Why You Should Reveal Your SEO Tactics To Clients

When you buy search services, some agencies merely provide a general overview of their SEO methodology without revealing any details. They claim this relieves the client from being bogged down in the minutiae of implementation. In reality though, these firms are simply trying to keep their intellectual property under wraps and create a dependence for their implementation services. With a little help though, well trained in-house teams are fully capable of implementing search strategies on their own. So why should a search marketing firm, which has spent considerable time and money developing proven methods, risk losing a client by empowering them with proprietary knowledge and skills?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is mission critical in today's business environment, and many organizations conduct SEO in-house because of the immediacy and convenience of having all hands on deck from the various departments involved in SEO planning and implementation. However, seasoned SEO technicians are hard to come by and many firms (with or without experienced people) find it beneficial to leverage expert consultants that provide on-site search training for in-house personnel.

This creates a need for search agencies that are willing to engage their clients in the details of SEO. Transparent firms educate clients on proven SEO strategies, customize a tactical-level roadmap and provide detailed documentation and training on their processes. Furthermore, they encourage the client to rely on objective analytics as proof of success. In the end, knowledge transfer and accountability empower the client and make the agency a strategic business partner.

For one thing, even if you provide information to your clients, SEO is constantly evolving so it will still be your responsibility to keep up the pace. But still, there's a benefit of knowledge transfer. With the constant changes in the industry, "[a]ctive clients can provide additional eyes and ears to industry changes and trends, as well as practical insights into the effectiveness of advanced SEO tactics."

The client should also learn the philosophies and processes behind keyword research, page selection, content development and optimization, link building, and social media marketing.

By acting on the Diagnostic Audit findings, the client can identify obstacles that are hindering their efforts to achieve top search rankings.

Finally, it is also of critical importance to understand the value of analytics. With the right training, your clients can understand the complexity of analytics applications.