June 25, 2009
Dear DUI Lawyers,
If you are like me, you probably get at least one cold call a day from somebody trying to sell you "SEO." They claim to have a relationship with google. They claim to know Google's algorithm. Some even try to claim that their own excrement doesn't smell… and that's all just in the first breath before you get to say anything. Sound familiar?
There have been an alarming number of companies recently, when questioned during these calls (yes, sometimes I don't just hang up), who either admit or even use as a selling point the fact that they have "relationships with thousands of websites that have high page rang where they will buy links back to your site."
BIG RED FLAG!
First problem: I seriously doubt there are "thousands" of high-page-ranked URLs that are relevant to a DUI practice. Even if there were thousands, I can't imagine that there are thousands selling links and still able to maintain their high page rank.
Second problem: Assuming problem number one above, then it appears that they would be purchasing links on pages that aren't directly relevant. Ever seen a children's learning toys site with a link to a DUI attorney? It just looks and smells suspicious, right? It's an irrelevant link.
Third problem: Paid links are blatant attempts to manipulate the results of the search engines. Do you like it when your client's or prosecutors try to manipulate you? Of course not! What makes you think that the search companies like it when you try to manipulate them?
The probability is, buying links to try to artificially influence the ranking of your website can spell big trouble. It may even get you demoted or banned by some search engines. And rightfully so, I might add.
A quick case study on how to waste your money on useless or short term website manipulation:
I have a client who is engaged in a reputation management battle that is so serious it threatens to hobble his ability to attract and keep educated clients if not solved. He has suffered a multi prong attack on his reputation through the use of complaints websites. He engaged a rep management firm who has set up a series of splogs (spam blogs that essentially steal or duplicate content across the web) to propagate articles containing his name and his firm's name. Sometimes, the exact article will appear on thousands of splogs, all with no or low page rank, and all of a general nature.
For example, an article about this DUI attorney might appear right before an article on a laundromat and right after an article touting the fact that the kids working in a local pizzeria have stopped humping the pizza dough. All of the articles are obviously damage control.
No surprise, this firm's reputation management campaign is not working as promised. Instead of realizing that they may be using a bad strategy, the lead attorney decided to lean harder on the firm, who continued to promise great things. For just a little more money, the would buy hundreds of links and "drizzle" them in. Of course, it would cost the firm even more for the links. In my opinion, it will end up costing the firm more than just the cash they will be out for the useless or sleazy links.
If you want to build something good, you must start with a good foundation.
If good search engine optimization were truly that easy, everybody would just buy links. If everybody did it, everybody would benefit proportionally, and nobody would get ahead.
Firms looking for a quick short term gain may be able to profit for a little while by black hat tactics such as buying links, but in the end the progress will be backwards. It has to be. The search engines will continue to improve, and part of that improvement necessarily means eliminating or demoting sites that seek to manipulate.
Did you earn your law degree overnight? Was it cheap? Was there a trick to passing the bar that was so easy anybody could do it with a little money and the help of a cold-caller? Of course not! Why do you think the guy that cold-calls you about your web marketing can offer you such a thing. You are a lawyer, so what makes you so blind or dumb to buy into promises on the level which would get you disbarred if you made them about your clients' cases?
Let me tell you two things they apparently missed at most law schools:
1) There is no free lunch. It might seem free for a while, but eventually it will make you sick, and then your medical bills will end up costing you more than the sensible and reasonably priced lunch would have.
2) Everything worth doing takes patience and time.
That's it. Demand of the person or company that is doing internet marketing for you what you demand of yourself in you practice. Excellence. No short cuts. In the mad dash to compete online, don't lose your cool, and don't fall victim to anybody trying to sell you paid links.
Sincerely,
Dan Jaffe
Filed under Dear DUI Lawyers