COMMENTS
Nice work! I am kind of skeptical of folks who label themselves SEO consultants. Its kind of like being a telephone consulting. It can be valuable but SEO is such a small (but important) piece of the puzzle that it gives the impression that they are focusing on the wrong stuff. Social media, leads, analytics, blogging are all equally important as search engine optimization
I guess I'm still doing my best to be a good SEO consultant, it is hard to help clients transition into the content generation... when you have multiples with varying fields,... you start to feel like you're spread thin on the content side. I can't crunch out both sporting goods and shoes and baby stuff content, because 2 of those are not my field and the other is not my thing at all..
I try my best to draw these technological dinosaurs to express themselves more.
I personally have an issue with "experts" whose websites score 17 on websitegrader, i rubbed a "search expert" the wrong way recently because I pointed out to him he needs to be careful about the way his website is representing him, because by chance my newest client met him the first week we started working and now she has him as her trusty search expert...
No problem, takes a butt load of work off my lap, but it makes me wonder if he's really going to help her see results
As an authentic, ethical, and professional SEO copywriter, I've joined forces with other SEO professionals in lobbying for SEO Certification, much like professional resume writers found necessary some years' ago.
Bad SEO hurts us as it hurts those victimized, and castes this slimy "snake-oil salesman" sleeze over the profession.
I highly recommend the serious SEO to consider certification to distinguish yourself from the, uh, shit. I am currently enrolled in an SEO Copywriting Certification Course offered by the recognized pioneer of SEO, Heather Lloyd-Martin: http://www.seocopywriting.com
She's ethical, professional, and highly successful. There's no need to be otherwise.
Smart tips! Since I write a lot of SEO copy for clients, I am familiar with lots of good SEO companies/consultants. I would never pick a consultant I didn't know unless I checked out their background and evaluated their sites as you suggest. I know too many people who have been burned trying to go the cheap route.
I totally agree with Dan - if your goal is traffic, you should be talking to someone who understands all of the channels Dan mentions. Asking an SEO consultant to grow traffic is like asking a mason to build you a house. You'll always get a brick house, when wood might have made more sense.
Also, I would be very suspicious of a consultant who wants to lock you in to a long term contract. In my experience, >90% of the value of on-site SEO happens with the initial audit.
Dan, JT and Nico-- thx for reinforcing that content is still king. SEO is an important but only a part of successful internet marketing-- you need to have a holistic approach from creating, optimizing, promoting content to converting it. There's just no silver bullet.
Beth, Laura, Dale and Kathleen-- thx for your support for these tools. We don't want any more SMBs (or any business or orgs) feeling like they have to throw money down a bottomless pit when there are so many ways to measure the results from their spend!