There are as many different types of services as there are Search Engine optimization (SEO) companies out there. Since this is a fairly new marketing tool, there are very few standards. For the Web site owner, comparing pricing and contracts among competing SEO companies can be a challenge. We've created an easy-to-follow overview of the various types of services in order to make it easier to understand how InTheTopThirty.com stands out among the crowd.

Pay-per position services

Pay-per position services charge a fee for each ranking achieved for each keyword or keyphrase. We have seen prices range from around $85 to $125 per position within the top 10, and $50 to $105 for a position between 11 and 20, and slightly less for positions from 21 to 30. Most pay-per position companies have a minimum amount that they ask for up front which is debited each time your site occupies a position within that price range. For instance, most companies we found charge a minimum fee of around $1500 from which their pay-per-position fees are deducted. Plus an additional fee sometimes of up to $1500 to include Search Directories to your positioning efforts.

The attractiveness to a business person may be the "minimum fee". The problem that we have with this type of service is that your minimum fee could last a month or two or could be gone in one week! There is no ongoing commitment to keeping your site at the top of the Search Engine lists. One company we found actually admits that they do not re-optimize or re-submit your site until "any pages display a downward trend in positioning". The translation is that once your site begins to fall from those top positions and they manage to "re-position" you, they can charge you the fee again. The bottom line is that it is in their best interest to NOT maintain high positions for your web site, but to let them slide in order to charge you the most money for their services. As a web site owner or administrator, you should have full confidence in the abilities of your Search Engine Optimization professional to not only gain high positions for your site, but to have motivation to maintain them.

At InTheTopThirty.com we are aware that those companies who need to increase their exposure on the Internet are typically very cost-conscious. We have developed our pricing structure to fit companies of all sizes and budgets. There are no surprise fees, every month of the year costs the same because you are paying for a full service commitment to marketing your site rather than picking your pocket through hidden fees.

Submission only programs

We've heard of companies who will submit your site to "thousands" of Search Engines for only $19.95. If it sounds too good to be true, well… you've heard the rest! Submitting your site is only a small part of the service that InTheTopThirty provides. In fact, submitting your site in-and-of-itself will NOT result in high rankings at all, if the site is not optimized to meet the ranking criteria of the SE.

Consultants

Rarely do they give out full pricing information, usually charge per hour. I found consultants on the web that charge anywhere between $75 - $200 per hour. We found one SEO consultant's web site that asked "Are you budgeted for professional SEO positioning technologies at price-points of $12,000 to $60,000 per year (billed monthly)?" The fact is, you can market your web site effectively on the Internet without spending that much. InTheTopThirty.com offers a cost-effective, high impact marketing strategy for web site owners who have a budget to contend with.

No maintenance, one time fee structuring

In this scenario, the SEO company will bill you for the initial analysis of your Web site, and sometimes even the information you will need in order to do the work yourself. InThetopThirty.com offers FREE analysis of your Web site and current keyword strategy. Be wary of "one time" fee structuring, it often means you'll end up paying extra for maintenance after an "intense" positioning early on. InTheTopThirty.com offers and ongoing maintenance plan for Search Engine Optimization because we believe that you must stay at the top of the list in order to continue to find a return on the investment you made in your Web site.


Quotes that scare us:

"In order to offer our guarantee, a new web site has to be developed and a new domain name purchased. Your current domain name and web site cannot be used for this program."

How we differ: We do not take control over your Web site, nor do we move it from its current location or build another one to "mask" or "mirror" it. There are very specific rules that the Search Engines have established for page redirects and mirror sites, and if those rules are broken or abused the site could run the risk of being banned from the SE's altogether. InTheTopThirty has proven success in optimizing Web sites without the use of these techniques. We've achieved positions #1-#30 in a variety of keywords, for a variety of industries without having to "play with fire". Chances are you've taken great care in building a Web site that suits yours and your clients needs. Our job is merely to connect you with potential customers, not to sell you what you don't need.

"The cost of this initial report is $450.00."

How we differ: Our initial consultation is absolutely free and without obligation of any kind.

"The annual cost would be $20,800 to optimize for 10 keyword phrases."

How we differ: InTheTopThirty.com does not limit the number of keyword phrases that we will optimize for. Because behind each Web site is a company with a unique customer profile and set of products or services, the number of keywords needed to market each site varies. There may be various spellings (or misspellings!) of a product you offer. Part of your client base may be of a certain dialect or there may be colloquial expressions to take into consideration. Or maybe your Web site features different products for which potential customers search the Internet.