Your SEO Client Guessed That Your SEO Service Included Backlink Building He She Bought Whereas Neither It Was a Deal nor You Mentioned It

Nieves
How do you reply to a client who is surprised you didn’t present building backlinks in your services but feels discourage that its not a focus for Search Engine Optimization | SEO services.
Paraphrasing I explained how focusing on on-site SEO and creating content will help build backlinks naturally. We will maintain their sites backlink profile by disavowing any current toxic links without Google Search Console (GSC).
We are a retail/e-commerce only agency.
Thoughts?
1 👍🏽 1 🤭 1 🤯 3
[filtered from 21 💬🗨]

👈📰

your seo client guessed that build your seo service included backlink building he she bought whereas neither it was a deal nor you mentioned it

🔗🏹

💬🗨

Batt
no surprises they're not enthused seeing as backlinks are the number one thing for getting ranked for any keyword with competition.
Rismay
I think your missing out by not using any but to each their own. I guess your following Chase method. Links will only come if they get found and are worth while content and not every business will get linkable. It is a long and slow road this way. I hope your good enough to pull it off quickly as clients have no patience when it comes to SEO. The fact that she is already hesitant your up for a battle.

Nieves ✍️ » Rismay
so clients are already coming to our agency with a min required annual revenue to be qualified as a client anyways. So there is already a backlink profile established. So at that point we aren’t saying we are going to build but maintain their profile
_{🤭👍🏽2}
Rismay » Nieves
then that makes more sense then but i don't think revenue means a certain quality but i guess your site screening levels.

This may satisfy you: What Should You Do if an SEO Client Asks for a Refund After You Did the Work?
Rienzi
Case study is one way to win your client. Something I’m trying to build myself. I’m just not into the bullshit that links is all you need to rank. It could happen yeah, but is an expensive weapon of choice especially in the long haul.
Delah
How are you selling SEO without backlinks.
Please tell me how your amazing content on plumbing, cleaning, bathroom renovation etc will build backlinks naturally for your local client.

Nieves ✍️ » Delah
clients already have existing backlink profiles. We just don’t build we maintain their profile and take care of all other SEO initiatives. Matt Castetter this agency had had success with it. But prospects still ask the question during a discovery call. So I was curious to everyone’s thoughts/opinions/experiences. Also we are a retail/e-commerce only agency.
Delah » Nieves
makes sense.

Sajan
SEO is all about backlinks. Backlinks is the one factor you have less control over as it relies on other people linking to you – hence it is the hardest and most valuable part. Selling onsite is easy – anyone can do that. I wouldn't personally hire anyone that's not looking to build quality backlinks – as for maintenance? What exactly are you maintaining if they have already got an established profile? surely you cant expect them to pay you a retainer to "look after" their website as it is and make some slight tweaks?

Nieves ✍️ » Sajan
part of it is disavowing toxic/broken backlinks and ensuring all backlinks are relevant to the industry
Sajan » Nieves
but seriously mate, how hard is that? Download sheet of all the badlinks, delete good ones, upload the CSV. I don't mean it to be a dick but I kinda feel bad taking peoples money for doing little work. The stuff your talking about is very basic stuff even they could do. Help them rank higher, get them backlinks, create some content or improve content that is positions 4-15 etc. Increase social media following etc. Do something of value is what I'm saying as they wont stick around if the don't get any improvements.

This may satisfy you: A Breakdown of What SEO Work Has Been Done a Month by Month
Truslow
Yeah. Links are key. It sounds to me like you're not offering up full SEO services, but rather, offering technical SEO services – specifically in regards to product markup and optimization.
I'm not sure what "creating content" means (in your case) nor your specific methods, but the problem is you're calling it "SEO" when you're only really looking at one facet of it.
Aaron
Apologizing might be a good start. Even if you aren't going to directly build links, like a Private Blog Network (PBN), you should have an explanation of your strategy and how it would works, why and expected results. Otherwise, you will be easily out positioned by another agency.

Nieves ✍️ » Aaron
we do and have a bunch of successful case studies without building links
Aaron » Nieves
so if you can support it and illustrated it I don't see the issue. Just subtlety spin that bullshit about Google taking them down due to blackhat techniques and/or add some type of guarantee to back up your offer. Another thing I have done is do a discount for the first xx months so you can 'prove' yourself
Nieves ✍️ » Aaron
thanks. All good stuff for when I start my services on the side. 👍🏼
Aaron » Nieves
you just need to articulate your plan regardless of links no link building and be very clear on expectations, why and use your evidence to back it up. A lot of SEO users can't do that. Then make sure you over deliver.

👈📰