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[PerformanceSEO]

We are currently dealing with a client in which we simply cannot TOUCH their existing website. They will not even take our optimized pages to upload or any consultation on how to implement our SEO.

Our plan is to set up a subdomain, host it seperately, optimize those pages, and then link back to the main site.

Unfortunately we won't be able to link the main site BACK to the Sub-Domain, which I know would help the PR of the subdomain. So I'm curious what everyone's thoughts are on the effectiveness of this will be since the SE's consider subs to be new domains anyways. And we all know new domains don't rank for a long time.

Thanks.

[telNform]

I would consider dumping the client ...

Scott Polk


Good Luck with this one

[PerformanceSEO]

Let's say (for argument's sake) that the monetary value of the contract would not make it lucrative for us to dump them.

[mcanerin]

There are a couple of methods that can be used in this case, though I consider it to be far from optimal.

1. Linking - lots and lots of good links with anchor text to lots of different pages within the website.

2. Feeder domains - separate websites that are optimized and then pass the visitors on. This isn't that great of a method, but can work.

3. Cloaking (not recommended) which is a common method of dealing with recalcitrant clients, usually in conjunction with with feeder domains.

Of the choices, linking is the safest, but can be expensive, time consuming and is becoming less and less effective. It's still pretty effective, though, done right. It's just not the automatic home run it used to be.

Feeder domains (sounds like your plan) have been hosed with the sandbox, but can be effective, done properly. Done improperly, they can be trouble. The first thing you need to do is make sure you avoid the sandbox. This can take planning.

I'm not a fan of cloaking. 'Nuff said.

Ian

[PerformanceSEO]

Thanks Ian.

What are your thoughts on the inability to link the main site to the subdomain? Is there any other way to pass PR from the main site? Or would it be better to just put up a new site entirely?

[simons1321]

We are currently dealing with a client in which we simply cannot TOUCH their existing website. They will not even take our optimized pages to upload or any consultation on how to implement our SEO.


So what exactly did they hire you for then??? If I were you id sit back and take their money and not do a thing, then when they start to complain about how their rankings haven't changed or haven't improved or something, i'd point them to one of the many articles over the years about compaines that didn't take their SEO's advice. Ok ok, maybe I wouldn't do all of that, but seriously if they don't want to take any consultation or implement any changes... then why did they hire you??? I've had experience with clients that wouldn't let me touch their sites (damn graphic designers and web designers can be touchy!) and eventually they realized that as long as they didn't implement the necessary changes, their site would never improve. It's a touchy situation, because either they will blame you when their rankings don't change or they'll blame you when their rankings don't change (ha!, so true). Companies that don't implement SEO changes has been around for a long time. You can probably find a bunch of articles giving lots of stats about companies that fail or do poorly because they dont listen. In all honesty, I'd probably try to hold on to them for as long as I could (because they probably think they can do it on their own and they'll dump you soon enough) and in the mean time I'd work on finding a new client to replace them.

[PerformanceSEO]

Agreed. In fact if you or anyone has articles handy on just that topic, they would be appreciated. Anything to do with clients NOT LISTENING or doing what we tell them.

I had a client today tell me that they thought putting text copy on their homepage made it look "unprofessional".

It can look as professional as you want it to, but if nobody's looking at it what's the difference...