Comments on: Insisting on Ethical Search Engine Optimization

By: L

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:27:14 +0000

I'm new to web design - still a student, actually, and my very first paying client is insisting on shady SEO practices. My protests have been falling on deaf ears. The client is a sales guy who thinks that the fact he used to sell websites means he knows more about SEO than I do. So my question is: do I a)dump him, or b) make him sign a contract stating that we will adhere to Google's webmaster guidelines in all future work?

What do you all think?

Thanks much,

By: Lara

Lara — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:18:13 +0000

LOL Lisa – Understandable! (Though I still can’t see how you’re annoying… I prefer to call it “being real”)

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:56:59 +0000

Lara — As far as I know, we have a boilerplate-type contact that is customized per client, but that’s about all I know. Annoying bloggers aren’t encouraged to look at the contracts.

By: Lara

Lara — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:59:39 +0000

Speaking of contracts… I have a standard one I use and edit as needed, but am curious about what other SEO companies include in their contracts. Do you separate them out per project (design/development vs. marketing vs. ???) or do you just have one complete contract that CAN cover each of your services and use a checkbox formula for each client? (That sounds so weird when written out, but I know a couple agencies who do that…)
What kind of “clauses” are used? (Maybe this would make for a good post/poll here? LOL) How are agencies protecting themselves as well as their clients? I’m so curious I guess because most of us “do” the same kind of work, but I’ve heard of so many variables in contracts…

By: pat

pat — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:39:00 +0000

true that. I have some nightmare stories where I (not armed with a clear contract cause I was dumb) got into a big heated exchange mid way thru. The entire concept of what Iwas ding for the client hinged on one certain action, and when the time for that action came, the client was like “well I don’t want to do that anymore” and was unshakable. That was bad, not for money reasons, but because I want everyoe I work with to think I am a hero. It sucked, and was entirely my fault because I did not construct a proper contract.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:54:10 +0000

@Adam — Typo? What typo? You’re crazy.
No, no, Adam was right. I pasted the URL to Jill’s comment in there twice and broke it. Cause I’m a genius. It’s all better now.

By: Adam Audette

Adam Audette — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:48:56 +0000

i know it just had a typo in the href. all fixed now it appears

By: Lara Kulpa

Lara Kulpa — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:45:28 +0000

I believe the Jill Whelan link is pointing to a quote of hers in the LED Digest, rather than her site:
“…I guess I don’t understand the concept of a client “insisting” on anything, let alone the methods used for SEO. If the client hired you to do your job and then won’t let you do it, it’s pretty much your duty to wash your hands of them.
I understand that people don’t like to walk away from a paying client, but you’ll find that in the end it will cost you more if you don’t.
Good luck!
Jill Whalen”

By: Adam Audette

Adam Audette — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:48:33 +0000

Great post. Using part of it in tomorrow’s issue. (btw i think the Jill Whalen link is busted)

By: Stephan Miller

Stephan Miller — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:58:05 +0000

Here,here.
I have a client that knows only enough to be dangerous, suggesting everything from spamming a million users via email to scraping whole websites.
I am about at the end with him, because his attention span is about an hour long. If something doesn’t work in hour, he’s off on the next new thing.
And he tends to see me and all seo’s as blackhat seo’s by nature, as he lets me know with little under his breath comments.
I would send him the link, but then he would see my comment. Then again, maybe that’s exactly what I’ll do.