Mark Murnahan's SEO and Social Media Marketing Blog

Contingency SEO Contracts

I recently wrote about SEO Hourly Rates, and I received a lot of attention to the topic of SEO pricing methods. Now I would like to address one of the other popular SEO pricing methods, contingency SEO.

Contingency contracts have long been used by attorneys when a client either wishes to mitigate their investment risk in legal fees or cannot afford to pay for all of the legal cost upfront. Contingency contracts can also be leveraged properly for your search engine optimization (SEO). When the risk and the reward is equitably shared between the SEO professional and the client, a contingency SEO contract often makes sense. After all, it is easy to see why a professional will often do their best work when their income is dependent on winning.

Contingency SEO: The Client Perspective

Most companies understand paying a reasonable percentage of their profit to a sales representative, and contingency SEO is not so different in some ways. When the sales representative provides you with business, you provide them with remuneration.

Viewing your SEO provider as another sales representative is a simplified look at contingency SEO, but it is also important to give consideration to legal matters and preserving your company reputation. Ideally, you and the SEO company will have a unified long-term goal of success. Like sales reps, there are good and bad search engine optimizers, so it is important to have a similar approach to that of hiring a new sales representative, or more appropriately, taking on a new business partner.

Since proper SEO work requires a sizeable investment of time, you should be prepared to provide the SEO an upfront payment so that you are, indeed, sharing the cost equitably. Securing a contract with a quality SEO company would be too simple if not for an upfront cost. Clearly, all of your competitors would have done it by now if it was that easy.

Contingency SEO: The SEO Perspective

If I only had a nickel for every opportunity to provide my work upfront and receive a percentage of the profits, I would not offer hourly pricing for SEO services. Like the example of an attorney working for contingency, the SEO provider must be comfortable with the arrangement, and see good potential for gain. The SEO must consider the marketability of the product or service, how to measure the SEO results (gross profit, net profit, market share gain, etcetera), and accountability. There are a lot more ways for the SEO company to come out cheated in the end, so clear contracts and trust become important factors.

Because of the risks for the SEO professional, some ways that contingency SEO can be accounted for include full access to the client’s records, Website scripting to account for the traffic and report it to the SEO, or a separate Website owned by the SEO to measure the traffic and send it to the client. There are many other methods of accountability, but this is simply to say that accountability is often one of the greatest concerns for the SEO professional.

The Contingency SEO Contract

When approached with the opportunity for a proper and equitable SEO contingency contract, I take it very seriously, and I expect my client to do the same. After all, we should be in it together for mutual benefit. Just to be sure both parties understand the relationship, it is very important to spell it out in a contract. A well defined contract for contingency SEO will require much consideration of both parties’ interests, and will take some work for the contracting SEO provider. The client should expect to pay for this time, and for a careful review of the existing Website assets or liabilities. Without a thorough review and assessment of the client’s needs, expectations, and current market position, the SEO professional and client will not have all of the necessary facts to work with. The client should be reminded that if they are engaging the SEO, it is like calling the attorney of choice. It is best to call a great attorney rather than just the first one willing to take on your project. Similarly, the upfront retainer cost to review the case, as well as the depth of the assessment will vary.

Contingency SEO Bloodsuckers

Attorneys have often been referred to as bloodsuckers, and it may be the contingency contract that has caused their reputation. Attorneys are persecuted for receiving huge amounts of money for what looks like an easy job. To their credit, we must remember that there is always a reason the client asks for them to take the case on contingency. The risk is shared, and so must be the reward. Like the attorney, if the contingency SEO does not meet the expectations, neither party benefits. That means the professional has spent their time on the client’s behalf, with the only reward being lost time. The responsibility of maintaining a marketable product or service offering lies outside of the SEO professional’s control. This exposure to potential loss on the part of the SEO must be carefully considered.

Ethicon Sutures: Endo Surgical Sutures

Ethicon sutures are widely used sutures in surgical procedures ranging from an episiotomy to orthopaedic surgery. Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, has been the world leader in the manufacture of surgical sutures and wound closures since before World War II, and has since increased in market share to over 80% in the USA. Ethicon’s famously popular Prolene nonabsorbable polypropylene sutures, Monocryl absorbable sutures, and Vicryl (polyglactin 910) absorbable braided sutures have propelled Ethicon to lead the surgical suture market in a fashion not unlike Google’s capture of the search engine market.

Ethicon and SEO?

For most of us, Ethicon braided synthetic absorbable sutures are certainly not in the top 100 things we think to search for when we visit Google, but the term posed an important question in a recent conference call I had with a surgical supply company.

Ethicon Sutures: Surgical Supply SEO Study

While meeting with the team of executives from a leading endo surgical supply company specializing in sutures and wound closure supplies to hospitals and surgical centers, my prospective client brought up a concern of being at the top of search engine results for the search term “sutures”. In fact, one of the company leaders indicated a strong opinion that the only useful term for the company to focus on with their SEO campaign was simply “sutures”, and that other lateral keywords would not be valuable to their company. He made the analogy of an automotive supply company who only sold tires, and that if they only sold tires, the term “tires” would be the only value to the company. My response to this was to ask if this hypothetical tire company sold truck tires, tractor tires, z rated tires, h rated tires, Bridgestone tires, light truck tires, SUV tires, valve stems, tire rotation, or whether the company could potentially benefit from having tire care tips on their Website to provide useful information or warranty information to their customers.

As a clear leader in his industry, I give this gentleman much credit as the top of his field, and a genuine American success story. If you need sutures, this is the man to know. If you need SEO services, he is still working on it, and with my help, he will hopefully be a great resource in the subject matter as well. I certainly would never mean to offend this gentleman, but I tried to present these points in very matter-of-fact terms. I wish I was better at sugar-coating the facts, but my job as a search engine optimization (SEO) consultant and practitioner, is largely that of research and mathematics. There is not always an easy way to tell others that their estimation of their potential industry reach is not as they expected. This is especially true of those who have enjoyed great success as the leader in their field.

Sutures vs. Ethicon Vicryl Sutures

Our discussions led us to the topic of one word searches versus two and three keyword phrases. I tried to suggest that a wide range of industry related keyword phrases such as Ethicon sutures, Ethicon Vicryl sutures, polyglactin 910 braided sutures, and others would produce far more results and be more targeted to his desired audience. My explanation was that estimates show roughly only 10% of searches are for a single word, whereas two and three word phrases comprise well over half of keyword searches. The actual numbers are a moving target, and may vary slightly by industry, but suffice it to say that single keyword searches like “sutures” are statistically insignificant in terms of actually reaching their target market. These single keyword searches may make nice bragging points, but in actual use and in conversion rates, they are not very useful. An example of this I have found is that in a Google blog search, I have often found this very blog in the number one position for the search keyword “SEO”. Just as the term “SEO” will mostly attract other SEO companies checking out their competition, the keyword “sutures” produces many results for consumers while this client needs to reach hospital administrators. The lesson here is that if your keyword phrases of choice do not reach the desired audience, they are useless.

In Google search results, single word searches, especially the competitive ones, are very commonly accompanied by a selection of suggestions to refine the search. Google does not make a lot of mistakes, and these are included because the more refined searches are better suited to the search engine users’ needs and expectations. Most users will define their search without prompting, but in cases where the user does not, search engines will often provide a prompting to help the user on their way.

Buy Ethicon Sutures Online

When you seek to buy sutures online, it is my research experience backed with statistical data that tells me you will be vastly more likely to search for a more specific phrase reflecting the type of sutures you need, and perhaps even referencing the type of surgical procedure you intend to perform. A simple test of this fact is that by searching Google for sutures, you will find mixed results including how to tie a suture knot, caring for sutures, facial sutures, and many things unrelated to your need to buy sutures or seek the best suture option for your surgical needs. This brings me to a point I have made many times before that if you select effective keywords and use a lateral keyword approach, it will provide for a much greater return on investment and SEO value.

American Work Ethic vs. Globalization

At first sight, you may wonder how “American Work Ethic” (or decline thereof) ties into a blog about search engine optimization (SEO) and Internet marketing. I will try to sum this up quickly by reminding you of another term that has been equally misunderstood and ignored, and that is “Globalization” or “Global Market” and the increasing comparison of American workers to other nations.

Comparing American Work Ethic

When comparing American work ethic, a useful measure is in the entrepreneurial success enjoyed by many immigrants to the USA versus natural born citizens. According to a November 2008 study by the Small Business Administration, immigrants are 30% more likely to start a business than non-immigrants. The study also shows that while immigrants comprise only 12.5% of the total American population (2000 US Census), they represent 16.7% of all new business owners in the United States.

With a deeper look into the culture of immigrants to the USA, we can see a greater willingness to sacrifice today for a better future. Immigrants also do not see the challenges that many Americans blame for their lack of achievement, but rather see all of the opportunity that natural-born American citizens overlook. It is common that immigrants will keep to a more humble lifestyle, avoiding the need to show off their hard work in the form of a flashy car or home. This can be attributed, in part, to the fact that even a less than magnificent lifestyle in America is often still much more luxurious and comfortable than found in their country of origin.

When comparing an average American worker to their counterpart in other nations, it spells out a picture of being very spoiled with luxury, and taking much for granted. As an American worker myself, I have enjoyed many of the spoils, and I am not at all removed from this. I can imagine that most proud Americans would agree with the statement that for the most part, we have had it really good here in the USA. All the while, many people from other nations will work much harder and display greater work ethics to achieve the luxuries that Americans take for granted. Such luxuries in America as food on the grocery store shelves, paved streets, running water, and functioning sewage systems, are not government entitlements in many countries.

The American Work Ethic: Possible Causes

Family: The question of declining American work ethic could be related in some ways to the question parents have always pondered of whether kids are really getting worse “these days”, or are we just viewing it from a different perspective. It is easy to argue each side of the equation, but if you try to quantify it, I think the answer is yes, kids are getting worse in many ways. The decline in the American family due to divorce, job demands, and many other environmental factors has left many kids to be raised by their peers. Clearly, if you look back 20, 30, or 50 years, you will find violent crimes, drug use, teenage pregnancy, and many of the other woes of America today were at much lower levels in the past. You cannot sum this up to just having our eyes closed in the past. These are real problems that have become much more common as time goes by. Relating this to the American work ethic is not a big stretch.

Entitlements: Americans as a society base much of their security on entitlements. This entitlement mentality has worsened with time, to the point much of America relies on things that have no perceived cost. If you put figures on the cost of any given family, many American families would be shocked to find that while they believe they are contributing, they are rather taking multiple times more than they give. This multiple would grow to an epic level for any family with a member in one of our overcrowded luxury prisons. Those entitlements I mentioned above, are not entitlements in many nations, and they have a cost. In America, these luxuries are supposedly gratis, because some rich uncle named Sam just makes it all happen for them. This is not to say that USA is not a better nation with many of the entitlements, but without careful limits there is a point when it all breaks down. When entitlements deter work ethic, and when corporations jump on board and are entitled to bailouts, we have perhaps found that point of failure.

American Work Ethic: Decline in Rewards

The rewards for high work ethics in America have declined. This decline in reward for achievement has become more apparent in 2008 and 2009 than in recent years, with a decline in the global economy. The majority of Americans have cut back in spending, while often working more than before. This makes the reward for high work ethic a tough adjustment for many Americans. Adding to the struggle is a vast improvement over USA in technology and education in other industrialized nations. This makes it more important than ever for Americans to recognize the sweeping influence of the “Global Marketplace” or “Globalization“, and to take action.

At perhaps the worst time ever, the American society continues to threaten incentives for future generations. A frightening factor in the future of a globalized market is an American education system that is increasingly accepting the notion of eliminating the system of rewards in our schools with the A, B, C, D and F grading system, but rather incentivizing efforts. I remember the words of a great sales manager I once worked with. He would always remind his sales team to “never confuse efforts with results”. Sadly, the systems of incentive are breaking down, and make no mistake, the results will follow.

De-incentivizing excellence out of concerns for marginalizing the average is completely counter to productivity. If you take out the incentive and make it tougher for those with the means to pull the train, the train will stand still. There will always be a 20/80 rule in life that shows that 20% of the work force will produce 80% of the results. This is not a myth, and it is not a new notion.

Americans in a Global Marketplace

How Americans can prosper in the global marketplace comes back to the purpose of my blog. I cannot offer a magic pill to cure the American condition, but I can give some useful information on how to remain competitive in the face of globalization. Some will have a position of defending their standing in the global market, while others will embrace globalization. Whatever your position, the Internet, particularly the search engine, is your front line. The Internet has held a huge role in expanding globalization, and is also your best means to work within or to defend yourself against a market that is increasingly globalized. Your best leverage of the Internet is with high quality search engine optimization (SEO) to place your Website in the most visible top rankings in searches.

Search engine optimization (SEO) holds an even greater role than ever before in reaching your market, whether locally or globally. There is neither job nor company immune to the expanding reach of globalization. If you are waiting around with a “wait and see” mentality, you will find that you will have accrued a great cost of lost opportunities, and a much steeper hill to climb when you reach your decision.

It is not time to form a committee to meet about thinking about talking to a SEO professional and taking five Americans to do the job of one decision maker. It means that the train is coming down the track, and you must choose to be on board or be left behind.

How Often To Blog

Writing a blog is different to every blogger, but a common question is how often to blog. If you blog too often, you could burn out, but if you do not blog often enough, your blog may grow stale. Also, if you blog just for the sake of article frequency, the quality can suffer and you punish your readers. So where is the perfect balance?

How Often to Blog Depends on Your Purpose

What is the purpose of your blog? If you are seeking a readership wanting the very latest information, you should blog often. If you are blogging to compile a collection of useful information such as this blog, the quality is more important than how often it is updated. There are a few advantages to frequent blogging, but as a rule, if it does not serve your readers well, don’t do it. Blogging too often just for the sake of blogging can create a real risk becoming little more than static.

Blogging for SEO

Blogging for SEO is effective, but SEO should be the effect and not the cause. This is another article for another day, but if you are blogging to enhance your search engine optimization, the question of how often to blog will be secondary to how to blog well. If the articles are well written, it will likely do well at reaching search engine users and people are more likely to link to your blog (linkbait, yet another article). In any case, providing a useful and content rich Website should be the goal of every Website owner.

Blogs and Bloggers

Each blog has its own style which is developed by the author (blogger), and the readership will generally grow based on that style. Not so unlike any other publication, the readers will come to have expectations of the quality of the writing and how often the blog is updated. If all goes well, the author and reader will grow a relationship like I wrote about in another article titled “Relationships and Internet Marketing“. Even in the information age with exponential growth in publications, the relationship between the writer and their readers still holds a value. Advice columnists like Dear Abby grew a huge following because she reached out to the readers and developed that relationship. Even in the face of huge competition for readers, every blogger has this opportunity. If you think about it for a moment, you can probably identify a writer or two who really stand out in your mind as a favorite. Many of us have a favorite writer, and something we come to expect from our favorite writer is consistency. For example, for this particular blog, I write an article every other day or every third day. It is still in its infancy, so I may shake it up a bit from time to time, but you can generally expect how often I will blog.

Know Your Blog Readers

I blog for you, and I blog for SEO. I want you to read this and I want it to be useful to you. I also want to be sure that a lot of people find the article. This requires much consideration of what you want to read, how often you want to read it, and if you are new to my blog, just what you may have typed into your favorite search engine to find this. I know that much of my audience is other SEOs, but then there are others who may be seeking information about my services as a search engine optimization professional and writer. Who is your audience? Knowing your readers will help you to develop an ideal pattern in the length of your blog posts, the content of your blog posts, and also the frequency of your blog posts.

What is Your Blog Budget?

Whether you are budgeting your time to write your blog, or budgeting your money to hire me to write it for you, you should have a blog budget. The benefits should outweigh the cost. This will have a big influence on the quality of your blog, as well as the benefits you will receive from your publication.

SEO Matt Cutts’ Way

Search engine optimization (SEO) comes in many forms, but SEO the Matt Cutts way is the one that matters. I cannot speak for Matt Cutts, and he has not personally approved my blog post, but I can tell you where his blog is (http://www.mattcutts.com/blog), and you can read it straight from him.

Who is Matt Cutts?

If you have not heard this name before, it could be a good thing, because you probably are not too worried about spamming search engines with useless or unethical content. Matt Cutts is the lead man responsible for keeping useless or dishonest results out of Google’s response pages when you perform a search. In a very real way, he could be considered the ultimate SEO guy. He will not make your Website show up in more searches or rank higher in the ways that other SEOs do, but what he does is to be sure that the bad results do not clutter your way.

Tricking Matt Cutts

Trying to trick your way to the top of search engine results is a clear example of “what not to do”. Reading all of the SEO blogs and forums on the latest means to trick your way around providing high quality content in a useful format will not trick Matt Cutts’ Webspam team at Google. The mystical Google algorythm that people keep trying to figure out should not be your concern. What should be your concern is that you are providing your Website users with a good and useful experience and providing what they want.

I have been providing SEO services for over a decade, and I have watched all of the latest SEO fads. There have been too many tricks to name, but here are a few throwbacks: doorway pages, cloaking, hidden text, repeated keywords. SEO fads come and go, but if you will follow the basic principles outlined in the Webmaster Guidelines at Google, you will never have to re-work your site to be “in compliance” with search engines.

Search Engine Compliance

I have seen many SEOs claim that they constantly study all of the changes of Google and other search engines and will provide ongoing support to assure that your site will always be in compliance with the latest changes. Sadly, I think there must be a lot of people who really buy into this. The thing you should know about this is that if your Website is well-written and has the most relevant content to the search engine user’s query, there is nothing to change. Sure, the competition may change, but the compliance does not. If you have doubts about what is in compliance or not, it is time for you to read what Google says about SEO.

Trying to cheat a search engine is the path of most resistence. I have written about this for years, and it still holds true. My way, and the Matt-Cutts-friendly way, is to produce quality Website content that people want. Do not try to trick anybody. If you will simply play by the rules, you will spend a lot less time and money trying to keep all of the SEO balls in the air.