mark.h8080 wrote: » I run a small business and we have had a website for about 5 years, now the website is grand and has our services and contact details etc but it's not in the top of google when I try and search it. People find us but I think that's from google our name directly. My nephew recently put analytics in our site and I was shocked by hits (despite us getting lots of calls each week, when asked they said they found us on directories like yelp). My nephew who does web design at college said I should do some search engine optimisation (he does not know enough to do it but understands it, to me it's a foreign language) but to be careful who I choose. I sent out some emails to companies I found online in Ireland and am waiting for replies on costing, but how much should I expect to spend on this and will it get me to the top of google in my area? As a businessman of over 30 years in my sector I want to know my money is well spent and have been told by a fellow business operator they pay €200 a month. Is this the standard for an entry level seo or are there packages? It seems a lot of money to me unless I get business from the campaign. Also, in my research I found a company called DPFOC who seem to be very high in google so my instinct is that this crowd know their business. Has anyone dealt with them? Can anyone recommend some companies for me to get quotes from to do the seo I need? Do I need to pay people to do this or can I give my nephew information to make us top of searches in google, in this climate anything we can do ourselves would be of huge benefit.
MadsL wrote: » Most people charging either will do basic stuff your can do yourself or be unethical and boost you temporarily using tricks that google and other engines will eventually downgrade you for.
Kenny Logins wrote: » What sector? Some small businesses are lucky to be in a relatively uncrowded sector and this makes Google ranking much easier. I'm no expert, but have dabbled, and with some reading up and applying what I learned, managed to get two sites within the first 5 results on Google for a range of relevant search terms.
Peterdalkey wrote: » Mods: Might I suggest this heading as a sticky, I do understand that there is also a separate SEO heading in Tech but it tends to be a bit too techie for people just trying to get their heads around the subject for the first time. The business person feedback at this point is probably the most helpful to the querists. The topic does crop up regularly here. Please +1 this if you agree Thanks Peter
sandin wrote: » I don't give my sector out on boards, but I would have about 30+ competitors online, about 10 are based in Ireland and the rest UK. I was a total start-up 3 years ago and now 2nd largest online seller of the products in uk/Ireland and have 9 staff working on the online business alone. About 30% of sales are to UK / europe. If you were in an uncrowded sector a few minor changes would put you up there. - A friend owns a septic tank cleaning / servicing operation and I reckon he'd get first 3 rankings in 4 weeks as its a specialist market with few operators and even fewer witha decent website.
Matrix Internet Web Design wrote: » This is an unfortunate comment, and needless to say it does nothing to help improve the image of the SEO industry as a whole. If everyone could just go on a day long training course and then start improving their websites, rankings, traffic and conversions, then there would be no need for SEO agencies and practitioners - and the multi-billion dollar SEO/online marketing industry wouldn't exist. It exists because SEO isn't something you pick up over coffee on a course.
It will give you a start, but if you are serious about your business and its online presence, and getting sales/leads through a critically important channel, then go to someone who can give you professional advice and get results for you. Or, hire someone with the skills.
You also might be surprised to learn that 'search engine optimisation training Ireland' isn't actually something that people search for on Google! So, it's of virtually no consequence. Any good SEO guy worth his salt would tell you that
MadsL wrote: » Hmm. An intensive training course by a well recognised SEO training company/consultants is "picking stuff up over coffee". And I'm flippant?
MadsL wrote: » I agree, but if you have less than 500 quid to spend it is better to get some training on basic stuff. I wonder how much the OP would get done by consultants for €500, they will either be noobs desperate for some experience or will do a quick fix. The OP also should be trained if he/she is going to invest in any way in SEO - it is far too easy to be caught out by black hat SEO tricks that backfire in the longerterm. It is quite useful to at least speak the same language.
MadsL wrote: » Two things, firstly that was the exact phrase i used to find their website, and secondly I can tell you that yes, that is not a widely searched term and that global search for that term were approx 4,400 a month. Praxisnow also do well under "SEO Training" 3rd on google.ie. The reason I know how to look that up and not have to have a SEO guy tell me that (worth his salt or not) is because I attended that training course.
MadsL wrote: » Some of you seem to be advocating the OP not educating himself first about a field in which some of you I'm sure would like to charge him quite a considerable amount.
MadsL wrote: » ^Well there you go OP. €500 to get you page one. Let us know how it goes.
Bakemate wrote: » I also did the Praxis Now course and found it to be excellent. If you're confident in your ability to update your own website and pick things up quickly and have a small budget then a course in SEO is worth its weight in gold. Of course there are experts out there who know this stuff inside out, but they'll charge you accordingly. The company website I was doing the course for, is now number 1 in Google and I don't have any IT background. To be honest, I haven't done much on SEO in the last year, but the rankings have stayed up. An SEO professional will always tell you that you're better off to spend the money on a professional, which is fine if you have the money and don't have the time yourself, but as a business owner with a website, I think it's important to understand how these things work anyway, as most businesses are not going to have a permanent SEO employee.
Matrix Internet Web Design wrote: » So in other words, there is a definite place for both hiring someone - and training!
The Apprentice wrote: » I have to agree and dissagree .. Madsl Would you take training, when building your own house to Plaster walls, Drywalling, Laying down floors, Block work, 4 Years of an electrical Apprenticeship to become a sparky or Chippy ??
The Apprentice wrote: » the garden path you installed yourself would eventually collapse the house
The Apprentice wrote: » Some people can be capable of ****ing up a website without knowing so would be well advised to leave it for someone that knows what their at .. Thats my point exactly bud
The Apprentice wrote: » And the lost revenue ? Brand damage possibly .. would you reverse this ?
Peterdalkey wrote: » This such a great topic and having spent much of the last year involved in rejuvenating our websites, improving SEO and tweaking AdWords campaigns alongside external designers and digital marketing talent. I learned a lot, understood most of it, spent time educating myself by reading online blogs, articles and SEO For Dummies. It is the combination of all of these that make it all work better. Probably the most important thing I understood was that I knew my market and the associated terms better than any Digital Marketing person ever could, what they knew was how to use that information effectively. Like regular marketing and advertising, it is your responsibility to manage, you use the external talent to get effective campaigns in place and fill the in-house expertise deficit.
