Comments on: avoiding the pitfalls of hiring an seo firm http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/ Insight and opinion from the world of employment. Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:42:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jim Durbin http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10210 Jim Durbin Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:31:05 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10210 I am generally distrustful of SEO consultants as a profession, but that's because there are a lot of people who add SEO consulting to their list of skills without doing much (the same is true for "blog" designers). I help my clients with their SEO, but I'm not a consultant, and don't pretend to be. I do read a lot of their blogs, and the problem seems to be there is a hierarchy of talent for consultants, and the gap between the best and the vast middle is huge. Sadly, the hype about search engines makes business owners who still think 'hits" are a good indicator of traffic an easy target for scam artists. Then again- those business owners would balk at the real price and effort of first page rankings. Just as a general comment for Joel - when I find out someone is a client of his (and I'm pretty nosy), I ask them about what they think of his skills - and every person praises both his skills and his personality. That's a pretty important criteria for any consultant. That was an unpaid and unasked for referral - my private opinion based on anecdotal surveys of an unrepresentative sample of Joel's clients, and I'll be glad to repeat it for what it's worth to anyone who asks. I am generally distrustful of SEO consultants as a profession, but that’s because there are a lot of people who add SEO consulting to their list of skills without doing much (the same is true for “blog” designers). I help my clients with their SEO, but I’m not a consultant, and don’t pretend to be.

I do read a lot of their blogs, and the problem seems to be there is a hierarchy of talent for consultants, and the gap between the best and the vast middle is huge. Sadly, the hype about search engines makes business owners who still think ‘hits” are a good indicator of traffic an easy target for scam artists. Then again- those business owners would balk at the real price and effort of first page rankings.

Just as a general comment for Joel - when I find out someone is a client of his (and I’m pretty nosy), I ask them about what they think of his skills - and every person praises both his skills and his personality. That’s a pretty important criteria for any consultant.

That was an unpaid and unasked for referral - my private opinion based on anecdotal surveys of an unrepresentative sample of Joel’s clients, and I’ll be glad to repeat it for what it’s worth to anyone who asks.

]]> By: Doron http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10076 Doron Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:07:08 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10076 nothing in this post is new for me- but im sure this "checklist" is extremely usefull for decision makers who dont deal with online marketing like seo and sem on a daily basis. nothing in this post is new for me- but im sure this “checklist” is extremely usefull for decision makers who dont deal with online marketing like seo and sem on a daily basis.

]]> By: Chris Knott @ Monster Worldwide http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10049 Chris Knott @ Monster Worldwide Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:55:32 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10049 Joel - nice post. In my previous lives I've had to research the sometimes murky world of SEO, and your advice is spot on. Kudos. Joel - nice post. In my previous lives I’ve had to research the sometimes murky world of SEO, and your advice is spot on. Kudos.

]]> By: Catbert http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10043 Catbert Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:57:08 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10043 I liked this part the best: "They make lots and lots of money. They romp around the world giving speeches at search engine optimizer get-togethers which makes them more money and garners them more respect." I somehow suspected that your humble facade was nothing more than an eminence front. I liked this part the best: “They make lots and lots of money. They romp around the world giving speeches at search engine optimizer get-togethers which makes them more money and garners them more respect.”

I somehow suspected that your humble facade was nothing more than an eminence front.

]]> By: bob Wilson http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10040 bob Wilson Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:16:48 +0000 http://www.cheezhead.com/2007/02/01/avoiding-seo-pitfalls/#comment-10040 Super post Joel! Bob :-) Super post Joel!

Bob :-)

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