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Anyway, what do you think about the possibility of signing the HTML code of the sites one is promotiong in SE? Web designers often add the 'Developed by' or 'Credits' link.
A SEO specialist could add something like
<meta name="AUTHOR" content="Site promoted by ...@...">
or a link in the credits page, most of all if the SEO contributed in developing a SE friendly site.
Or do you think is better to stay anonimuos? Why?
Thank you
Miriam
1) May be an additional source of getting your name out there.
2) May be an additional way that SEs or other SEOs can find you and screw with you.
Any "dodgy" practice should be done completely anonymously, whereas helping clients write sensible copy, using proper optimised titles etc, getting rid of sales-speak mumbo-jumbo, and having the added bonus of better rankings is something that I'd be happy to be associated with.
As a web designer every site I produce includes "web design by me" in the footer. It stops anyone else using it on their portfolio, and brings in a tiny amount of extra business. Additionally it helps link pop.
In SEO terms - the author or a comment tag is probably the way to go.
I have also noticed that it tends to be a tactic used by, shall we say, less than scrupulous and/or competent SEO firms, and while I'm not for a moment suggesting that you belong in either category, it may be worth avoiding for that reason alone
There is another point in favour of anonimous promotions, I think: often we promote customers who target the same keywords. If they discover our "double game", probably they would upset.
Ciao
Miriam
Most SEO firms have a policy that will prevent them from doing work like this.
agerhart, when those are given, is it for a particular length of time?
List of such businesses is two long, but below are two that I work most:
1) Lawyers
2) Mortgage Companies
So I personally believe that there is no need to give the client an absolute exclsivity agreement, but instead "exclsivity" within in the state where client does business should be enough.
However, I have noticed that there are some clients who are wanting "absolute exclsivity agreement" and are also willing to pay the price. :)
That's exactly it, Vishal. If they're willing it's one thing. But then, what happens if they're on contract for 6 months or a year, don't renew because they'll be doing it themselves, and you're permanently tied up from ever doing a site with those keywords again.
Some aren't willing to pay, and still want it. It can even be requested with a one-shot deal. And some sites are small and in a simple, budget-priced category where there's no way to NOT ever do any others; there couldn't be enough compensation for exclusivity because the site and the small amount of work involved wouldn't justify charging or paying that type of fee.
In some cases it can be simple optimization for one keyword set on a single product site with only a couple of applicable variations; sometimes doing one page for one keyword gets the job done. With a 6 page, one product site - and there are a lot of those - how difficult is it? It doesn't warrant very much or take much effort so it couldn't be possible to not do others.
But there can be problems that arise, not with the site owners but with figuring out how to handle it. I've got two, one I did from the ground up and maintain with complete control that's small with the same "best" keyword as another I work on that's owner designed and much larger. I did them with alternate variations of the keyword and the rankings are about identical, each one for the respective variation, but they could easily be reversed, since it's a single product, or both be the same. It would be like competing against myself and I'd almost have to choose which one to push above the other.
In fact right now I've got two situations like that, and with the second case both sites appear on the same SERP two places apart. Oh, I know which one I can get higher for the word in both cases, but it's a struggle to figure it out. So that's four sites, and in either case it would not have been possible or feasible to give an exclusive, especially in the case of one, where I did the initial work and there's no maintenance on it. I can make changes at will, but I've not been contracted beyond the initial build except for hosting.
About the original question "Site promoted by..." if I design them, I'm entitled to take credit for the design, and if I choose, link back to myself and include in the portfolio - maybe. With promotion I haven't, except in one case where I did the original design and promotion, the rankings are still there, and the original design is there but the graphics are all changed. My name was taken off, and I emailed the site owner about "certain design and seo issues" so there's a link up crediting for seo.
So far there's been no portfolio mention or linking back with any sites that are only promotion, no trace of any of it whatsoever. But I'm about to start to on a few, because they're completely clean sites and there's no reason to hide the fact. I am, however, undecided how to word the link and credit back and/or the portfolio reference. There is not a chance of anyone messing with those, the only risk would be people "stealing" which I can easily foresee happening, which is why I haven't so far, although it could happen anyway with the ones that have the design credit.
I'm wondering what the best choice of wording is. Search engine optimization is most appropriate and accurate, but it seems kind of tacky for some reason.
If they're willing it's one thing. But then, what happens if they're on contract for 6 months or a year, don't renew because they'll be doing it themselves, and you're permanently tied up from ever doing a site with those keywords again.
Ouch.. that sounds like a real horror story!
I guess I should have been more clear. Exclsivity agreement ends on the last day of the service agreement with that particular client. Moreover, I am glad to say that most of the clients we get, do renew.
we work in a touristic area and some of our customers are hotels. They all want the same, one keyword: 'hotel in ....'. We could never sell it to one hotel only.
First: Their budgets are limited
Second: what would all the others say? no one would accept a promotion without the main keyword
Maybe a bid?? (oh, noooooooooo!!!)
Ciao
Miriam
It's a policy I've always followed, even if it's not in the contract. I've just never thought that competing against myself was a good thing.
