First SEO Pitch

[kjs50]

Hello,

I've been avid reader of the forums and have learnt a lot from these. I'm going to be speaking to a potential client and want to discuss my thoughts on the steps needed to improve rankings. Just want to get my ideas straight before I discuss them. They already have a PR of 4, but show up nowhere for their main keywords.

Goal: Client wants better search engine listings for their business (consulting firm).

Methods:

1) Increase number of links coming into site (possible sources: DMOZ, Looksmart, etc...)

2) Pay per Inclusion sites (through MSN via PositionTech, FAST, etc...)

3) Pay per Click sites (Google, Overture, etc...)

4) Optimize the layout of the site itself
a) proper page titling
b) use of H1, H2 tags,
c) bold facing keywords
d) keyword density of?% per page)
e) site map
f) adding as much content as possible

what else am I missing? i've searched through the forums and used my own experience to come up with this list so far.

Thanks.

[kjs50]

Just want to clarify, that I don't believe that Pay per Inclusion and Pay per Click will result in better search engine rankings, but increase traffic overall.

Thanks.

[DrCool]

Overall that is a great start. A lot of SEO is trial and error. What works for some people might not work for others. If you go with what you have listed there you should have some success you can build on.

[agerhart]

Your list looks pretty solid. I might add the following:

- Keyword research
- Competitor and market research
- Reporting
- Maintenance

I don't believe that Pay per Inclusion and Pay per Click will result in better search engine rankings, but increase traffic overall.

I agree with you on PPC, but it is a gray area with Pay-for-Inclusion (PFI) programs. Let me clarify:

Registering your URLs with a PFI program like Inktomi or AskJeeves will not automatically increase your rankings...BUT, registering your URLs with these PFI programs will get your website into their database, so your rankings will increase in the search engines where their database is featured, if your web pages are properly optimized. If you don't register with these PFI programs, you may or may not be included within their database. If you do make it into the database, which is definitely feasible, it may take considerably longer.

So, it isn't that the PFI programs have direct effect on increased rankings, but that your rankings might not exist without them.

[Birdman]

I would even take #1 a bit further, to say:

1) Increase number of links coming into site using Top keyphrases as anchor text.

...then go on to explain the benefit of why anchor text is important.

[pageoneresults]

I'd like to place emphasis on agerhart's Keyword Research.

Without the proper keyword research you are spinning your wheels. If you are building the site from the ground up, Keyword Research is the very first thing that needs to be done. From that research you can effectively organize the structure of the site and all sub-directories along with proper file naming.

[Mike_Mackin]

Let me add:

Is their site built to sell?
Can you offer suggestions to help it convert?

[DaveN]

If this is your first seo job research like mad for some simple non-comp keyword phrases, maybe 4 - 3 word combo's with the spin something like.

what we will aim for ~keyword~ consulting, but we will start with

~keyword~ consulting in ~your city-name~
~keyword~ Consultants in ~in your state~

this way you should get some results straight away.

and try and to get a link from a fresh site you may benefit from the freshbot clients love It when you quote 30 - 45 days and 4 days later you start getting free google traffic from the fresh bot.

check the client logs and find out where they are getting their traffic from see if it can be improved

example :- they got three hits from some obscure keyword phrases which they rank #46 for target these straight away if people are digging that deep a top 3 should really start the traffic flowing

DaveN

[kjs50]

Thanks for all the great suggestions from everyone.

The client is a consulting firm specializing in training services. I imagine their "goal" is to generate more leads. They don't sell products on their website so leads would be the only measurable factor.

Keyword targeting sounds wonderful. I guess the visualization is to be the leader in a specific keyword group and then expand from there?

[kjs50]

Another question I have is:

I'm sure it varies by the client and consultant, but how deep do you guys actually get involved with your clients?

Do you advise them of Google, Overture, or do you manage the listings as well and performance.

What works best for most people, the balance between not getting too involved in small mundane tasks and being involved enough to generate enough revenue.

Not meaning to change the original question, but still interested in other ideas that people may have.

I'll create a new list of all the suggestions at the end of the day and submit it back to the group.

Thanks.

[Mike_Mackin]

Sometimes we just consult and that is the end of it.
But if you get paid as a perecntage of sales then you are married to them.

[e-mail] goes to YOU.

[DrCool]

be the leader in a specific keyword group and then expand from there

That is a good method to follow. Once you have started and have begun generating some traffic you will start to see other areas you can branch your keyword lists in to. Don't just pick a list of 20 keywords and only stick to those. There are probably hundreds you can be targeting but starting small and building is a solid start.

As far as the revenue thing it totally depends on the customer. Many times I have consulted, other times I have actually done the work for a fixed amount, and others it is tied to the sales somehow. It all depends on the customer and what would be most profitable for the both of you. With only knowing they are a consulting firm I would probably just do the work for a set fee and a monthly maintenance fee or something along those lines.

[DaveN]

on monthly Maintenance fees always get the client to agree to a minimum 12 month Contract, the last thing you want is the client 3 months in after all the hardwork is done for them to bail on you.

DaveN

[ritualcoffee]

If their site goal is lead generation - you might want to brief them on conversion rates.

Search engine traffic conversion rates are higher than banners, leads from search are more targeted, etc....This will give them a solid reason to invest in search rather than other online marketing that they are already comfortable with.

[frostlorraine]

Fredrick Marckini iProspect's CEO in an interview with avant¦marketer actually gave some conversion rate fugures that were obtained in the course of one of their campaigns illustrating that SEO traffic converts at a higher rate than other channels. See here: [avantmarketer.com...]

Best,
Lorraine

[boats]

I have found the best ways to get up the rankings to be:
a) Replicate your search terms within your home page content, but not so that your text isn't easy to read or informative to the visitor
b) Use good Meta Tags with a title that features your appropriate search terms
c) Set-up a link share programme with other sites to generate traffic between yourselves
d) Try a bit of sponsorship with Overture and Espotting to get you started

"appropriate" search terms are those that you would use to find sites with relevant content to your search.