Search Engine Optimisation Web Log (BLOG)
Editor: Matt Paines

| This News Blog is dedicated to bringing news, information and innovations targeting the Search Engine Optimisation industry.

What's a top ranking worth?

If top your site was ranked at the top of the search engines, how much difference would it make to you business? Would it bring you unimaginable success and wealth? Now think how much difference it would make to your competitors business. Could it damage their ability to prosper if you took their place?

Needless to say then in a free economy you are not going to have an easy ride. Anyone already ranked is not projecting a fall in turnover next year, and as such will fight tooth and nail to ensure the good times roll.
 
There are only 10 places on the 1st page and everyone already in those spots is there because they have worked hard to get there and are continuing to work hard to maintain it.

Often a good measure of how competitive a search term will be is to look at the number and cost of the bids for the paid/sponsored advertising. The more and higher the bids the more difficult organic search will be.
 
If your chosen holy grail is littered with competitors what makes you think your site will get to the top 10? This was a question I had to ask a recent enquirer of our services. Another SEO had told them they could guarantee a top 10 place in Google for a recently registered domain for an automotive site in 6 months for a primary search term for a £6k fee!
 
I have got to say we have had clients in the automotive industry for 6 years, those that we have dealt with have had aged domains, have taken a minimum of 12 months to get ranked for primary search terms and cost a great deal more than that.
 
I guess the moral to the story is as always, research the provider – check them out can they optimise themselves for what they do “search engine optimisation”  - check their brand do they have a string of disgruntled clients in the forums and blogs?
The only advice possible is “buyers beware”.

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