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Search Engine Snake Oil: Generation Y’s Extended Warranty Scam?

How can you make someone want something that they can’t smell, touch or feel? What drives consumers to purchase the unseen? Take one glance at any news station and you’ll see hundreds, even thousands of people lined up to get their meaty paws on Apples latest tech toy. Is it because it has a bigger screen? Is it because they’ve made it lighter? Hmm, maybe. Or, is it because Apple has done an amazing job creating desire for their product, and turning it into a want, rather than a need. Is it a sex symbol? Is it a status symbol? Heck, if you don’t have the NEWEST iPhone, what will your friends think!?

In my eyes, when a company offers a product or service, you either need to create demand for it, or have your clients lusting after it. This can be done with clever commercials, amazing marketing campaigns, or the good old fashioned way: actually having a great product or service.

SEO Snake OilSearch Engine Optimization, for example, doesn’t necessarily fall into the ‘lust’ category (except for our customers who want to kick ass and take names) so how can we create demand for it in Alberta? Most local businesses haven’t heard about it, or if they have, they’ve been misguided and misinformed. Yes it’s going to take time. Yes it’s going to cost money. No, you won’t see immediate results.

However, how is this any different than traditional forms of advertising? Why is SEO under such heavy scrutiny that it’s been monikered SEO Snake Oil? If you pay $10,000 for a billboard advertisement on the corner of Calgary Trail and Whitemud crossing, and you’re phone doesn’t ring once, are you pounding on your advertising agents door demanding for a refund? Probably not.

Unfortunately, I do have to admit there are a lot of so called “SEO Agencies” out there promising the world for 29.99 per month and giving the community a bad name. They’ve bought a laptop, have the latest version of Firefox installed, and they’re ready to guarantee you top 10 rankings in Google. If only it were this simple (geez, I wouldn’t even be writing this, I’d be vacationing on a little island somewhere in the South Pacific).

So, again, how does a company like Adster Creative who offers this mysterious service called ‘SEO’ survive in this day and age?

  • Transparency. Not sure what’s been done this month? Why don’t we export a 60 page PDF report from our task management tool to let you look through. Heck, let’s take some time and go through the thousands, and thousands of new support posts on the Google Local forum and you can test our staff on the newest trends. We’re on it my friends. So much so, that we sometimes break Google – sorry Google 🙁

  • Trust. We work hard to earn our clients trust. We believe that once you give us the keys to your online operation, you’ll never look back. We’re like that friend that you give your garage PIN code to when you’re away on vacation. We might look in your fridge, but we promise to leave you an I.O.U

  • Results. There’s a reason that all of our clients have stuck with us as long as they have. If we didn’t provide value for our clients – we’d be out of work. Our customers understand that SEO is a viable option for small businesses to gain internet exposure and get their products and services front and center in front of potential customers.

So …. do you “want” … or “need” SEO? Call us today “because you need it”, and in 6 months you’ll want it so bad that you won’t want us working with your competitors. Game, set, match.