Question for Pro SEO's

In the aftermath of the Google update, I was wondering how you go about
explaining to clients why they're suddenly getting 75% less traffic to their
sites? (Assuming one of their major search terms has gone from page 1 to
page 150 or whatever).

I've done a little bit of SEO (on a sort of informal basis) for a couple of
the sites I've designed in the past, but fortunately I didn't make any sort
of ongoing commitments or promises in terms of SERPS. I'd imagine this could
be a massive headache if you were making a living from SEO and had a lot of
clients.

Is it just a matter of saying "wait and see", or do you try and explain
about changes to the Google Algorithm in detail? Do you explain in advance
that you can't guarantee results or that the results you achieve could well
be ephemeral?

The reason I ask is that I've lost around 60% of my google traffic since the
last update (with a similar impact on sales). Obviously, as a business I
shouldn't be dependant on free Google traffic, but while it was available it
would have been commercial suicide not to try and get as much of it as
possible.

Whether it was Google's intention or not, I'm now being forced to consider
starting an ADwords campaign in order to stay in business. Are the days of
SEO and free traffic now effectively over?

Kind Regards

Andrew Gibson


JELLYPIE SOFTWARE
Digital Video Editing Software, FAQ's, Resources and Filming Tips.
http://www.jellypie.co.uk

Andrew Gibson wrote:

In the aftermath of the Google update, I was wondering how you go about
explaining to clients why they're suddenly getting 75% less traffic to their
sites?

Well, I have to explain why traffic has increased...

(Assuming one of their major search terms has gone from page 1 to
page 150 or whatever).

Ah, that's a different story. Of course you could tell 'em like it is:
you have been overdoing a bit with keyword stuffing and other trics. It
worked fine for quite a while but now Google has (again) taken measures
against manipulation of their search results.

Or you tell them the same thing in more neutral terms: there are no
guarantees, SE keep changing their methods from time to time.

Is it just a matter of saying "wait and see", or do you try and explain
about changes to the Google Algorithm in detail? Do you explain in advance
that you can't guarantee results or that the results you achieve could well
be ephemeral?

I'd say there are no guarantees. And no, I sure wouldn't wait and see
but remove the tricks from the pages, rewrite them for visitors (not for
the SE's) and then wait and see what they will do after the next update.

The reason I ask is that I've lost around 60% of my google traffic since the
last update (with a similar impact on sales). Obviously, as a business I
shouldn't be dependant on free Google traffic, but while it was available it
would have been commercial suicide not to try and get as much of it as
possible.

To many people were tempted to overdo it, that's why the changes on
Google are so huge I guess.

Are the days of
SEO and free traffic now effectively over?

Sure not. There is still a lot of free traffic coming from Google. It's
just going to other pages. Pages that are probably all SEOd, but on a
more modest way.

Piet

On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 18:11:31 -0000, "Andrew Gibson"
<andrew.gibson (AT) example (DOT) com> wrote:

Are the days of
SEO and free traffic now effectively over?

No.

David
_
Free Search Engine Optimization, SEO and
Search Engine Placement Tips (updated 16/11/2003)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ooar123...-optimization/
Free SEO Mailing List
http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=3290

time to include pay per click in the mix. Take some of the log file results
and add a pay per click value and devote some resources to that. high
cost-high traffice=optimize, low cost-high or low traffic=ppc. Try it you
might like it.
"SEO Dave" <ooar123SP (AT) AMntlworld (DOT) com> wrote

On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 18:11:31 -0000, "Andrew Gibson"
andrew.gibson (AT) example (DOT) com> wrote:

Are the days of
SEO and free traffic now effectively over?

No.

David
_
Free Search Engine Optimization, SEO and
Search Engine Placement Tips (updated 16/11/2003)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ooar123...-optimization/
Free SEO Mailing List
http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=3290

"Articus" <artmccarty (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

time to include pay per click in the mix. Take some of the log file
results
and add a pay per click value and devote some resources to that. high
cost-high traffice=optimize, low cost-high or low traffic=ppc. Try it you
might like it.

Do you really find that PPC is a value? We tried it on Google for two
months and it stank cxompared to "organic optimization". Ten different ads
didn't add up to much.

James Taylor
http://www.aicompany.com

I have a client who isnt in any search engine, directory or backlink and
manages to run his business solely on pay per click. I am attempting to
move him into seo in addition to his ppc.
PPC is great for new web site launches as well. We provide it as well.
If you had no results, was it:
no clicks
no impressions
low ctr
If no impresssion, your bid was probably too low.
If no clicks, your ad wasnt very good or not much interest in the term.
(Although checking bids on key words will give your some indication of
market value.)
Both of which can be solved through trial and error. Alot of errors
finally lead to the results.


"James" <seo (AT) aicompany (DOT) com> wrote

"Articus" <artmccarty (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:dJdzb.1526$AM3.148025 (AT) twister (DOT) tampabay.rr.com...
time to include pay per click in the mix. Take some of the log file
results
and add a pay per click value and devote some resources to that. high
cost-high traffice=optimize, low cost-high or low traffic=ppc. Try it
you
might like it.


Do you really find that PPC is a value? We tried it on Google for two
months and it stank cxompared to "organic optimization". Ten different
ads
didn't add up to much.

James Taylor
http://www.aicompany.com

"Articus" <artmccarty (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

I have a client who isnt in any search engine, directory or backlink and
manages to run his business solely on pay per click. I am attempting to
move him into seo in addition to his ppc.
PPC is great for new web site launches as well. We provide it as well.
If you had no results, was it:
no clicks
no impressions
low ctr
If no impresssion, your bid was probably too low.
If no clicks, your ad wasnt very good or not much interest in the term.
(Although checking bids on key words will give your some indication of
market value.)
Both of which can be solved through trial and error. Alot of errors
finally lead to the results.

We ended up with a pretty good CTR I think.

Our highest was 7.4 % and our lowest was 2.2%. avg. 2.9%

It could be that our equipment sells for a minimum of $5,000.00 U.S. and is
qualified as industrial equipment.
Highest impressions were 83,000 over a three month period and lowest 191 out
of 10 campaigns.

Avg position was 1.3 over the campaign but we did not see a huge increase in
sales, it didn't even cover the costs, just under $13.000.00 total for
campaign.

This customer grew over 700% in the past four years with 82% of their
business coming from their web site. My company has been SEO'ing them for
those four years and they have been #1 for most terms, #10 at worst.

We tried the PPC campaign for three months and saw no appreciable rise in
sales. We have been out for three months and sales have picked up...might
not be related :-)


James Taylor
www.AICompany.com