I have heard this time, and again, that some person, or even a company, will guarantee you a # 1 position on Google, or perhaps, on all of the major search engines. Being a long time optimizer I feel it is time to set the record straight … or at least let site owners know the actual truth about this guarantee of positioning.
Let's take a look at a basic super market. In my area one of the largest in Stop & Shop. I can not be sure of what is big in your area so fill in the store name with whatever is a major grocery store in your area. OK … now I am going to guarantee you that sometime this year you will be able to purchase Pork Loins for $ .99 pound. I will guarantee you this because I know they put them on sale every six or so months so I am absolutely sure that they will do this within the next year. Hmm … but, what if the price of pork goes up to $ 5.00 per pound? At $ 5.00 per pound the grocery store simply can not put pork loins on sale for $ .99 pound. It is just not going to happen! So … now back to my guarantee … oops … the basics changed and I can not deliver on my guarantee. Now what? Well, since I really have no influence or control over Stop & Shop (or your local supermarket) I can not make them sell pork loins for $ .99 per pound. Now I can not deliver on my promise! This is where Jackie Gleason would say something like "Me and my biiiiiiig mouth!"
Can the personally acclaimed SEO guru who sold you a bill of goods that he can guarantee you a top listing on Google control that search engine? Can that guru control any search engine? Is that person really going to be able to deliver on this promise? Hmm … what happens when he does not?
Funny thing is that in most cases that I have seen, the companies that guarantee you results generally do not even work on your site, or work very little on it. After six or so months you realize that you have been bamboozled and the company disappears, does not return calls or emails, or generally leads you on and on and on and on.
No one can guarantee that Google will list you anywhere … let alone the # 1 position. You should steer clear of anyone who guarantees that they can get you lists. Chances are, if they do good work and keep their nose to the grindstone, they can get you some good listings. I just want you to understand that a guarantee is in the general area of "make believe".
Also, what do they offer for the guarantee? Guarantee or what? Is there something to entice you even more? Well, it better be good. Frequently I have heard of the guarantee being "If we do not get your results, we'll work for another two months for free!" Wowee !! … Well, if they did nothing for the first six months, chances are they will do nothing for the next two! LOL!
Now, on your side of the fence, you probably are hesitant, need some sort of assurance that something will happen for the money you are looking to invest in SEO. This is very, very understandable. No one can blame any business owner for being apprehensive, especially with online services that you can not really judge for effectiveness, or with a company that you have no idea who they are, what they will do, or if they'll even do It. Personally, I can really empathize with this situation. I wonder if all SEO folks can.
It can be argued that a typical business owner has invested a significant sum of money into Yellow Pages ads, or billboards, or TV spots. Yes, this is an investment and no, there is no guarantee. However you can see the TV commercial, the Yellow Pages ad and the billboard touting your business name. But, remember there is no guarantee.
It's a tough situation. We as SEO people simply, honestly that is, guarantee you a listing. I can guarantee you'll see my work within the source code of your site, and from the back links that you will find pointing at your site. I wish I could guarantee you that Google would list you at # 1 … but I just can not. I can not because I'm honest, I work ethically and I'm not going to lie to you.
What I can guarantee is that I'll do my best to get that # 1 spot for you. I'll work hard and long to get you there. I'll put into practice very technique that I know. I'll do everything by the book, and I'll keep my mind open to every new idea that comes along. I just simply will not lie to you and tell you that I will definitely get you # 1 listings.
I hope I have not come across as trying to sell you on my business. Of course I do not want to be in the poor house, but I'm writing on behalf of all honest, ethical and reputable SEO people out there. I think the air needs to be clear regarding SEO guarantees and make people understand that proper optimization techniques are practices by ethical companies but guarantees just can not be real.
I hope I have shown both sides of this fence and have helped business owners understand why the people who say they can not give you a guarantee are more than likely the ones you should be doing business with. Chance are high that you'll get burned by those who say they can, will and do guarantee top listings on any search engine. Bottom line is … no one person or company has any control over the major search engines that will give them the power to make your site show up in any particular position within the search engine results.
