Getting a quote for search engine optimization (SEO) is not like getting a quote on a product; where what you are buying is always the same and the lowest price is the obvious purchase choice.
Choosing a search engine optimization company based on lowest price will seldom get you what you want or need to succeed.
Search engine optimization varies so much in process and approach that it is difficult to compare two SEO companies to each other, even when they both have a clear picture of what you want, let alone if they have to guess at what you want.
It’s like calling a dealer and asking “How much for a car?”
It’s impossible to answer that question without more information and if it was possible, why on earth would you want to let the sales person decide what he wants to sell you?
What kind of car are you looking for? What will you be using the car for? What options do you want?
Depending on your answers, your car could cost you from $100 to $300,000.
For myself, I would want to have some say on what the car dealer will sell me!
The same is true for search engine optimization; the options are endless and your participation is not only needed, it’s crucial.
SEO Quotes are Unique to Your Website
It is to be expected that when someone decides to market their company, they might not know or have thought of all the factors involved.
It is odd however, that many people requesting a quote prefer to avoid talking about what their goals are for their website. Instead, they insist they just want a quote, as if search engine optimization were some well-defined, off the shelf product.
SEO services are not all the same; in fact they are often not even similar. On a well developed search engine optimization campaign the actual process used to optimize a website is unique to that website.
To get a proper search engine optimization quote and to ensure your search engine marketing campaign will succeed, you need to provide the SEO Company with as much information as possible.
- What are your goals?
- What do you want your website to accomplish?
- Who are your competitors?
- What do your customers want?
- Is your market regional, national or world wide?
At its best, search engine optimization is a well-defined strategy to design and implement the changes necessary for your site to succeed.
Unless you have some new revolutionary product or service that people just can’t live without and everyone in the world is searching for, you will need to develop a good reason as to why they should buy from you rather than your competitors.
The process of discussing your goals with your SEO company will also educate you on the methods and the options available, thus enabling you to make informed decisions on all aspects related to making your website a success.
You will understand why you need to do some of the work to change your website to make it better and how you can help in that process.
When asking for a search engine optimization quote, you should look for an SEO company that wants to discuss your goals…so have an opportunity to reach your goals.
Chris Genge
Search Engine Optimization Strategist
