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#1
10-24-2004
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Outsourcing SEM FAQs – Be Prepared to Answer!
If you are new to Search Engine Marketing and/or you are thinking about hiring a firm to help you with any efforts (aka: outsourcing SEM), I have put together a list of questions you should be prepared to answer by the expert search marketer:
General Questions
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#2
10-24-2004
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The list is certainly a good idea, though as a small business where flexibility is required, the list seems a little regimental in places.
I'm about to begin my first foray into outsourcing for webdevelopment issues too complex for myself. My choice of company was based on seeing past work and chasing up the people responsible. See how it turns out, though...
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#3
01-15-2005
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The above cover all of the SE without so much of the M
My first question is always "What is your USP?" or "What does your company deserve to be ranked in the top ten available resources for?" If they can't answer that to satisfaction then I know that the rest of it is going to take more resources whereas a naturally brilliant product/resource is far easier to promote - especially in terms of link building. "Are you willing to change the actual content of your site in order to attain higher rankings?" It is amazing how many companies want some magical solution that gives them top rankings without changing a thing. I tell them that such magical devices exist, and the most easily applied one is called Pay-per-Click. "What tracking systems do you currently have in place?" "What visitor data can you provide to highlight which referrals are your best converters?" "Do you have an in-house development team?" You need to know whether the best solution for the client would be for us to do it for them, or for us to train their existing staff.
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#4
01-15-2005
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Quote:
 (throw away domains)
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#5
01-17-2005
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Two things our savvier clients almost always ask for:
Client references: this is critical so you can get an understanding of how a prospective firm internalized a customer's goals and translated them into a campaign strategy. If a firm does not permit direct contact with at least a couple of clients who will speak on their behalf, I'd be a bit wary of bringing them on board. Contact with the account team: for most of the larger SEM/SEO firms, the people handling the sales are not the folks in the trenches, doing the work every day. Therefore, it is important that as a marketer you get an opportunity to speak directly to the people who will be assigned to your account. The comfort level needs to be with these people - not with the salesperson or CEO of the shop - since it's likely that they will not be as intimately involved, once a deal is consumated.
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#6
04-20-2005
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Another great resource to find questions that you should ask SEO and SEM firms is Marketing Sherpa. They have a list of all the questions you should ask a firm before going to them.
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#7
06-08-2005
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Anyone have any new recommendations?
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#8
06-08-2005
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Ppc
What is the standard cost for managing PPC?
Last edited by Nacho : 06-09-2005 at 12:57 AM.
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#9
06-09-2005
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Define 'standard' in relation to service. What is a standard service? What is a standard firm? Do you mean average?
Can you translate that to the real world? "Hello, I'd like to hire an average SEO firm with average knowledge and average experience to perform average optimization of an average PPC campaign" That never happens. People want the best value. That may mean that one firm wants a low cost for a pretty reasonable return. Or that another doesn't mind paying a higher cost for superior returns. And those definitions are individual. Its about personal values. What car do you drive? Is it standard? Who's idea of standard?
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#13
06-12-2005
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Quote:
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#14
06-12-2005
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Quote:
Honestly, if I get a request for proposal with this many questions I just say no to it. I simply don't have the time to answer all that.
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#15
06-12-2005
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It's a very good idea to do your due diligence, but sometimes "due diligence" is code for "tell me everything you plan to do right now for free in the proposal so I can take it and get someone else to do it cheaper".
It also works both ways - I've had RFP's that were so intense that, like Mikkel, I walked away from them, not because I didn't qualify, but because that level of interrogation is NOT the type of business relationship I want with my clients. SEO usually takes 3 months to a year or more, and that's a long time to spend working with someone who thinks acting like the Gestopo is an appropriate way to begin an business relationship. There has to be a happy medium where the SEO can spend time actually doing SEO rather than justifying their existence, and where the client doesn't feel like they are joining some super exclusive organization and are required to get security clearance just to market a website. Due diligence is important for both sides - but the structure of it can be flexible. Myself, I simply visit the website in question, then talk to them over the phone (or meet in person) and ask what their plans are and what they have done so far. If I like what I see and hear, I offer to work with them. I will ask several of Nachos questions depending on the client and the plans, but not in a rigid format - more of a conversation. From a client perspective, I would want to know what skills the SEO has - either by references, industry acknowledgement, or some other indicator. Some SEO's can't disclose clients - for example, my list of references that I can tell people about is far shorter than the one I can't - this doesn't mean I'm inexperienced, it means I take my client confidentiality agreements seriously. But I can show lots of articles and other SEO's who would be willing to recommend me - and that is a good alternate reference (or should be). I would recommend that a client establish the skills of the SEO (and be prepared for pay for those skills - if you accept nothing but the best skill set, don't expect anything less than the highest rates) and to clearly outline the expectations and milestones for both parties. There are lots of ways to do this, and many of the questions in this thread address them, but don't get locked into a rigid structure - you will end up with rigid results and a rigid relationship. One final thought - every single one of the best SEO's in the world started off as SEO noobs. Don't overlook the value of raw skill and a drive to learn and succeed while chasing after experience and client lists. Ian
__________________
International SEO
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#16
06-12-2005
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Very good post, Ian!
> working with someone who thinks acting like the Gestopo Yes, this is exactly the vibe I get from a few prospects - those ones gets redirected to our Guantanamo office As a prospect, you have to watch out that your due dillegence is not scaring off the very SEOs you are looking for!
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#18
06-13-2005
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Quote:
The main purpose of this thread was for those companies that are willing to outsource their SEM with expert firms, that they would find guidance with some important questions to help them into choosing the right firm. I suppose there a quite a few questions from this thread that can be used in opposite direction, to ask a potential client about their background in SEO/SEM. However, I completely agree with your statement Mikkel and too much asked/requested could mean the deal goes South. Typical intimidation scenario. The thread My Favorite SEM Elevator Pitch is... is focused on how to get a potential client hooked while being as short as you can. However, I don't remember if we have ever started a thread for a list of potential questions to ask a potential client, therefore for that purpose I started this one: Suggestions for the ideal SEM/SEO RFP Guide
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#19
06-14-2005
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My approach is similar to Ian's in that I generally go over half of this stuff with a prospective client while I'm on the phone, clicking through their website. I have found that clients/prospects tend to be overwhelmed when presented with a huge list of questions, although getting the answers to Nacho's list of questions certainly sets the stage for a successful SEM campaign.
I believe some of the questions are best saved for a "discovery" or "kickoff" meeting because they really help set the strategic direction of both SEO and SEM initiatives. For example, information about the prospect's current partnerships and online marketing strategy could be approached in a kickoff along with specific competitor information (e.g., who do you consider your top competitors - not just those that come up for your keywords in Google, but industry-wise?) Prior to a kickoff meeting, I'd probably stick to the basics as it applies to my own style of SEO. Do you practice any black hat techniques? What are your expectations with SEO? Do you track your visitor traffic? What are your top money-generating keywords? Would you be willing to make changes to your website? That sort of thing. Thanks for a great list, Nacho. Best, Jackie Dooley
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#20
10-16-2005
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Stuntdubl made an outstanding post you guys should read:
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/...3593#post63593 Saludos!
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