance and incompetence at worst, as well as (3) professional negligence and dereliction of responsibility.
Note: unless the option of other than Google search opportunity was fairly (many/most SEOs and webdevs would be incapable of such as insufficiently knowledgeable) discussed and constraint/limitation agreed by client.

Despite occasionally stepping in to point out that while Google is a great default that there are viable profitable non-Google search and other traffic referral options I tend mostly to (1) not enjoy the typical derisive replies from the myopic fanbois in dystopian denial and (2) enjoy the competitive advantage so freely granted.

So...
I ask the following questions here on WebmasterWorld:
1. do you CHECK your/clients rankings on Bing, Yahoo, etc?

2. if yes above do you REPORT them to clients/stakeholders?

Just to close the circle:
3. if yes above do you fairly discuss Bing, Yahoo, etc. optimizing, marketing with your clients?

4. if yes above does the client explicitly demand Google only focus, optimisation?

And the kicker:
5. are you knowledgeable, capable, and experienced in optimising for Bing, Yahoo, etc. ?

5-Corollary: without diminishing Google optimisation/marketing?

[mack]

1: Yes
2: Generally no because I track them to see how well I am doing. I often find the client doesn't need to know. If something is wrong they will be in touch then I need to address it.
3: I explain what I will be doing, but they are free to check serps if needed.
4: They mainly speak about results in terms of Google. Often referring to search implies Google.
5: I have to be honest and say I primarily aim to do well in Google and mainly check only on Google. I will check Bing, but won't scrutinize it as much as Google.

[RedBar]

!. Yes, I also always check the following Bing, Yahoo, DDG, Ecosia, Mojeek, Baidu, Sogou, Haosou, Qwant, Seznam, Yandex, Zapmeta, if I see any other SE in my logs I'll check them out to see their size and spread for my global markets. This I consider to be very important.

2. The majority of my work is for my own businesses. For other sites if I feel something needs to be drawn to someone's attention I do.

3. Not very often, they can see the success I have had with their sites however if they wish to change their business focus then, obviously, we discuss. e.g. A hotel site decided to change its focus from weddings to lunch and evening meals. It was a big change in the hotel with new kitchen, staff, head chef, types of meals, opening hours plus all new menus, web pages, pdfs etc.

4. No, they leave everything to me, they respect my experience.

5. Yes, I have always done this since 1993!

5C, Not an issue:-)

[Marshall]

<Devils' advocate> Given the relevance of lesser used search engines, is this a relevant question? is this not analogous to "do you design for every possible screen size?"

[RedBar]

Given the relevance of lesser used search engines

Possibly for closeted Americans:-)

For those who only believe Android is the "only" mobile operating system!

Did you know one of the most downloaded apps in the world is the UC browser? Do you know the UC browser and where it's used?

For those who only focus on their own "home" market, I assume the majority here are from the USA, then fine, do your "own" thing, HOWEVER there is a massive market out there that these so-called "analytical companies" never, ever pick-up on since they are so totally obsessed with satisfying their "western" clients.

Believe their crap as much as you want to since none of them, absolutely NONE of them, are ever out there in the realworld, face-to-face with seasoned well-informed specifiers / buyers.

It's not often I ever quote my late father however I shall do now ... Accountants! They're like historians, they can tell you what you've done and how well you did it BUT they haven't a clue how to tell you what to do in the future.

Data is worthless without the experience of understanding its real-world consequences.

And if all one does is drop-ship, unless one is a major player, why?

[engine]

1. do you CHECK your/clients rankings on Bing, Yahoo, etc?

Yes and no. Yes to get a guide, and no becausepersonalisation, but it's less important in some markets as their market share is far less than Google.

2. if yes above do you REPORT them to clients/stakeholders?

No.

Just to close the circle:
3. if yes above do you fairly discuss Bing, Yahoo, etc. optimizing, marketing with your clients?

Although it's no, I do discuss it.

4. if yes above does the client explicitly demand Google only focus, optimisation?

That has to happen by default due to market dominance.

And the kicker:
5. are you knowledgeable, capable, and experienced in optimising for Bing, Yahoo, etc. ?

It's worked so far.

As an aside, I have not reported ranking for many, many years. What is more important is traffic and ultimately, conversions.