|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pay for Performance Pricing Models for Search Engine Optimization
I do think that it is entirely possible for an SEO and client to work out a pay for performance pricing structure that is fair to both. Logistically, though the tracking involved to this would add additional layers to the total process of ranking and reporting. If both the SEO and the client are willing to take that on and set parameters that are agreeable between them then by all means a fair agreement can be reached.
Personally, I would not price SEO services based on performance unless I was given 100% control over the client's website, something very few clients are willing to hand over, and rightfully so. (This is a lesson I learned the hard way, more than once.)
I love analogies, so I'll provide one here: Providing SEO services based on performance (without 100% site control) is akin to a dietician asking to be paid based on the amount of weight lost by a client they are consulting. The dietician may set the plan, medications, workout schedule and menu for their client, however if the client sneaks Big Macs and Ice cream on the side, lounges on the couch instead of getting on the treadmill, or adds a few extra high-carb foods into their meals, then the client is not likely to lose much, if any, weight.
If the dietician was able to monitor the client 24 hours a day and ensure that the plan was being followed explicitly, then (and only then), real success can be assured and a pay for performance pricing model would be work.
In the SEO business, there is a lot that can be done to a client's site that is likely to gain them success. However, even in the best of circumstances limitations to what can be performed on a site are inevitable. Does the SEO have free range over the entire site or just a few pages? Do they have permission to re-design the site, reword content significantly or change the navigational structure? Can the SEO dictate to the client how they should answer their phone or respond to email inquiries?
These are all important issues that lend directly to the sales conversion ratio achieved.
Another issues with pay for performance is tracking. Does the SEO have complete access to all sales statistics, including costs, profits and overhead? If payment model is based on profits, rather than just sales, does the SEO have a say in how the client spends his/her revenue? Does the SEO also have a say in regard to pricing? This, too, can have a great effect on conversions.
Beyond that is the issue of timetables. If the SEO does a fantastic job of increasing the clients sales and profits, can the client at any time fire the SEO to start hoarding all the additional profits for themselves? A pay for performance would only be fair if the SEO was guaranteed to receive the benefits of their optimization efforts for up to 12 months AFTER they had been released by the client. After all, good SEO does have long-ranging effects, and not just on top rankings.
Once a client is performing well on search engines, many other things begin to happen naturally, that would not have happened before. The most obvious is obtaining natural links from other websites. Now that the site is known and/or popular, thanks to the work of the SEO, the snowball that the SEO had started continues to roll, and therefore the SEO should rightfully reap those benefits.
I don't think it is impossible for an SEO to charge based on performance, and I admire those that do. There are many other pricing models that can be considered outside of what I laid out above, which some SEOs utilize. For me, however, without 100% control of the site I don't see a workable pay for performance pricing model that is satisfactory. There is just too much that can go wrong with a campaign if the SEOs hands get tied in any way.
Stoney deGeyter is president of Pole Position Marketing, a professional search engine optimization and marketing firm providing SEO services since 1998. Stoney is also a part-time instructor at the community College in Reno, Nevada where he resides as well as a moderator in the Small Business Ideas Forum. You can read his SEM blog at (EMP) E-Marketing Performance. You can email him with any questions at stoney@polepositionmarketing.com
Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!
Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!
Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!
Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!
Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!
CNNMoney.com - 13 hours ago
Ace Marketing & Promotions Inc. (OTCBB: AMKT) announces that IMAX Theaters is piloting Proximity Marketing at its Palisades theater location in NY, ...
Bizjournals.com, NC - 9 hours ago
Database marketing firm Merkle Inc. has signed up the Limited as a new client in a three-year contract. The Columbia firm will analyze customer data to help ...
Merkle Selected by The Limited to Support Integrated Customer ... MarketWatch (press release)
all 17 news articles
Reuters
Bizjournals.com, NC - 13 hours ago
United Parcel Service Inc. rival FedEx Corp. will cut its marketing budget by more than 25 percent for 2009, the company recently disclosed on its blog. ...
FedEx cuts marketing spend by more than 25 percent Reuters
FedEx to reduce marketing budgets by 25% Brand Republic
all 82 news articles
Bizjournals.com, NC - 13 hours ago
Downtown Greensboro marketing firm Bouvier Kelly has won three awards from the Carolina Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society for its work with ...
CNNMoney.com - 4 hours ago
TMI's marketing plan includes a program where LTC facilities can lease the equipment necessary to perform skin assessments and store the necessary data ...
Wellstar/TMI Announces Estimated Three-Year Revenue Projections MSNBC
all 9 news articles
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - 11 hours ago
By Sarah Talalay | South Florida Sun-Sentinel University of Florida fan Michelle Jackson has her outfit for college football's national championship game ...
BCS is a political football in 2009 CNN
all 2,898 news articles
Bizjournals.com, NC - Jan 7, 2009
But the HTA will wait until at least late January to spend another $607000 on marketing to South Korea, as well as spending an additional $238000 for ...
Tourism agency holds back funds for Korea marketing Honolulu Star-Bulletin
all 9 news articles
CNNMoney.com - 13 hours ago
Proton will start by marketing a variety of enhanced water products that provide health benefits for people and the planet as well as the commercial product ...
MSNBC - 40 minutes ago
The initial stages of marketing the properties for sale have already begun, and the Company will expand those efforts now that the properties are completely ...
Indianapolis Star, United States - 10 hours ago
With a team of 25 brokers and additional market research, marketing, and client support staff, Summit Realty Group specializes in office, industrial, ...
Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?
How does a marketing plan relate to an organization's communications plan? What are the differences? Is the marketing plan just one aspect of the communications plan? Should... Read More
Logo Facts
What makes one logo better than another?Simplicity.A good logo works in the simplest form. It is a memorable representation of your brand and inspires confidence in your... Read More
Newsletters - A Great Way to Build Business Relationships
This is an excellent way to grow your business using your mailing list (which I trust you are constantly building). However, you have to accept that there... Read More
The Exiler
THE EXILER (your search for true brand attributes ends here!)With the advent of new marketing strategies and techniques, many theories have sprouted up telling you many ways... Read More
Marketing Your Franchise Online
Do you want to successfully market your business franchise online? Here's an internet strategy you can use for your franchise opportunity.1. Design a very simple web site.I've... Read More
Burnout
Today I want to share a question from a reader who writes:How do I keep from being burned out while cold calling? My job is to call... Read More
Painless Marketing for People Who Hate to Market
Face it?you know you've got to do something to keep a steady stream of clients coming to your professional service firm. But when it comes to the... Read More
Why You Dont NEED a Marketing Plan
If you pick up a copy of the November 2003 issue of Entrepreneur magazine, you'll see my Web site listed on page 10, along with a good... Read More
Where to Find Cheap Brochure Printing
Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a trade show handout, a data sheet, or another application, brochures can be a great promotional tool. They... Read More
PowerPositioning: WillYouAcceptThisRose.com
Positioning is a powerful concept in marketing. To illustrate, have you ever visited a fast food restaurant, and, in a rush to complete your order asked for... Read More
How to Promote your business website using free online resources.
There are many ways to promote your website for free online. Here are 10 highly effective strategies you can use right now.1. Write articles or free reports... Read More
Where to Look for New Donors for Your Fundraising Letter Appeals
Have you ever studied your best donors and wished you could clone them all? Maybe you can, with a bit of creative thinking.1. Friends of current supportersThe... Read More
Educating Your Customers
One of the biggest marketing mistakes businesses make today is failing to educate their prospects and customers about the unique advantages that are being offered to them.... Read More
How to Booste Your Profit Quickly
There are so many competitions by running business. So you must do something in a smart way. Check this list to see which ones you can use... Read More
My Marketing Budget Is Small - How Can I Make The Most Of It?
Regardless how small or large your budget is, there are a number of ways you can make it go farther. One way is to capitalize on the... Read More
Marketing Flat? Is It Your Plan or Your Vision?
60+ hour workweeks, cash flows that constantly keep you up at night, stress and more stress again. Payroll due in two days (where the heck is that... Read More
Multicultural Marketing ? Taking Care of Business At Hand
Multicultural marketing mirrors the changed face of America and is getting the attention of small-business and other organizations looking for an edge in diverse ethnic markets. "Gone... Read More
Meaning and Marketing - The Trigger
In previous articles under "Meaning and Marketing", we have learned about the verb "To Be" and that the name of God is I AM.Stephen Hawkings, the world's... Read More
Like Brushing Your Teeth
What do the following things have in common: brushing your teeth, regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, paying your bills on time, cleaning your gutters, spending quality... Read More
Cave Paintings, Baseball and Connecting
There's no such thing as a captive audience--any of us can tune out at will. It may surprise you, then, to know that keeping people's attention in... Read More
Marketing Quandaries
Being in a quandary prevents you from moving forward in developing and marketing your business. When we're in a quandary, we are in a state of perplexity... Read More
Reach Thousands of Your Prospects, Absolutely Free
I'm big on getting maximum marketing exposure at the lowest cost possible. After all, most small business owners don't have huge marketing budgets, so finding inexpensive ways... Read More
The Benefits of a Marketing Plan
What is a Marketing Plan? Marketing is to do with matching the features and benefits that your products and services are able to provide with specific customers... Read More
Fertilizer For Your Grassroots Marketing
Looking for a great way to drive traffic to your business? No million dollar ad budget last time you checked? The solution may be to harness the... Read More
The M-Word (Marketing) Phase 2
Last month we looked at what you need to do before you spend money on marketing brochures, a website, advertising or even go out to network. During... Read More
Marketing Through Associations
©2004 Jeffrey DobkinIf you're in direct marketing, you're continually looking for new list sources - everybody's tired of mailing to the same lists. If you're not in... Read More
2 Step Marketing
Do it Right.I receive postcards all the time. The other day I received a postcard trying to sell me a copy machine. It had tiny, tiny lettering... Read More
Marketing to the Affluent - with Wine
With its association to an affluent, sophisticated lifestyle, wine can make a good accompaniment when marketing to an affluent audience. However, I am not talking here about... Read More
The 5 Minute Marketing Plan
If I were to ask you right now, what marketing tactics have you used, umm, say in the last month, could you tell me?Chances are you probably... Read More
Standards for Dry Washing and Pressure Washing in Mobile Car Care
The industry standard for mobile washing is completing the car and removing the dirt so it is clean as promised to the customer. Some would say this... Read More
If You Can?t Answer This Question Your Business is Doomed!
How do you answer the seemingly easy question, "What do you do?" Do you talk about YOU? Do you talk about your products/services? Do you talk about... Read More
Radio Advertising Works With These Tips!
Advertising on the radio can be an effective lead generation strategy. But like all marketing tactics, success or failure lies in its implementation. Here are 15 important... Read More
Mobile Marketing a New Age Strategy
More and more companies seem to be looking for new and innovative ways to market their products. Overlooking most of the traditional marketing techniques, more companies are... Read More
Niche Marketing: The Affiliate Angle
If you're just dipping your toes into the waters of Niche Marketing for the first time then Affiliate marketing is the ultimate low risk choice to get... Read More
Overcoming Resistances To Marketing a Practice-Part 2
In Part 1 of this article, "Resistances to Marketing a Practice" the seven most common resistances helping and healing professionals (counsellors, therapists, naturopaths, homeopathetic doctors, massage therapists,... Read More
Loan Officer Websites: Your Marketing Hub to Magnetize Realtors
Too many loan officer websites look like congested intersections, information running every which way. Fancy gadgets, like calculators, online application submission forms and loan programs filled with... Read More
How To Use The Og In All Of Us To Make More Money
5000 B.C. -- somewhere near a cave in MontanaOg the Deer Catcher and Flam the Wild walk up to a cave. They have never seen this cave... Read More
How to Put the Profit Producing Power of Couponing to Work for You
Coupons have proven themselves to be highly effective sales tools for every conceivable size and type of business.Because coupons "pull in the business" they have gained remarkable... Read More
New Years Planning Critical Success Factors
New Year's is a good time for strategic planning or re-planning your business. But don't think that's the only time. If you feel the need to re-consider... Read More
The Beginners Mail Order Opportunity Guide
The "Mail Order" business is not a business of itself, but isanother way of DOING business. Mail Order is nothing more or lessthan selling a product or... Read More
Maximizing Your Yellow Page Investment
Yellow Page users are the hottest of all prospects ? someone who has made the decision to buy, and now is looking for a place to do... Read More
SWOT Analysis -- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
When conducting strategic planning for any company -- online and/or offline -- it is useful to complete an analysis that takes into account not only your own... Read More
How Nearly Going Broke Taught Me The Value Of Niche Marketing
If you want to learn how effective Niche Marketing can be, I suggest you "don't" take the route I did.Back in 1983 I started a company offering... Read More
How to Use Flyers to Increase Your Business
What benefits will you get from flyers?Flyers are much different from postcards in that they convey product sales to the consumer. Safeway, Costco, Albertsons and other grocery... Read More
How to Turn Your Marketing Into a Money-Making Machine - Preparing for Marketing That Yields Results
The usual complaint from companies is that Marketing simply does not yield as expected. So much effort, time, and money goes into campaigns, and yet the frustrations... Read More
After Your Postcard Mailing: Follow Up with Finesse
I've heard a lot of people lament the fact that they just sent out a big postcard mailing, and, alas, no one called. Hey, it's happened... Read More
Linking Features & Benefits
I'm sure that you've had those Eureka! moments, too. When a piece of information suddenly helped you see or understand something that hadn't been apparent before.For me,... Read More
The Most Powerful Marketing Weapon Ever Invented
It was probably first discovered out there in the caves or wherever else the history of mankind begun. And yet this weapon has been used so sparingly... Read More
2 Great, Free Techniques to Get Customers to Come to You, Not the Other Way Around
Here is a powerful tip on how to substantially increase the traffic to your business weather it's online or bricks & mortar. The best news is that... Read More
Directional (Not Direct) Marketing
Those who believe the web is not a direct response medium should think again. A recent study conducted by AdKnowledge and published in their recent "Online Advertising... Read More
To Web or Not to Web?
Do I need a web site? That is the question often asked by business owners. The answer will usually depend upon the type of product or service... Read More
The Advantages of Full Color Brochure Printing
A brochure can be a great promotional tool, whether it is for is a real estate listing, a trade show handout, a data sheet, or another application.... Read More