Written by Bruce Clay
July 17, 2007
Finding an SEO: Let the Buyer Beware
> There is a very widespread "do-everything" ethos in LED
> that I think is not necessarily the best way to run your
> business... I think learning in LED and elsewhere is great...
> But is it really the best use of your time to try take care
> of every single little detail? I would suggest not.
- Michael Linehan, LED Digest 2448
As a professional lurker and infrequent poster to LED (my first post was in LED #9), I am compelled to comment on this post. I agree with a warning.
I agree and disagree in that as much as you want to do great things as a business, and as much as you want to do it right and effectively, sometimes you simply must bootstrap your way to the top... small but consistent changes do eventually lead to a better web site. And if you have a choice between eating and paying someone else, you simply trade time for money and choose to eat.
I absolutely agree that "learning in LED and elsewhere is great". I offer training,
and my classes are full. People want to learn how to do it themselves
because many simply cannot find (and afford) qualified people that will
make them money.
But I have reservations when we imply that it is easy (just spend
money) to find a reputable SEO. Yes, if all SEO's were great, then
spend the cash. But most SEO's are not great, and many simply take
your money and "stumble around" until you fire them. We get many
clients where they burned their way through 2 or 3 SEO "experts" before
they chose to spend money to do it right.
It is not as easy as one would think to find a qualified SEO. The
cheaper you want it, the cheaper you get it. And like it or not,
sometimes you simply must do it yourself to get it done.
Micromanagement of SEO by an amateur is not effective, I agree, but
neither is hiring the wrong SEO firm. BTW, it is far cheaper to do it
right with the right SEO, than to use 2 or more stumbling SEO's, or to
do it yourself (the original premise of the post).
However, do it yourself is by far NOT the only use of LED (IMO). You
cannot effectively interview any SEO "expert" without at least knowing
the language. Does that mean that you need to know how to do it
yourself? Maybe a little -- you should know spam when you see it, and
know frames and flash are problematic if you want to keep your shirt.
But if you know nothing, be prepared for a "stumbling expert" journey,
and often a loss. Way too many "experts" simply are used car salesmen
dressed as SEO's with no real knowledge to back them up. Buyer beware,
and knowledge always helps.
We require every one of our clients to attend our training class. We
know that an educated client is a project partner, and that we will be
speaking the same language, and that productivity will increase.
Without this knowledge the clients fight every best practice and
specific genetic change we make to the web site. With knowledge they
prosper. LED is education, plain and simple, and regardless of the way
knowledge is transferred and then used, what is said here is useful.
And whether you have the funds to hire a reputable firm or choose to do
it yourself, or simply use the knowledge to interview your next SEO, or
use it to protect yourself from a rogue or unethical SEO, I absolutely
agree that having a user community that "gets it" is a wonderful
thing. Having a community that knows spam is evil is a good thing. And
having a community smart enough to know when a SEO firm is qualified
(or not) is a great thing.
So back to the thread, is it better to hire an expert when you can
afford it -- absolutely. But the issue is knowing enough to see when
the expert is selling used cars or really knows their stuff. And,
really, experts that "get it" can change your life.
Just wanting to agree, but with a "buyer beware" warning label attached.
Bruce Clay
President
Bruce Clay, Inc
 this post appeared in
LED Digest 2449
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