Pay vs. Pay-for-Performance SEO
If you are a website owner, how should you spend your SEO earmarked cash? What SEO model works best? What’s the best SEO value? Most importantly, what kind of SEO results should your company expect for the future of your e-commerce business?
Search Engine Optimization is a consumer-based service. SEO companies serve as professional advocates for their clients by working to obtaining high website rankings in the wake of changing and complex search engine algorithms. The fight for your search engine rankings begins before your ink is dry on your SEO contract. But which battle-plans have you chosen?
A Critical Look at Two Search Engine Optimization Models
1. One Large Payment for One-Time SEO
Definition: Pay a large upfront fee. The company optimizes your site once.
Pros: One payment means little or no bookkeeping. Results are not promised so you don’t have to expect them. Because your expectations are low, you’re probably not going to be disappointed. Little emotional risk.
Cons: Initial results aren’t promised. Future results are not promised. Basically the bird in your hand flew into a window pane and you’re paying for the two birds in the bush. Your money is gone and you signed the contract. Maybe things will get better? (Tell that to the boss.) (If you’re the boss, tell it to yourself.)
2. Pay-for-Performance SEO Model
Definition: Initial affordable flat fee spent on optimizing your site. A team focused solely on your account. The Pay-for-Performance Monthly Maintenance Plan starts from $500 / month. Your monthly fee is based on your number of top-ten placements. If a minimum of 10 top 10 organic placements on Google, Yahoo!, and/or MSN are not met, that month is free.
Pros: The initial set-up fee is affordable. Top rankings are the goal. Your monthly fee depends on your number of top-ten placements. If a minimum 10 top 10 organic placements on Google, Yahoo!, and/or MSN are not met, that month is free. You lower your financial risk because you only pay monthly for ten top-ten organic rankings. Your SEO team is motivated to keep your rankings high, every month. Three more: more traffic, more visitors, more sales.
Cons: If too many top-ten rankings overwhelm your sales department, you may want a less success-oriented plan. Alternatively, you may have to expand your business and invest in faster hard drives.
Which Plan Benefits the SEO Consumer the Most?
As you consider these two plans in terms of value, results, your results over time and the overall future of your business, a shortsighted plan isn’t viable for the success-driven e-commerce entrepreneur. You are optimizing your site in the first place because you want it to rank high in the search engines. Pay-for-Performance gets the results you want. If getting results is important to you and your business, Pay-for-Performance is best.
