Tracking Return on Investments in Marketing and Advertising, and Measuring the Results, Lead to Greater Profit

All too often people read a headline like the one above and say, “I’m just a small business in Toowoomba – that does not apply to me.”

There is no denying the fact that most businesses in the Toowoomba region are indeed 1 to 2 person operations. Yet, the region is cluttered with an abundance of radio stations, television stations, several newspapers and letterboxes full of promotional activity. So it is safe to assume that advertising budgets are commonplace. Therefore, no matter how small your operation, there is a critical need to get the best return on your marketing investment. It could be argued that as a small business you have to measure marketing/media spending even more effectively as the dollars are so hard to find to pay for mainstream media.

Mainstream media is struggling to retain audiences as digital tools like the Internet make their way into the budgets and empower small business like no other time in history. This is why websites, and allied digital marketing tools, are the most cost effective tool for small business promotion ever devised.

According to a report published in 2011 by Forrester Research, within the next 5 years, traditional forms of marketing and advertising (billboards, television, print, etc) will be eclipsed by the online marketing market. By 2016, advertisers will spend $77 billion online, comprising 35% of all ad spending. Online advertising expenditure in 2010 alone was $26.1 billion, featuring 3% growth from the previous year. Although traditional forms of advertising like print media will continue to be used, the very fact that 75% of the world’s population will be online by 2012 makes online advertising a promotion avenue one can’t afford to ignore. According to IAB Online Advertising Expenditure Report 2011, the Australian online advertising market has continued to record double-digit growth, reaching $2.66 billion for 2011.

With the budgets for marketing increasing exponentially, it is becoming increasingly important for any business large or small to track ROI when it comes to marketing expenditures. Put simply – “if you can measure it – you manage it”.

A campaign/promotion/activity that generates more revenue than it costs is termed as “ROI positive” and is sustainable. This is always the goal and the expectation, however it is rarely the outcome. Most small businesses that have advertised on the radio could not tell you the ROI of a particular campaign. A business can only determine if it has achieved a ROI positive campaign if it has set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the success (or otherwise) of the activity, and put measures in place to track those KPIs. The main KPI one needs to track is known as CONVERSIONS. For example, it might be the number of products purchased, the number of people that signed up for a newsletter, the number of people to book a consultation or the number of leads generated to further market to. Working on analysing these measurements, or KPIs, not only helps track the ROI on marketing expenditure but allows for tactical enhancements to improve a message within the campaign. Swift intervention in these matters can save a lot of money.

Tools like 1300 Web Pro’s database marketing system and Google Analytics can provide unprecedented insight into campaign ROI – and not just from your Internet marketing. As an example, a radio advertisement can promote an offer which directs a prospect to a particular website where we can capture their details and continue to market to them. We can definitively calculate the number of sales made from a particular radio campaign or tradeshow, and thus ensure those activities are ROI positive.

Do you have any tips on measuring the return on investment from your campaigns? Share them in the comments below...

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Phone: 1300 932 776
Facebook: www.facebook.com/1300WebPro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au

Marketing Lessons from Grantham Flood Support

Following the flooding that devastated parts of Queensland on January 10, I was involved in a small group that established a charity called Grantham Flood Support. Our mission was to raise money to assist the town of Grantham, which was particularly hard hit, with rebuilding their community.

As of today, Grantham Flood Support has raised $659,996.15 which we are very happy with. It will make a huge difference to the Grantham region.

The underlying reason for the success of this appeal is the nature of the events.

However the Grantham Flood Support management committee has employed a number of Internet marketing techniques that have amplified the success. Today I would like to share some of these techniques so that you may employ them in your organisation.

It is worth noting that we have employed no traditional media advertising (eg. newspaper, radio or TV) however we have received good coverage from some members of the media.

The Website
The primary point of presence for Grantham Flood Support is the website. It is a very simple site, with only two pages: the home page containing information and a credit card donation page.

However despite being a simple, single page with a modest amount of information, it was designed with a specific call to action in mind (donating) and is designed to encourage this. The home page is also arranged to provide the most pertinent information at the top of the page.

The lesson here is that positioning, layout, copy and calls to action are integral factors in effective web design. Just because it looks pretty doesn’t mean it will work.

The Facebook Page
Like most organisations, word of mouth is the primary source of donors for Grantham Flood Support. The Grantham Flood Support Facebook Page currently has 5,789 fans that have all helped spread the word and encourage donations. A number of these fans changed their personal profile picture to raise awareness in the appeal’s early days. Other fans shared media coverage from around the world. Grantham residents are also fans and have shared their stories and feelings direct from “ground zero.”

Three keys to Grantham Flood Support’s success on Facebook are as follows:

1. We focused on making it interactive. It was not a “news feed” broadcasting to our fans but rather a conversation with them.
2. We kept it relevant and focused. We didn’t “post for the sake of posting.” We always beared in mind that we are entering someone’s personal virtual space and tried to ensure we were posting things they would find relevant.
3. We used images, video and audio wherever possible. Standing out on the “feed” page of a fan can be a challenge. Multimedia certainly helped with this. We also employed links heavily to allow fans to find out more information if they were so inclined.

E-mail Marketing
1300 Web Pro has been working on some exciting opportunities in e-mail marketing over the last year. Grantham Flood Support is an excellent example of how effective carefully planned and executed e-mail campaigns can be.

We used our e-mail marketing system to send personalised e-mails to many of the donors, thanking them for their contribution whilst sharing the Facebook Page with them and encouraging them to tell their friends and family about Grantham Flood Support.

We also used the e-mail marketing system to distribute press releases easily to a database of media contacts that grew throughout the appeal.

The e-mails themselves were designed to promote a specific call to action. Using the reports generated from the campaigns we know that this directly increased the appeal’s bottom line substantially.

E-mail marketing is probably the “next big thing” in terms of marketing opportunities for small businesses. Any business not considering this medium is doing itself a disservice. At the very least, businesses should be collecting e-mail addresses and other demographic information to build a database. We can provide some advice on this – just reply to this e-mail.

E-mail marketing is a double-edged sword however. Many organisations are dabbling with it using a DIY approach which is not only going to be less effective but will also hamper future efforts to market to the same database.

Conclusion
Internet marketing is our area of expertise at 1300 Web Pro, and employing these skills to fundraise at no cost was, we felt, the best way we could assist the community of Grantham in recovering.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Anthony Bigby and Tanya Wood.

Anthony owns Aden Lawyers in Toowoomba and has served as general counsel for Grantham Flood Support, also on a volunteer basis.

Tanya owns Avon Lodge, a B&B on Bribie Island, with her partner and has been an invaluable asset.

And I would like to thank our thousands of donors. The outpouring of support has been astonishing.

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: http://www.1300webpro.com.au/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/1300WebPro

Never miss a P&C meeting again (or Rotary, or footy club...)

If you have ever participated in a service group, sporting club, P&C, networking group or anything similar, you will be familiar with the challenge of keeping an up-to-date group email list.

I participate in a number of groups and I have often found myself trying to find an old email circulated by another group member from which I could copy and paste the cc: list from.

This morning at SING, one of our members experienced the shortfall of this method -- he sat waiting at the wrong venue as he "didn't get the e-mail." Being a new member he wasn't on the list (sorry Chris!!).

An easy to use, free solution to this problem is Google Groups.

With Groups, you give Google a list of e-mail addresses and they in turn give you a single "group" email address to send emails to for distribution.

For example, you can set up a group called Neverland State School and add:

• john@doe.com
• bob@builder.com
• tom@tankengine.com

Google will then give you an address, say neverland-pc@googlegroups.com. From then on, if you send an e-mail to neverland-pc@googlegroups.com it will be forwarded, by Google, to the three list members.
The best part of this is that one person can manage the list. For example, the Secretary or President could add and remove people from the list as required and emails will automatically get sent to the current members.

Setting up a Google Group is very simple. Simply point your browser to:

http://groups.google.com/groups/create

It is a short process and well documented.

You can return to the website at any time to revise the list of group members.

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/1300WebPro

After a long hiatus, I felt it was time to put pen to paper again and share a sentiment that is frequently quoted around the 1300 Web Pro office:

“Manage Expectations” 

As consumers, we have all been let down by businesses. Sometimes we struggle with how we had such a poor outcome when all our friends talk about how great the business is.

Conversely, every business owner has let down a customer from time to time. More often than not, the customer that ends up being unhappy is one that the business has well and truly gone above and beyond for.

The root cause of these issues is quite often not that the seller is a “bad business” or the buyer is a “bad customer.”

The root cause is often that the seller did not manage the buyer’s expectations properly.

This process of “managing expectations” is not a negative one. It is simply making sure that everyone is on the same page.

It doesn’t necessarily mean every gory detail has to be spelt out in overwhelming detail, and it certainly isn’t referring to the infamous “Fine Print.”

It doesn’t have to be written down, although having good literature to leave the buyer with can ensure the entire team is communicating a consistent, clear message.

When developing new products and services, the Pareto Principle (a.k.a “The 80/20 Rule”) tends to kick in. In the sales spiel, marketing collateral, and terms of trade, the business owner is concerned with addressing the 20% of situations that cover 80% of the sales.

To properly manage expectations, the business owner must address the other 80% of situations in order to keep the other 20% of customers happy. Trust me, the extra effort in properly documenting things and educating your team will be worth it in the long run – “short term pain for long term gain”.

Oh, and on the odd occasion, when we kind, generous business owners decide to go the proverbial extra mile, we must “manage expectations” by ensuring the customer understands he or she is getting an extra few inches. If they know they got three inches for the price of one, they’ll likely be happy!

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/1300webpro

Words That Work

One of the most critical aspects of any marketing material is the words.

Unfortunately, advertising copy is all to often an annoying afterthought that gets cranked out at the 11^th hour.

Below I give a few tips on ensuring your ads, websites, flyers, etc. have effective copy. But first, a bit of background...

As website designers, one of the most frustrating things is when we work together with the client to come up with a brilliant site, only to see the site get filled with ineffective text. (This, of course, was the genesis of our website copywriting products).

A recent example of text we wrote for a customer is "Toowoomba's best kept dining secret."

We were designing new signage for a Toowoomba restaurant and convinced the business owner to allow us to stray from the traditional "Business Name, Phone Number, Opening Hours" sign to having "Toowoomba's best kept dining secret" in big maroon letters.

The response has been beyond imaginable. By chance, my partner and I were having dinner there the first weekend after the signs were put up and it was packed. We wrote this off to it being a long weekend, but asked the business owner to quizz people "where did you hear of our restaurant" when they came in.

The increased volume at the restaurant has been sustained, and the impromptu survey confirms that the signage is the source.

Out of curiosity, if you have seen these signs, put a comment on this article. Did you know of the restaurant beforehand? Have you gone there since seeing the signs?

Tips for effective copy

1. Keep it short and sweet -- less is more.
2. Include a benefit of one of your points of difference and a call to action -- why are you better, and what do you want me to do about it?
3. Focus on one point per marketing piece.
4. Use color, font,     spacing    , bold, italics, etc. to control the reader's focus.
5. Choose synonyms wisely -- which do you support, the proposed "huge mining profits tax" or the proposed "resource tax restructuring?" Two different news publications referred to the same taxation changes in these two ways.
6. Always triple-check spelling, grammar, and make sure web links work.

A great book on the subject is Dr. Frank Luntz's book titled Words That Work: It's Not What You Say That Matters, It's What People Hear.

Of course if you want really great copy, you should contact 1300 Web Pro where we have a university trained copywriter on staff to help.

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/1300webpro

See how easily video can "punch up" a website

1300 Web Pro recently had the opportunity to work with Toowoomba Financial Centre to redesign their site.

At our initial consultation, we suggested integrating video into their site to help make the website a bit more interactive. Chris and Dennis from TFC agreed, and we got the opportunity to work with our friends at Evolution Studios to produced a really great website.

This week I thought I would do a quick "video blog" to share our experience with Toowoomba Financial Centre with you.

Please click here to have a look at Toowoomba Financial Centre's new website and leave a comment below with your thoughts!

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Twitter: @1300WebPro

How to be told when your business is mentioned on the Web

Once per week, Google sends me two e-mails. The first lets me know what people are saying about "1300 Web Pro" and the other tells me what "toowoomba web design" websites have popped up lately.

Google sends these two e-mails free of charge. This service is called "Google Alerts."

From the horse's mouth, "Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic." In other words, they are e-mails that contain the new search results for a given phrase you would type into Google.

When I get the Google Alert for "1300 Web Pro" each week, it does not send me the roughly 70,000 results you get when searching for "1300 Web Pro." I usually get two or three listings, perhaps our updated blog or Facebook page, or where a customer has mentioned us.

Google.com.au Search Results for "1300 Web Pro":

Example of Google Alert for "1300 Web Pro":

One single relevant result for the week!

Several uses for Google Alerts include:

1. Making sure no one is using a trademark you own
2. Keeping an eye out for new competition
3. Identifying when people have said nice things about your business, so you can respond and say "thank you"
4. Identifying when people have complained about your business, so you can hopefully resolve the issue and get rid of the bad word of mouth
5. Spotting when your business, industry, or competition are mentioned in the media.
6. Finding relevant news and blog articles to forward to your customers and prospects.

Needless to say, #3 and #4 can really make your business look like customer-service superstars!

On a personal front, you may find Google Alerts handy to keep an eye on your favorite sports team, celebrity, or musicians.

Setting up Google Alerts takes literally less than five minutes. Simple go to:

http://www.google.com.au/alerts

And fill out the form:

You can elect to receive updates daily, weekly, or "as-it-happens." If you enclose your search term in quotation marks (""), Google will look for an exact match of the multiple words which is handy when you are looking for your own business name.

If you have any outside-the-box uses for Google Alerts, please consider sharing them in the comments section of this blog post. Likewise, if you try and set them up and run into problems, leave a comment and one of us at 1300 Web Pro will try and give you a quick hand.

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/1300WebPro

Nothing sells like a Slogan.

Logo design and branding are lesser-known parts of what we do at 1300 Web Pro. We regularly design logos, and help form brands for both startups and established businesses. One part of the process that clients often treat as an afterthought, much to my chagrin, is the slogan.

This is potentially a great loss, because the slogan (or tagline, or memory hook, or motto, or catchphrase, or whatever) is generally a brand’s time to shine.

A business’ name and logo are often simply ways for clients and prospects to identify the business. This is certainly important to the business, in the same way that the word “James” is important to differentiate me from most other humans.

However, the word “James” doesn’t tell you anything about who I am or what makes me unique. Likewise, a logo or business name often doesn’t tell a consumer much about what makes the business special and unique.

Even in the best case scenario, a name will generally still only give a trivial piece of information, like “James is a boy” or “Great Wall Motor’s sells Chinese cars.”

A slogan, on the other hand, is a business’ opportunity to sum up their all-important "Unique Selling Proposition" or "Point of Difference" right off the bat.

The starting point to a creating a great slogan can simply be the answer to the question… “Why should I deal with you?”


A few examples… 
Dick Smith Electronics – Okay so you’re like Harvey Norman or The Good Guys?
Talk to the Techxperts – Ohhh! Your staff are experts in technology, not just regular old electronics salespeople.

Qantas – Um, isn’t there supposed to be a “u” after the “q”?
Spirit of Australia – Ohhh! If I fly on you I’ll be with a bunch of fellow Aussie’s, the pilot will speak English, you’ll serve Bundy, and I won’t have a 3AM stop over in Tai Pei.

Chartered Accountants – A band of accountants.
Number 1 in Numbers. – Ohhh! So a chartered accountant is better with numbers than a regular accountant. That sounds beneficial…

Federal Express – I think they move stuff around the country.
When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight. – Ohhh! You mean they do overnight deliveries that actually get there the next day?

US Army – Why would I want to get shot at?
Be all you can be. – Ohhh! I’m not really reaching my full potential until I’ve risked life and limb to defend my country.

1300 Web Pro – You’re phone number is 1300 932 776, and you do websites.
Websites that mean business. – Ohhh! A website from you guys will sell more widgets, make my phone ring, find me staff, and show up at the top of Google.

Last but not least, I give top honors to this bus advertisement I recently saw in Auckland:

Monthly Meter Reads – You read monthly, my electricity company averages… it’ll all come out in the wash.
We charge you for what you actually use. Precisely. – Shock! Horror! I am paying for more electricity that I actually use? All because my electricity company is lazy? The mongrels!


Summary

Every business should have a slogan. That slogan must drive home the business’ unique point of difference. The slogan must define that single most important benefit a customer will get from picking you.

Does your business have a slogan? If not, slot in half an hour with the team and start batting ideas around. As long as you stay focused on that all-important unique point of difference you can’t go wrong.


Want more? Check out this article, "Slogans That Are the Real Thing," at BusinessWeek.

What are some of your favorite slogans? What slogans leave you wondering: “Huh?” Join me in the comments section and share your slogan thoughts.

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/1300WebPro
Twitter: @1300WebPro

7-Step 2010 Business Kickstart

Welcome to the start of another calendar year. At 1300 Web Pro we’ve psyched ourselves up for another big year. Hopefully you and your team have also come back refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to power through this post-recession year.

In today’s article we’re going to settle back in with a quick list of seven things you can do to give your business a kickstart for 2010.

These are all things that real life 1300 Web Pro clients are doing right now and should each take no more than a few hours (in some cases only a few minutes).

1. Do a mail out
2. Clear excess stock
3. Create a 1-page Internet marketing plan
4. Review your signage
5. Get an IT health check
6. Chase old accounts receivables
7. Review your loyalty program

Do a mail out

Old-fashioned snail mail remains one of the most effective marketing tools out there. It is targeted, affordable, and the results come quickly.

Direct mail campaigns are one of the many non-web things that 1300 Web Pro offers our clients. We can design flyers, arrange printing, arrange mailing lists, and even get the letters stuffed and sent. We did a flyer and magnet campaign to 2500 local businesses last year for a new business, and their phone has literally been ringing off the hook.

Stay tuned next week for a detailed article on running an effective direct mail campaign…

Clear excess stock

If your business has obsolete models, scratch and dents, or simply too many of something, get rid of it!

Clearing excess stock will free up cash that can be used for marketing campaigns or buying new stock.

Create a 1-page Internet marketing plan

Like it or not, the Internet is going to continue to play a bigger role in business and consumer purchasing decisions in 2010. It’s no longer enough just to create a static website and leave it to gather dust for several years.

Sit down with your team, and create a simple, 1-page Internet marketing plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just make sure you’re covering all your bases.

Here are a few headings to get you started. If you don’t know what some of the headings are all about, call us on 1300 932 776 and we’ll give you a quick heads up.

• Company website
• Company blog
• Facebook Fan page
• Twitter updates
• E-mail broadcasting

Review your signage

Is the signage outside your building and on your company vehicles exciting, engaging, and informative? Do you have blank spaces that would be better used with a bit of additional signage?

Particularly if there is a bit of traffic outside your business, or if your vehicles spend a bit of time on the road, this is always an easy way to make your brand more noticeable.

1300 Web Pro can help design signage for your business. If you’ve driven past our premises on Mylne St and noticed our signage, you’ve seen what we do.

There are many great signwriters in Toowoomba, and with digital printing, one-off signs are more affordable than ever.

Get an IT health check

Slow, grumpy computers make for slow, grumpy staff.

If you don’t have a proactive arrangement with your IT provider, your business is likely suffering from unnecessary overheads.

Now is also a good time to review your backup arrangements, and make sure that business data is safe. With prices dropping in hard disks, backup software, and offsite backup systems, you may be able to get greater piece of mind without spending too much money.

Chase old accounts receivables

Just like clearing excess stock, debtor lists can be a source of extra cash. It’s time to get on the phone and get outstanding accounts sorted out.

Advance Debt Recovery is a new Toowoomba business, and a 1300 Web Pro customer. For those tricky customers who simply won’t pay, it might be worth giving them a ring. They are professional, courteous, and fully licensed.

Review your loyalty program

Customers and friends of 1300 Web Pro are familiar with our Birthday and Anniversary Club. We send out Intersection Restaurant gift vouchers to club members on their birthdays, their partners’ birthdays, and their anniversaries.

Make sure you have some sort of program in place to say “thanks” to your loyal customers, and to keep in touch with them so they remember to stop by.

As always, I welcome and appreciate your feedback. Please visit our 1300 Web Pro blog and share your 2010 Kickstart ideas!

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Twitter: @1300WebPro

Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/stefantell

8 SEO Danger Signs

Attention all business owners:
Keep a link to this site and always refer back to it before employing an SEO consultant or web developer.

An entire industry of scam artists has cropped up and is preying on small business site owners: SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, “experts.”

I’m writing this article as one of our customers has recently fallen victim to one of these SEO “experts.” When he told me of this, I realized I did not fulfill my role of educating my valued clients and friends on the many myths and dangers of Search Engine Optimisation.

For that, I apologise. My penance shall be to share with all of you 8 SEO Danger Signs…


#1 - Guaranteed results
Any company that guarantees results is trying to trick you. Typical methods of this trickery include:

Setting up an AdWords campaign, where you -- not they -- pay Google to appear in the "Sponsored Links" that appear on a page.

Or they have some sort of criteria that they will meet but will not be of value to you. For example, I can guarantee that we will be #1 for www.1300webpro.com.au -- because Google will always put a URL (address) as an exact match first. Click here to see my example, or Google your own website URL.

So if someone says they guarantee results, ask them how while slowly backing away.

I may sound a bit forward on this point, but I feel safe doing so since Google themselves tell "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google."


#2 - We only do SEO
If the company only does SEO, and doesn't actually create websites, they are probably shady operators. Not definitely, but probabaly.

The reverse does not, however, apply. There are plenty of web development companies who employ shady, or "black hat", SEO techniques which will result in Google delisting sites.

In fact, I know of at least two Toowoomba web development companies that use "black hat" techniques. It is happening in your backyard!


#3 - Not answering the question "How do you do it?"
There are no "trade secrets" or "proprietary methods" in SEO. If a company chooses not to tell you how they intend to improve your site, then they are probably using methods that will result in your site getting delisted by Google in the long run.


#4 - Using any "tricks" to make Google see something different
Sadly, this is an example of what one of our customers was told to do, by an SEO "expert":

"He suggested that in the blank area on the sides of our site that we have our keywords listed in white so they wont be seen by visitors but Google will still pick up on them."

Google's job is to find sites that are relevant for a human being, so they take a very dim view of techniques like this which are aimed at providing different content to the search engine than a human would see.

And by "take a dim view" I mean they will go as far as removing sites all together from their indexes.


#5 - Not requiring access to edit the website's content
An SEO "expert" who does not intend on modifying your website's content is like a mechanic who says they don't need to physically have your car to fix it.


All legitimate SEO techniques require access to your site. The main one is "look at each page on your site and make sure you actually use the words that describe who you are, what you sell, and where you are." Also known as keywords. And don't overdo it so that it sounds like gibberish to humans!

To make sure that no underhanded content, methods, or links are employed, ask the SEO "expert" to give you the content to update and do it yourself. If you don't understand why you are doing something, walk away or seek a second opinion.


#6 - You'll get results in 24 hours
Going back to my mechanic example, I would not be satisfied if my mechanics, The Motor Shoppe (who are fantastic by the way), told me "Your car will run really well tomorrow."

It is easy, using underhanded "black hat" techniques (the ones Google hates and will penalise you for), to get a site bumped up for a short time.

What a site owner should really be interested in is long term results.


#7 - How is AdWords involved?
Often times, SEO "experts" are setting up Google AdWords campaigns on behalf of site owners. AdWords are the "Sponsored Links" that appear above and to the right of Google search results.

If an SEO "expert" is using AdWords as part of an SEO campaign, he or she should make it very clear that they are recommending AdWords, give you a choice as to whether or not to use it, discuss maximum budgets per click and per month, and implement tracking to see if it is worthwhile.

AdWords is the source of 95% of Google's $24 billion revenue, so there are certainly people that see value in it. However, it is something that your SEO "expert" should be educating about and guiding you with, rather than hiding from you.

On a similar note, if you have an AdWords campaign as part of an SEO campaign, be sure you are paying Google directly rather then the SEO "expert" who will simply be adding markup for doing nothing. Pay for the time they are helping and advising you.


#8 - What "linking" is involved?
If you are expected to link to random people, then walk -- nay -- run away.

Linking between websites is an important factor in Google's PageRank technology. Because of this, we should all link, but do it only to companies we know and trust. Remember, you are potentially losing traffic to a site when you link to it, and are effectively giving a word of mouth referral.

Link, but link carefully. 



Summing Up
Hopefully this list of SEO danger signs will prevent a few of our valued customers and friends from getting involved with shady SEO "experts" or web developers.


If anyone has any other experiences or danger signs to share, please share in the comments section. Please also share this article as you hear your clients, suppliers, and associates pondering the use of an SEO "expert."


Further Reading

• Google's warnings on SEO consultants
  
• 8 scams peddled by SEO consultants (not all the same as this article)
  

James Deck
1300 Web Pro
Web: www.1300webpro.com.au
Twitter: @1300WebPro