In a previous post, "Questions to ask your SEO company", we focused on the type of questions prospective clients should ask of any professional SEO company they are considering hiring. Over time we've developed a list of crucial questions for prospective SEO clients, covering everything from website history to organizational structure. Although our lengthy check-list of questions help us screen, select and evaluate potential clients, we realized there are fundemental assumptions we make about a client's knowledge, goals and expectations that inevitably create problems down the line. Instead of trying to enroll clients as quickly as possible, we take the time to have a conversation about the relationship we'll be entering together. The questions below are an attempt to provide a focus points for that first crucial conversation.
What do you know about SEO?
It may seem an abrupt question to start off with, but a client’s quantity and quality of knowledge and experience is a critical and often overlooked element of engagement. We frequently field calls from prospects wanting to “get some SEO” for their website. Prospects often don’t understand that search engine optimization isn’t a “thing” that you add on after the fact, an accessory for your website. Its a fundamental strategy for online marketing. The vast majority of customers use the web, and they use search to navigate it. Appeasing the search engines requires your website to present clear, concise information and adhere to standards of compliance and accessibility. Failure to do so results in the inability to access the majority of your prospective customers. Clients need to understand the complexity involved in optimization and be educated on the difference between effective tactics and flashy tricks.
Why do you have a website?
What is the purpose of your website and what are your trying to accomplish with it? Your website should be the central component of your online marketing strategy. This is not a separate endeavor from your overall marketing plan, but the digital extension of it. Not only does search expose you to the greatest amount of potential customers, but it gives you the opportunity to engage your prospects, encourage behavior and measure the outcome.
What do you want from us?
While managing client expectations can be challenging, asking for their expectations up front can make the process much easier. Its difficult to convince a prospect that they don’t want something, and finding out what they do want provides valuable insight into their vision. Clients who expect to be #1 in Google for anything and everything won’t be happy with the typical growth curve. Clients who think a bunch of links are all they need may not be aware of the complexities inherent in attracting visitors, engaging users and converting them to customers. Clients who believe SEO is a “set it and forget it” activity may not be committed to sustainable success. Those clients who do have a reasonable expectations from the outset provide ample opportunity to exceed those expectations along the way.
What do we do now?
This is the collective “We”. Both the client and the agency need more information to engage in work, and if the previous questions have been thoroughly discussed, both parties now know whether or not moving forward makes sense. The agency no doubt needs specific information to begin the process. Clients typically need a proposal of some sort, an estimate of price, and some sort of reassurance, be it case studies or references. Every project has its own set of circumstances that make it difficult to determine how much work needs to be done, so having a standard initial engagement to establish the opportunity and scope of work helps mitigate the risk for both sides.
Source: http://www.deepripples.com/blog/crucial-questions-for-prospective-seo-clients
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