Transparent SEO

Google may not want to hand over prized information, but prominent SEOs have recently taken on the motto of transparency and are letting users in on some typically secretive industry information. Even better, we didn’t even have to liquor them up first. Who knew?

Last week the Search Engine Guide’s Jennifer Laycock announced she would give users a sneak peak into how her team handles a real SEO project. In SEG’s Real Small Businesses, Real Big Ideas series, Jennifer will document what it takes to get an SEO campaign started, including all the ups and downs that come with promoting a business online. It’s like Reality SEO. This has the potential to develop into a serious Must Read. Or SEG could invest in some video cameras, get some cheesy graphics and play it seven times a day on cable. An instant hit, I say. Think about it…

Kidding aside, the series will provide the interested-but-unfamiliar with an invaluable look at how an SEO company really works and what goes into a project. I know I’ll be reading it. It’s always good to see how different SEOs handle different projects, even if it does feel slightly like eavesdropping. But it’s totally not spying when you’ve been invited in, right?

Rand over at SEOmoz seems to have gotten bit by the same transparency bug that hit Jennifer as he lays out his pricing methodology for SEO campaigns in exhaustive detail. The post is great for those looking to build a campaign because it provides them with a solid example of what should be included and how much they can expect to pay for different levels of service. It may also be a good benchmark for SEOs and SEMs to establish their own pricing modules.

With any luck Rand’s estimated pricing information will make its way around the Web and curb the frequency of those How Much Does It Cost To Get In Top 10 forum posts that pop up every so often, though I doubt it. In the one above, a newbie member tries to find someone to get him to the top of Google for $100. Think I’m kidding? Go check out the thread, I dare you.

Now that I think about it, I hope Rand’s information doesn’t travel too far. Threads like the one above are hilarious and I thoroughly enjoy reading people’s shock and awe responses when they hear it takes more than $50 and some smiley faces to run an SEO campaign. But then again, I’m mean.

Rand post also details the components of both a basic and advanced SEO campaign. Many seemed shocked that he broke it down in such a way, but we’re not sure why. The BC SEO Services page has always broken down our seven different packages to let potential clients know exactly what they can expect from us. We knew our services were revolutionary, we just didn’t know it was revolutionary to tell you what was in them. Heh.

Lisa Barone is a writer, content marketer & VP of strategy at Overit Media. She's also a very active Twitterer, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.

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