Recently, we received a SEO enquiry. Her email to us was as follows -
Hi,
In Rs 3500 [approx USD 77] i would like you to work on the below.
- Original search engine optimization report.
- Customized keyword analysis to define the best suited key phrases for your business.
- Title tag and Meta tag optimization.
- On page optimization.
- Image optimization.
- Creation of a search engine friendly site map for better crawling of your site.
- Hand submissions to the top search engines & directories using our unmatched experience for individual engines and directories.
- Search engine submission confirmation reports as well as email and Chat assistance if you need it.
- Link Popularity Development - manual link requests to related websites.
- Monthly reports showing ranking progress.
- Account managernal Message
Let me know if you can guarantee the top 10 position in 3 months using the above strategy for Rs 3500 per month for 10 keywords.
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Any person related to the SEO industry will shudder with the above cost proposition of the prospect.
Top 10 Positions? Guaranteed? In 3 Months? For USD 77/month? 10 Keywords?
Well, given the nature and volume of SEO outsourcing being done currently, more and more clients are getting miserly with SEO spending, especially if it is contracting the work to an Indian SEO agency.
The below discussion will show the approximate number of hours that we spend for fulfilling the above prospects requirements -
|| - Original search engine optimization report. ||
1 Hour
|| - Customized keyword analysis to define the best suited key phrases for your business. ||
1 Hour
|| - Title tag and Meta tag optimization. ||
30 mins
|| - On page optimization. ||
For 10 keywords, it may range from 16 - 24 Hours
|| - Image optimization. ||
Depending on the number of images the prospect site has, it can vary from 30 mins - 1 Hour
|| - Creation of a search engine friendly site map for better crawling of your site. ||
15 mins
|| - Hand submissions to the top search engines & directories using our unmatched experience for individual engines and directories. ||
Depends on the number of search engines to be submitted. Can vary between 15 mins - 1 hour
|| - Search engine submission confirmation reports as well as email and Chat assistance if you need it. ||
Chat: 30 mins/day for 2 days/week. For 3 months, 12 hours minimum
|| - Link Popularity Development - manual link requests to related websites. ||
60-75 hours for link search, compilation, emailing, following up, report generation for the SEO campaign life span of 3 Months.
|| - Monthly reports showing ranking progress. ||
Approx Number of Hours Worked: 94 - 120 Hours
Prospect's Total Budget: USD 77/Month for 3 Months = USD 231.00
If we are to provide our SEO solutions to this prospect, our per hour rate needs to be USD 2.45 - 1.92!!
Our recommendations to the prospects:
1. Understand the work being done by your SEO agency. If you can not grasp the technical part of SEO, ask your SEO and understand at least the returns [ROI] that you can get from a SEO campaign
2. Note the number of hours that your SEO agency will work for you. As outlined above, getting into top 10 requires lot of efforts and skills.
3. Do not have unrealistic expectations from your SEO campaign. For example, do not insist on getting # 1 position guaranteed in Google for the keyword - "real estate". That may not be the targeted keyword for your business.
4. If you are in the competitive industry, it may take longer time to get ranks. So, you need to be patient.
5. While many mom-pop businesses, 1 man SEO guy can still work for you at USD 2/hour in this world, however at the end of 6 months [time period for SEO campaign], the results that you get from them are widely different than the results that you expected. Your loss? Money spent and lost time of your business for 6 months.
Firm Bio
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Operating from India, SEOguru Technologies (Web: http://www.searchengine-optimization-guru.com) is a premiere search engine optimization, search engine marketing (SEO/SEM) and website development firm working to provide “quantifiable” ROI to its clients SEO budget. Services include
- Top 10 search engine rankings
- PPC campaign
- Google Adwords campaign management
- Search engine friendly website designing
- Logo designing
- Brochure designing
- Email / Newsletter designing
