International Search Engine Marketing Blog

Even though the holiday season is starting to wrap up for most online retailers, it is also the same time many companies start looking for an international SEM or SEO company. While this is certainly commendable, many times it is a case of too little, too late if a business is looking to achieve noticeable results in the next couple of weeks. On the other hand, smart online retailers are already planning an internet marketing and SEO strategy for the next high volume sales period.

Luckily, even though this holiday period is nearing its conclusion, there is a never ending stream of holidays and months when retailers can generate markedly higher sales. As smart business owners already know, one key to successfully sell products online is to plan for the busy seasons far in advance of when it occurs. Typically the online retailers that sell the most also prepare the most. While, companies can obtain information on the effectiveness of an SEO campaign faster than most any other marketing mediums, it still takes time to plan and then for an SEO company to perform the work required for an online retailer to obtain top search rankings.

A common problem business owners face is finding the time to plan. As a business owner, I can certainly understand this. Fortunately, as with any new or improved marketing initiatives, it takes effort to set aside time required to determine a proper course of action. While some readers may do a double take and question the usage of the word “fortunately.” Its usage in the above sentence is no mistake. Most presidents and owners do not spend the time needed to effectively initiate and follow through on their internet marketing efforts. Any owner fortunate enough to take the time to fully plan and commence an SEO campaign therefore ends up with an enormous competitive advantage over those who continually wait, ponder, or never start one.

This certainly does not mean that any marketing coordinator of an online retailer should rush out tomorrow and hire an SEO company, but it does mean that the most profitable online retailers likely already followed similar steps some time ago. Any online business looking to join their ranks, should at a minimum, outline a definitive strategy on how to increase their website’s sales. I highly suggest that retailers \set and adhere to a time frame for actually acting upon such an outline. While this holiday season is starting to wrap up, the next one is only starting out. Companies that decisively choose and initiate a plan in advance of the next sales boom are likely the same ones that will experience the largest financial rewards.

With the New Year just around the corner, many companies are planning their marketing budget for the next calendar period. An issue that always seems to come into play is “What should we do with our website?”  Sometimes the question comes from a firm that has already worked with a local or international SEO company, other times it is asked at a company that is looking to build a presence on the internet.

The initial questions a company should decide upon are the objectives for their website. Does your firm want businesses or consumers finding the site? Does your company want to market to a local, national, or international audience? Is the site primarily for branding purposes? All of these questions are important when deciding how much to budget for the website and to spend with an SEO company.

Also, important to keep in mind is that SEO is not a commodity. If your company is price shopping, as most smart companies do, remember that oftentimes you are comparing apples to oranges. On many occasions, there is a simple and specific reason why certain SEM companies charge higher rates than others - they deliver on their promises. Spending $1,000 per month with an SEO company that can deliver on its promises is often much less expensive than spending a few hundred dollars with a company that does not have the expertise or capabilities to deliver as stated.

Still as with any industry, companies in the SEO and SEM fields differ greatly in the pricing they offer. Many times, companies will not mention a final price until after having a conversation with you or someone at your firm. I suggest viewing this as a positive. Most companies that have set rates, regardless of the client’s objectives, are unable to deliver on their promises. An SEO company that asks questions usually wants to know more about your objectives.

Many of the more reputable companies have base pricing that is modified depending upon the client’s goals and budget. Below are examples of our company’s pricing structure. Please use it as an example of what to expect when dealing with a white hat SEO firm. The pricing you receive from others should be within this ballpark. You may wish to pause if the pricing an SEO company quotes is much higher or lower than that below. 

Low Budget or Burned Before

Agilis Marketing offers a price plan at $99 per month for new customers who want to test the SEO waters. I have also found this ideal for companies or individuals who hired an SEO company in the past that had failed to deliver on their promises.

After realizing that multiple companies simply want to try an SEM service before committing, we created a plan that allows just that. No contracts, nor long term commitments. The caveat is that companies may only select one phrase to target. Essentially this is our company’s way of showing your company that which we are capable of achieving. Those interested in trying the offer can simply place their order online without ever needing to speak to someone. Of course I always encourage companies to call us first, if for no other reason then simply to have a short conversation to ensure we fully understand your goals. Many times clients who select this plan see an increase in sales and subsequently their budgets. Details on this price plan or located at: http://www.agilismarketing.com/seo-special/

Medium Budget - Most companies fall into this range

These are customized plans for companies that are looking to target approximately ten keyword phrases that are locally or regionally based. Pricing starts at $500 per month and increases based upon the client’s goals. Sometimes less competitive nationally focused keywords are targeted under this type of plan. A few of the factors that determine exact pricing include the current rankings for the website, when the company built the website, and their industry. These plans are quoted only after a better understanding of the client’s objective is gained. Companies can request an SEO quote online or call 1-800-SEO-1169.

Larger Budget – A company that wishes to dominate a market segment

Fortune 500 companies or those looking for stellar growth are going to want an internet marketing campaign that takes into account much more than simply top search rankings (SEO). Proper usage of pay per click, banner advertisements, and interspatial adverts are typically components of such a proposal. Pricing starts at $10,000 per month and goes up depending upon the company’s exact needs and objectives. Increasing conversions, detailed metrics, and ensuring a high ROI are a few of the features involved at this price level. Proposals typically focus on 100 or more keyword phrases, many of which might be more two word search terms that are searched for both nationally or internationally. Companies can request an SEM quote online or call 1-800-SEO-1169.

Selecting an SEO company is certainly a daunting task. However, armed with this information, budgeting for a search engine marketing campaign does not have to be the equivalent of walking through the forest in the dark. Hopefully this articles will shed a little light on the mysterious pricing SEO companies provide to prospects and make it easier for those marketers developing a budget for the New Year.

Recently, I have noticed an onslaught of SEO companies advertising to help prospects in specific industries such as the chiropractic field, automobile field, and many other trade groups that are looking to increase their marketing efforts using the internet. I applaud any SEO company that truly attempts to assist business owners in these industries. There is a definite need for doctors and automobile owners to have their websites marketed by a professional search engine marketing company.

Unfortunately, far too often I see these niche marketers charging exorbitant prices. I have heard stories of small dental practices shelling out $30,000 plus to have a website built and marketed online. The saddest part of the story is that even after spending all of that money, oftentimes their websites still do not appear anywhere within the top search engine results and little or no return on investment is ever realized.

That same small dental practice or chiropractic office has likely missed out on many new patients that the doctors could of helped. Essentially, the doctors’ offices are losing twice. Their first loss occurs when the office overpays for a web design or SEO service and the second loss realates to the opportunity cost involved with missing out on all the potential new patients that might have located their practice had they hired a different marketing company.

My best advice in this scenario is to start from scratch. Those who have yet to invest in a website should learn from the mistakes of others. When starting a new chiropractic or dental practice, owners should keep these ideas in mind when the inevitable bombarding of sales calls takes place. A marketing company does not have to focus solely on a specific industry in order to provide a better service than one that does. A common misconception is that a company which can list multiple dentists and chiropractors as clients has provided those clients a valuable service.

Many times the owners of a niche businesses, such as an automobile dealership or doctor’s office, are better off talking to a general web design firm or SEO company. Often these types of companies are staffed to handle such projects, can provide a superior level of service and expertise, and can do so for a price much lower than a company that markets solely to doctors or automobile dealers. A company that declares themselves as an expert in an industry is not necessarily one. Business owners in any industry should keep this in mind whether hiring a local web design firm or an international SEO company.

Usually, I do not use this blog to advertise our companies specials, but I am making an exception this one occasion since we are offering a limited time offer for new and existing clients. Agilis Marketing will obtain a top 10 search engine ranking for only $99 per month. There are no long term commitments or contracts. If you are not happy then simply let us know and you can cancel at any time. Simply go to our SEO special offer page to signup.

Why did we decide to make this offer? Even though I am against specials, the truth is that many people are gun shy when it comes to internet marketing. This is an opportunity for those companies or individuals to use our services for an extremely low price. Thus businesses are able to experience what our SEO company can achieve for a menial fee. Please note that this offer is available for both U.S. and international companies looking to improve the search engine marketing component of their advertising strategy.

I do want to emphasis that we are using this strategy as a loss leader. The only reason we are offering this price is to show companies our SEM abilities. Our company’s mission has not changed: to grow our business with the growth of our clients’ businesses. This offer is a way of showing the deep commitment we have towards that goal. Feel free to contact us with any questions at 1-877-SEO-1169 or go to our SEO special offer page to signup instantly.

It can be a difficult task for a company operating overseas to select a search engine optmisation firm located in the United States. At Agilis Marketing we hear from an array of international companies, many of which are located in the United Kingdom. This post is intended for companies that are headquartered in the U.K or other regions outside the United States. While Agilis Marketing is always willing to help U.S. companies with a United Kingdom SEO campaign, this article is targeted to our clients and prospects outside the states. 

The most common area of concern when hiring an international company is that of distance. People and companies value face to face meetings. Why should a company located in the U.K. select a firm in the U.S. when there are numerous local firms? The simple answer is that expertise and ROI should determine the decision, not locale. If a United States based company is more experienced with SEO and delivers a higher ROI than the choice is obvious.

Still, it is oftentimes easier to work with a company located in one’s home country. This is an advantages that should not go overlooked. The ability to take a quick flight or drive and meet face to face with representatives of the contracted company can certainly be of value. Whereas if a U.S. marketing company is hired then a face to face meeting is much more time consuming. That said the easier route is not always the most profitable one. Corporate America provides a perfect example of this and it is one reason why many U.S. companies outsource jobs overseas. Hiring a United States company to perform U.K. SEO work is turning into an increasingly smarter move for businesses in part due to the ongoing decline in the dollar.

Even with the aforementioned stated, the issue of distance still comes into play. Therefore our company happily meets with owners and directors of companies in the United Kingdom. Depending on the circumstances, sometimes it is more effective for our employees to visit a U.K. company’s headquarters, whereas on other occasions the converse holds true. Either way, Agilis Marketing does not view distance as a barrier to providing excellent search engine optimisation services to United Kingdom clients or any other international companies.

Many people automatically assume that search engine marketers are hired purely by businesses, whether they are local or international, looking to profit selling products or services. While this is primarily the case, I wanted to explore another reason internet marketers and SEO professional are hired: to correct a perceived wrong.

Be warned that this method of internet marketing is sometimes used without warrant and for improper purposes. The flip side of the coin is that in many instances it is an extremely effective and relatively inexpensive way to relay facts to a number of consumers. Essentially the idea is for the page or website created to appear above or near the company’s own site; this way those who are considering transaction with the business are able to see another person’s perspective of the organization.

When approached by such prospects, I highly suggest that the pages created contain purely factual information. That way nothing on the page is construed as libelous and I further suggest that they may also wish to consult with an attorney beforehand.

Describing this method of internet marketing is easiest with an example; therefore I will use a personal example with a webpage that I recently created. One goal for this webpage:  http://www.agilismarketing.com/southeastern-virginia-bni/ is for it to appear at the top of the search results when people search either for Southeastern Virginia BNI or Tony Dziadul. That way others who might consider joining the organization have more facts to base their decision upon.

At one point in my career, as an employee of another company, I became a member of the Southeastern Virginia BNI (Business Networking International) chapter. My understanding is that one of this organization’s goals is to promote the growth of its members’ businesses. Unfortunately, I had an experience that led me to believe otherwise. Now, I simply want others to know of my experience and to formulate their own conclusions. As with any business or person I interact with, I have personal feelings about the Southeastern Virginia BNI chapter and their executive director Tony Dziadul. However, if you click on the links above notice that the point of such a page is not to relay personal feelings, but post factual information. For instance the page I created contains email communications with Tony Dziadul, thus other people are able to develop their own opinions.

One purpose of this post is to illustrate another method for which search engine optimization is utilized. As mentioned at the start of this article, SEO and SEM are  used mostly to promote a businesses products or services, but can also have many other purposes, such as that above. These outside the box marketing techniques are an ideal and cost effective way to show an international audience factual information about another firm, company, or individual.

Many people will check their websites’ Page Ranks (correctly written as the trademarked one word: PageRank) this Monday morning and see the first update in nearly half a year. Keep in mind that this will have little impact on any website’s search rankings, whether the site is an international one or based in the United States. However, the number does serve as Barometer that measures that value of external links pointing to a website and educated website owners should have concern if their site’s PageRank drops. That is why this morning; many people will smile, while others will frown.

The fact of the matter is that PageRank (PR) is updated on a continual basis. However, Google has increasingly lengthened the amount of time between updating the PR displayed on their toolbar. The basic reason is that Google derives little benefit from updating the PR shown to the public.

SEO and SEM firms find this number quite valuable as it is one piece of information they can use when attempting to increase a site’s rankings within the search results. All else equal a link from a page with a higher PR is worth more than a link from a page with a lower PageRank. The fastest and easiest way to determine a page’s value is to look at the PR displayed by Google’s toolbar.

Since Google does not like anyone influencing their search results and most certainly does not want to make it easier for someone to do so, I hypothesis that is the primary reason why Google updates the PR displayed on their toolbar less and less frequently.

Keep in mind, the toolbar PR number is simply the one displayed and not the value used by Google on a daily basis. That said, why do such a large number of people care about this all illusive number? One reason is that people do not realize that the PR number is not updated in real time and simply associate the value of a website by the number Google displays on their toolbar.

The other reason site owner’s place such a high importance on PageRank is that a website with a higher PR is viewed as more valuable to other webmaster’s and search engine optimization experts. Often, SEO experts are willing to work harder to obtain a link from a higher PR site than one with a lower ranking and as a result there is a symbiotic monetary value associated with a site’s PageRank.

Those who are in the business of obtaining SEO friendly links are those most impacted by this recent update. As mentioned previously, many people will smile, while other will frown. Those smiling will obviously be the owner’s of website’s that have a higher PageRank since a large portion of the web community will consider their site more valuable. The converse is true for those site owners who now have a lower PR.