Internet Marketing Companies Advice??

[Whites Electrical]

Hello im looking for a bit of advice please.
Ive set up a website for my electrical testing business and have been going down the route of free advertising I.E yell/thomsonlocal/smile and quite a few others with the main aim of getting it noticed as high as possible on google.
Ive recently been contacted by internet marketing companies 2 being www.newapproachmarketing.com and www.lavoramarketing.com offering to get it ranked on the top page 1 in my field of work for both around £130. Both have said it would be for 1 month and be aimed at say 5 areas of my choice in the country, after that it would be around £100 to renew each month.
Im wondering if paying the money would be worthwhile or if there is a way of doing it myself? Obviously doing it myself takes time and not the 48hrs these compinies have stated that it takes them. Ive been reading other posts picking up tips on helping myself, just wondering if theres somthing im just not doing right.
Many Thanks Russ.

My website if anybody wants to see and give me some pointers is:-

www.whites-electrical.co.uk

 

[QVA - Emma]

Hi,

Just had a look at your website quickly and make the presumption that you have set it up yourself?

I am sure there are some threads you can look at concerning any of the companies mentioned.

I am pretty sure that they are for PPC or Pay Per Click campaigns which seem to be quite costly, you can also set these up yourself and spend half the monies quoted. You could set these up and have them up and running in the same amount of time - if not less!

What you do need to do for your website is work on the SEO and some of the design elements, in the long term.

In all honesty your money would be better spent investing in the design, content and SEO of your own site.

I also think that you will benefit a great deal from advertising in local magazines/parish magazines and targetted advertising.

My company deals with small businesses like yours but this isn't a pitch

If you are interested in what we have to offer please PM me and I would be happy to discuss further.

 

[The Dreaded Lurgy]

There are threads on here regarding lavora and they read like a warning to steer well clear. I have never used them myself but reading of other peoples experiences with them I don't think I ever will heres 3

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=100652&highlight=lavora

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85472&highlight=lavora

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82569&highlight=lavora

 

A number of basic things wrong with your website....
Page names, URLs...etc

Use <h1> </h1> tags for your page headings
eg <h1> Pat testing leicestershire</h1>

Also make that the name of the page...

instead of 1221341234123.html use pat-testing-leicestershire.html

And start building links using the anchor text "pat testing leicestershire"

BUT.......

Why Google??

I built a sizeable Pat Testing business - and our entire work came from telesales (including loads of big public schools, police, council colllege etc sites - and lots of companies.

Just ring up businesses and ask for the person who deals with electrical safety, just ask them when they are next due, and whether they will let you tender.... never had problems.

Build up a database of when they are next due, and over a period of years, you get to tender for them all.

Thing is...I doubt if many serious businesses - office blocks etc - google for pat testers because the proactive ones have already got to them.

 

[Whites Electrical]

Hello thanks for the replys, QVA -EMMA ive sent a PM.

Well think ill be staying well clear of Lavora, tryed to do a bit of researching on them before this but couldnt find anything, think they have changed there name recently so that could be why. THANKS.

Admagic - Initially when I bought the domain and webspace, I used something called instant site, this gives you templates and helps you design it, because of this I'm unable to change the page names and URL's but I have added metatag keywords so hopefully that may help slightly but next time I think I'll build it myself!
I've tried calling around businesses and am currently building a database but I'm just trying to cover all bases and get myself noticed!!

 

[marky9378]

I have learnt the hard way and this is the truth.

People who phones you and promises the earth are just looking after there pockets please be warned just say no to all companies that call you.

After all if you need something done to your website you would look on the net and find someone you like.

No one needs to be preasured into buying things from sales people, they would try every trick in the book as they want there bonuses.

As for SEO no company cannot say they would get you number 1 positions (Not unless its pay per click which will run up a massive bill) if you phone 20 marketing companies say you need top position for "professional web design" they are likely to say we can do that. My head tells me there are only 10 listings per page in organic search. (there was a article about this in the .net mag) so im not the only one who thinks this.

We tell our clients the truth that all we can promise is higher rankings and more visitors.

 

[DanHarrison]

Promises like "we'll get you to the top of google", etc are usually utter rubbish. Even if they do get you to the top of google, they are not getting you to the top of google with your desired search phrases (i.e. what people type in google to try to find a company like yours).

Business Link (free gov service) offer a free website appraisal service. I recommend you use their help in addition to what you get here.

Dan

 

[socialmarketingmama]

there are other ways you can improve on your rankings on your own, focusing on seo/sem is key, as well as being consistent. make sure search engines can find your site by including good meta tags/title/description.


- creating a seach engine optimized blog and keeping it fresh with new content regularly, here you can gain steady readership, have your posts picked up by search engines ...hence more traffic to your site.

- posting articles online

- joining sites like twitter/facebook and gain a nice following to help create word-of-mouth



staying on track and focusing on seo will help you get your business out there.


all the best,

nic

 

[Whites Electrical]

Thanks for the replys some good help and information, cheers russ.

 

[driansmith]

Am I missing someting here? They are just flogging you a Google Adwords campaign and hence your 'rankings' will disappear once the money dries up.