SEO Package: Good Value?

[JABacchetta]

I'm having a real hard time trying to dig through all the BS and find a reputable SEO company that delivers quality and value.

Anyway, here's a package that I'm considering from a company called eBrandz. It seems a bit overpriced to me, but I don't have a lot of experience with reputable SEO companies, so I'm hoping someone can weigh in - on both the package itself for the price, and the company (if you have any information about them).

$1500/month

• 8 Guest Posts (With 80 Bookmarks)

• 8 Articles with Syndication (With 80 Bookmarks)

• 1 Press Release (With Bookmarking)

• 75 "Curated Business Directory Submissions"

• Social Bookmarking for 5 Urls (Each Url to 20 Sites)

• 1 (every other month) Video Creation (45 to 90 seconds) With Submission and Bookmarking.

[Christy-Correll]

Here is the link to the list of inbound marketing companies recommended by Moz: http://www.seomoz.org/article/recommended

[JABacchetta]

That makes sense.

I guess my biggest problem with that is I'm not really sure what links are considered quality and which are considered spammy. Because in reality, every backlink you ATTEMPT to build is against what Google would like to see. In the perfect world, everyone would link out to great content when they came across it, and everyone would have an equal shot at getting their content viewed. But that's just not the case, which is why SEO exists.

But, I digress.

When doing press releases for example, how do you know which press release sites to submit to? How often should press releases be sent out? Use paid or free ones?

[MarieHaynes]

Some of these items throw up flags for me:

-8 guest posts - who is going to write them?  If it's not you, then does the writer REALLY know your subject area?  Where are they going to be posted?  If a company has good connections and can guest post on authoritative blogs then this type of thing can be good (provided the articles are really good).  But, if they are on unrelated sites, low authority sites, and sites that will simply take as many guest posts as they can publish then this is not only unhelpful but could harm your site in the eyes of Penguin.

-8 articles with syndication.  Article syndication can be dangerous with today's SEO.

-75 directory submissions - I am highly doubtful that any company can find 75 relevant, non-spammy, authoritative directories to submit your site to.  Right now, directory submissions seem to be not affected by Penguin too much, but I am guessing that the new Penguin that will be released in the future is going to go after directory submissions.  At best you will get a little bit of link juice from 75 directory submissions.  At worst you will be affected by Penguin.

I could go on.

$1500 is not an unreasonable price for a company that can truly do good SEO, but for that price I would want to see some really good content creation and promotion as well as excellent on page SEO.  Google is making it harder and harder to rank sites by just mass building links.

I believe that SEOMoz has a list of recommended SEOs although I don't know much about the list. If I were hiring an SEO today I would ask for references from previous clients.  Some may have trouble doing that because of non-disclosure agreements, but usually there is at least one client who is thrilled with the service enough to rave about it.  I would also ask what they are going to do to make my site better and also what kind of places they are able to get links for me.

[GKLA]

Be wary of agencies offering Cookie Cutter services, chasing the latest search algorithms.

While the below method is not as easier as just hiring a seo firm - in the long run you will have more control over your entire campaign - content, links etc.

Find yourself a good writer -they can write guest blog posts, articles and even your press release for at least  1/2 of what an agency will charge you.  Use the writer when you need them.  Chances are you won't need them full-time.

Use a search engine's advanced operators to query and find relevant links related to your industry.  Can't do it to yourself? learn how to do it, than hire someone and teach them how to do it.

Find a company who specializes and video creation and have them do it for you.

I feel its better to do it yourself or in-house if you have employees/resources.  You will have more control and accountability.

[JABacchetta]

I'm very confident that I have a quality website built that visitors will love. I've received extremely positive feedback from the promotion that I've done so far. But again, getting eyes on the site is the issue, and the easiest way to do that is with getting ranked.

[JABacchetta]

Yeah I pretty much have everything that I need as far tools go. I'm relatively experienced with building websites. Sold my last one a few months ago for $205,000. And I'm not trying to brag, I just understand the point you're trying to make and I want to make it clear that this isn't the typical newbie site.

My biggest challenge over the years has always been finding a reputable SEO company that I can trust. I can handle everything else myself. I just need quality backlinks coming in. And from my experience, it doesn't matter if you've got the greatest content in the world if you're not actively involved in SEO and getting that content to rank.

[eWebify]

I recommend listening to this advice.

When hiring an SEO company think more along the lines of inbound marketing vs outbound marketing.

The SEO package you described sounds a little bit more like outbound marketing.  The goal with your website should be to make it attractive and good enough that it attracts customers.

Garret

[eWebify]

It really depends on what you are trying to do. For example, what keywords is the company trying to rank you for?  What is your website?

Garret

eWebify

[EGOL]

If I was going to purchase SEO services I would need more information than what you have posted.

In my opinion you should not buy SEO as if it were a commodity.

Let's say you invest in rare coins and I offer you a rare coin for $5000.  You should have many questions...

What country is it from, what coin is it, what denomination, what date, what condition.

So, if someone offers you posts, articles, press releases, directory submissions, bookmarks, videos.  You need to know more.   Especially video... how would you like brand on YouTube with an idiot talking about your fine company - for 90 seconds.

.Now, looking at your package.  Would I purchase it?  Absolutely not.  The only thing in that list that I might want is a video and I would rather pay $1500 for one great video and I would go to someone who knows what they are doing instead of buying it from someone who is selling spammy SEO packages.

If you have $1500.  Consider spending it on a nice digital camera and lights or a nice video camera.   Then start taking great photos to illustrate your website with fantastic photos of your products, how to use the, how to select them, etc.  Videos work great here too.

I would spend the $1500 on assets for my website that will make people talk about it, share it, like it, link to it.

This is how I spend my time.  I think that guest posts are crap unless they are a fantastic article on a website with millions of interested visitors.  Syndicating content can get you in penguin and panda problems and  social bookmarking is worthless unless it is being done for fantastic content in front of an audience who will salivate for it.

Do you have a digital camera"  A video camera?

How many articles do you have on your site that are the best on the web for their topic.

If you don't have those , that is where to spend your time and money.

Once you have that in place then you have a website that is worth marketing.  Then you are offering people fine wine.  If they are not saying "Wow!" then your marketing is not getting a good return.