Hiding in the search dungeon
Successful implementation of SEO requires touching almost the entire web operation, including IT, site design, advertising, merchandising, finance and analytics. With so many stakeholders to appease, it is absolutely essential that your SEO agency has a proven track record of working in a cross-discipline matrix.
In many cases, there will be trade-offs that will need to be made in order to provide a strong business balance. Rob Griffin, national search practice lead at Media Contacts, sees it as a system of checks and balances. "Not every change an SEO expert wants should be made from a design perspective," said Griffin. "There needs to be sacrifices [and] we need each other. SEO specialists know the engines better than site designers, [but] I don't want my SEO teams building sites and creating copy."
While nearly all SEO firms will claim integration as a core strength, it's a relatively easy claim to verify. As one of the references, try substituting the typical client call with a call to one of the agencies, or design teams, that the SEO shop had to successfully work with to achieve their objectives. It will be apparent rather quickly whether your SEO firm has what it takes to work in a collaborative setting.
Managing expectations
A common reason for dissatisfaction between a client and its SEO agency is that of failed expectations. Competing for a client's business is a tough, tough task, and the tendency to over-commit during the sales process can be tempting. However, many firms do just this, and this can lead to disappointment. It is better to be honest and upfront about what can and can't be done, leading to potential over delight, rather than frustration.
Plain and simple, SEO is tough work, and many make shortcuts once the contract is signed. "The fact is [that] SEO is a tedious and ongoing process, and SEO companies are not putting in all the work that truly goes into a proper program," said Andrew Beckman, CEO of Colorado-based Search AdNetwork. "We have been winning a lot of SEO deals over the past couple of months, and I think the main reason is managing client expectations."
There is no question that SEO is a highly specialized field that requires dedicated resources and an unflagging commitment to integrity. Despite that, CMOs should not be so confused by shop talk that he/she can not measure the quality of services being delivered. As SEO becomes more mainstream, there will be a push from the client seat to ensure their SEO agencies are fully transparent, playing above board, constantly educating the enterprise and working well with other stakeholder groups. If you feel that your SEO agency is not engaged in these practices, it may be time for a re-evaluation of services.
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Ron Belanger is VP of agency development at Yahoo.