a good time to offer seo / ppc services?

[trefd]

Hi, I have a reasonably successful track record in business and I'm thinking about creating a company to offer seo/ppc services. I'd welcome some feedback on the following issues.
- is this a profitable market sector to be in?
- assuming plenty of energy, tenacity etc, how difficult is it to pick up clients?
- as google and others evolve, are there any surprises in store for businesses in this market sector ?
- should I focus on business operating in a specific sector (e.g. hotels) or should i target all sectors?
- which of the competitors' business models are worth looking at?
- are there other issues that I've not picked up on?
Thanks in anticipation of any comments.

 

[paretowasright]

Hi, I have a reasonably successful track record in business and I'm thinking about creating a company to offer seo/ppc services. I'd welcome some feedback on the following issues.
- is this a profitable market sector to be in?
- assuming plenty of energy, tenacity etc, how difficult is it to pick up clients?
- as google and others evolve, are there any surprises in store for businesses in this market sector ?
- should I focus on business operating in a specific sector (e.g. hotels) or should i target all sectors?
- which of the competitors' business models are worth looking at?
- are there other issues that I've not picked up on?
Thanks in anticipation of any comments.

The issue you have not picked up on is expecting such commercially valuable info

 

[nitro23456]

plus the fact you clearly know nothing about it.

 

[MASSEY]

I would say from what i have seen on here that it is hard to get new clients as the competition is feirce.

 

[NextPoint]

Specialising is always a better strategy - that way you are able to give more specific examples of your benefits in your literature to give confidence to potential clients. It is also easier to build a brand when you specialise in a specific segment of the market.

On the other hand, you really should know a lot about SEO and/or PPC if you intend to offer these services. Having a knowledge of business is one thing, but having a knowledge of SEO/PPC is a completely different kettle of fish. Have you thought about setting up as a general business consultant?

With regards to what Google may have planned for the future, they are always changing their search algorithms and are a lot more advanced than you may think - links are no longer the only major influencing factor for Google and their algorithms change on what is probably a daily basis. What works today may not work tomorrow, but if you make sure you write good quality content that engages your audience, your website will do well on Google.

 

[david64]

If you are full of it, you can probably get by in SEO. Others have got by with that attribute alone.

Hi, I have a reasonably successful track record in business and I'm thinking about creating a company to offer seo/ppc services. I'd welcome some feedback on the following issues.
- is this a profitable market sector to be in?
- assuming plenty of energy, tenacity etc, how difficult is it to pick up clients?
- as google and others evolve, are there any surprises in store for businesses in this market sector ?
- should I focus on business operating in a specific sector (e.g. hotels) or should i target all sectors?
- which of the competitors' business models are worth looking at?
- are there other issues that I've not picked up on?
Thanks in anticipation of any comments.

 

I would say from what i have seen on here that it is hard to get new clients as the competition is feirce.

Getting clients is faily easy if you have a proven track record.

Getting clients that have a viable business that will benefit enough from SEO to make enough money to pay all concerned is the hard bit.

To the OP you need a track record to convince people to go with you and if you are good so are the rewards.

Earl

 

[headshotlondon]

I think is a great time as a lot of other types of advertising are so expensive and more and more businesses wanting to get their revenue from the internet business. That is said, however, in seo and ppc more and more people are going for the services by recommendations and word of mouth, rather than cold calling. Without successful track record it will be very hard. So, as long as you can prove you did it and out people on the furst page and also saved them a lot of money on ppc then...why not?

 

[jedz]

I just grabbed this post to other forum and I think it would help you out to decide:

1. Don't promise #1 rankings. If you could, you wouldn't need us. I would promise to clients to do the best job you can for

them. Some clients will need a larger budget and more patience in order to eventually rank well across the major indices. let

them know this from the get go.

2. price varies...see above

3. start with a benchmark report of rankings and hope that they get better each month (after a few). Linking reports and some

sort of traffic analysis is also useful.

4. Use whatever statistics your clients will let you. many clients will require NDA's, so use what you can. Look for industry reports such as those offered by Jupiter and other research firms to help "make the sale.""

 

[Dave Thomas]

What is your background?? Take advice from all of the above posts. Remember that many of the incredibly huge blue chips will be with a one fits all agency like mindshare mediacom zeddigital etc and offer on line offline ...SEO, PPC traditional all of it really and this suits these corporate types. So here are maybe some top tips....
1 . Decide on your market one man bands, sme's corporate blue chips
2. dont try and offer every single route to market possible you will become dissolved...so choose and specialise in specific areas. Dont offer emal market, ppc, seo, banner ads etc...
3. Become a leader in your field learn every day. I have been doing this 7 years and im still learning but this keeps us on the edge and allows us to offer new improved techniques
4. dont just think that this will be about money and how much you will be worth in 3 years. All of our clients are treated with respect and they treat us as part of a business arm this really does help the process, they are not a comodity.
5. Can you offer results and testimonials from previous campaigns or accounts /client activity
6. Word of mouth has become the biggest marketing strategy these days anybody can pay the bucks to advertise but what have you got behinfd the site?
7. Offer experience...what have you got in the industry....are you qualified if there is a qualification?
8. Are you willing to do it for free...sometime its all about passion and hardwork but to make a name are you ready for the hard work and late nights and often giving away free to clients to prove that you are not just another Corporate Figures Based Agency....
9. If you have vertical market experience this can help so if you can offer results and tyestimonials in specific markets then you are better equipped than a newbie.
10. LISTEN...to clients peers and experts everyday...you dont know it all and never will believe me.....

Hope it helps...

 

[LaaMok]

Knowing seo, internet marketing, mixed with a good head for business, you will spot alot of opportunities.

i.e rescuing dying web based internet business

finding products/services that you can sell for a commission etc.

You have to make your own work, I rarely do work for other companies direct, as I can make more money applying my skills to my own ideas.