First E-Webstyle.com SEO Podcast Nov. 28 th 2008. Second page of Transcription How does E-Webstyle handle new SEO customers?
Chris: Before we moved on, I wanted to throw in my two cents about when do I use pay-per-click. If I’m looking for a particular product, I will use the sponsored ads or the pay-per-click. And my logic there is I’m looking to buy something, I know the people who show up on the sponsored sections are spending money so they’re probably in the business of selling something relevant to what I’m looking for. So if I’m actually looking to buy something, I’ll certainly check out some of the pay-per-clicks. If I’m just doing research on a product or if I’m just trying to–not even a product, just doing research in general–I will steer clear. Probably not as vehemently as you, Paul, but I will steer clear of the pay-per-clicks. So part of that, part of what I said is important because when I’m doing research for a product, I look in the organic section. So at that phase, when a customer is interested in actually learning about the product, that’s when you would most like to present your company as an option. Not just as an option to purchase it, but as a resource for information about that. Because we all understand that if we’ve got a comparison of the same product at the same price at two locations, we want to deal with the company that is an expert in what they do.
Paul: Of course.
Chris: So I think we’ve kind of covered that.
Paul: Let’s talk about why should we do–why should any company do SEO? What is the value of SEO…? To any company out there, why would you do SEO? I’m Joe the Plumber and why…
Chris: Not Joe the Plumber again. I thought the election was over.
Paul: [laughs] I’m bringing Joe back. I’m Joe the Plumber. I have a plumbing business. I just built a website. So I hear SEO all over the place. Why should I do Search Engine Optimization for my local plumbing website? I only do business in my local area. Why, Chris? Why should I do that?
Chris: That’s a great question. And the way I answer that question with any client who gives us a call and is looking for Search Engine Optimization or websites, in general. Because you know we do websites. We create amazingly beautiful websites and you can find those at our website at E-Webstyle.com. So people call and their initial questions are regarding websites. And I’ll be honest; there are times when we turn people away. We won’t even bother to do a website because they’re not ready for it or their business isn’t there or they don’t have some sort to marketing model to follow it up. We’re not the kind of company that just any Joe Plumber who walks in the door and wants a website, we’ll give it to them. We really want to understand that business, understand what they’re trying to accomplish with the website and take it just a little bit deeper. The people who work here at E-Webstyle are incredibly talented entrepreneurs and they bring that entrepreneurship to every client that comes in the door. So Joe the Plumber comes in. He wants a website. He’s convinced me that he needs one and it’s going to work well. We make him a beautiful website. You can even picture what a beautiful website that is. A website with dripping water and sounds and everything that Joe the Plumber could have possibly imagined.
Paul: Wrenches turning.
Chris: Exactly, everything and more. And then he turns around and he says, “OK, great. How do I get good search engine placement?” Well, that doesn’t really answer your question, so let’s that a step back.
Paul: OK.
Chris: I’m going to pitch him now and say, “Look, here’s a service that we offer. Let me explain why you need it.” And probably the easiest for a company such as plumbing, a service-oriented company that services business to final consumers–that’s B2C. B2C is the acronym. The important thing for them to recognize, well, where did they get their business before? Before the Internet existed, where did those people typically get their business? Of course, there’s you know hit the pavement advertising, where they’re handing out fliers. Anytime they’re in a new neighborhood they’re handing out fliers. And some kind of simple businesses, if you will–I’m sure I’ll get emails about that–you know, like tree trimming and yard work and just kind of simple businesses still do it that way and will always do it that way.
Paul: And the Yellow Pages, some people do the Yellow Pages.
Chris: And that’s it. That’s the… Well, you’re familiar with the Yellow Pages.
Paul: My background was in Yellow Pages advertising and that was the best way, back in the day, that was a great way to advertise. Everyone understands now that the Yellow Pages is losing its momentum. They’re losing their readership. And you know people are leaving the Yellow Pages, going to different forms of media. People use to do what, no… Newspaper was another prime example. So a lot of these companies used to do Yellow Pages now they’re going online, which is why they come to us, to help them bring their company online, to help get that exposure that the Yellow Pages and a newspaper and radio used to bring.
Chris: That’s exactly right. So that’s the next thing. So I’m talking to Joe the Plumber and I say, “So I know where you used to get your business, because it’s pretty standard. You used to get it from the Yellow Pages. Do you have this anticipation that the Yellow Pages, the usage of the Yellow Pages is dwindling, like it’s going away?” At times I’ve lived in apartment complexes and at apartment complexes they deliver the Yellow Pages in a stack…
Paul: [inaudible] [laughs]
Chris: …right by the mail, right by where people receive the mail. And you can be six months, nine months a year even after the Yellow Pages were delivered and they’re still sitting there, a stack of them. And I promise you they are no longer delivering one for each apartment because people aren’t even using them.
Paul: Tell me about it. [laughs]
Chris: So I talk with Joe the Plumber in that regard. And say, “So what is end user, your target customer, how are they going to find you now?” And certainly with Joe the Plumber you want to do, if you have a truck and if you’re in a position to actually put logos on your truck, you want to do that. That’s a great way to generate business. Now that Joe the Plumber has this amazing website, he better have his website. His website URL. You know, www.JoeThePlumber.com needs to be on every flier he hands out. It needs to be in his business card and it needs to be on his truck.
Paul: But I can only hand out so many business cards. I can only drive so many miles for people to see my website. And I can only tell so many people about my website. How am I going to get somebody there?
Chris: Well, that’s a great question, Joe. And I was just about to answer that. [laughter] So the way that you do that–and again, this is a process that you want to walk Joe the Plumber through–how do you think that people are searching for plumbing services these days? The younger generation, the generation that can use a mouse before they can walk, right? And we’ve all seen the kids who are just rock stars on the computer and you know can’t do anything else. Well, those people, when they go and try and find information, they use search engines. Joe the Plumber, have you ever used a search engine?
Paul: I use…
Chris: Joe, do you know what a search engine is?
Paul: No. [laughs]
Chris: [laughs] I just want to throw that in there.
Paul: I want the kind to make me money. That’s probably what I’m concerned about if I’m Joe. Can a search engine make me money?
Chris: So a search engine is, Joe, that place that this younger, technologically savvy generation goes to to find information on the World Wide Web. And assuming Joe the Plumber has heard of the World Wide Web, which I think we can assume at this point, then his ears are going to peak up because I’ve peaked his interest. And he’s going to be interested in understanding OK, so how do I get displayed in that search engine. And that’s what we do. Search Engine Optimization is the process of getting Joe the Plumber’s website onto the first page of Google, Yahoo, MSN, the major search engines. So did that answer your question so far?
Paul: OK. So now I should do some SEO to get on a search engine?
Chris: Absolutely.
Paul: OK.
Chris: Absolutely. Let’s take a step back and looking at our notes here. We’ve gotten way off track, which I think is going to be a normal thing, so that’s good. You want to start the first one like we’re going to end. Internet marketing, in general, like where does Search Engine Optimization fit in the grand scheme of things? You know every business–and I mentioned earlier that we’ll actually turn some businesses away. I get–tell me if you believe this.
Paul: OK.
Chris: I get calls from people and there’s one particular lady, I remember–it was probably six years ago–called me and she goes, “I want to get a website because I want to be making money 24 hours a day.”
Paul: Of course. Who wouldn’t? That’s a great, great reason to have a website.
Chris: And my answer to her was, “Well, if it were that easy, I would never build a website for anyone else.”
Paul: Thank you. Good point, good point.
Chris: Because if it’s just a matter of building a website and putting it online, and if you build it, they will come, then you know why would I build anybody else’s website? It’s not that simple. It’s a cog in the wheel of a business. And one cog, grand cog, in the wheel of business is marketing, in general. Yellow Pages, even though it’s dying, I would still recommend you have a small ad in Yellow Pages. Print, if that’s your choice, can be very expensive and sporadic. And one aspect of marketing is Internet marketing, in general. And you can really break down Internet marketing into the efforts that you would make that aren’t related to search engines, that might be contacting other websites, getting your business linked on those websites. That might be getting banners linked on other websites. There are so many other things that you can do that aren’t related to search engines.
Chris: That’s a great question, and what I’m actually going to do, cause I work with E-Webstyle, I’m going to get you on page one of Google.
Paul: Awesome… Tomorrow?
