I have tried to get my web site up in the rankings of the natural sites on Google. Am doing quite well with the company which posts my paid links.
My first try cost me $ 500.00 and no results. i have now learned you don't get placed on the 1. page of Google for $ 500.00. Had been talking to 2 different companies and was trying to decide which one of the 2 was going to get me the most for my $s. In the middle of this process I received a call from a very earnest, serious company. The president called homself to explain the process. Showed me all his first placement on the Google sites. He gave me a money back guarantee and $2995.00 later I was excited and waiting for my first placement on the search engines to appear in 90 days.
Boy I have learned a lot since then. I can't believe I did not even inquire if those first ads on the sites were actually the results of this SEO company. The next 60 days went smoothly except not much communication going on. I was very happy with my web site and was really not looking to get a new site, but was told it was imperative to do so to get results and it would all link to my old web site since this had the history of over 5 years on the internet I was the perfect candidate. So I agreed it was all included in the price.
90 days came and nothing happened. i kept asking what was going on but got very well explained excuses, that the big day would be January 8th 2008. This had been going on since July 8th, 07. I kept checking the Internet and never found my listings. I received an e-mail the next day congratulating me that my site appeared 10X but never whith the keywords I wanted.
I was lucky no one else saw the listings on the site if they actually even appeared. 2 of the keywords were Goodland beachfront and Goodland golf course communiy. Now Goodland has neither and I would have looked pretty stupid to buyers and sellers as a Realtor if I did not even know the neighboring community. Marco Island and Naples never showed up and those were the areas I paid for.
Now I am promised that it will be better on March 8th , 2008. It would take time. I have asked for my money back right after the 90 day period was over. My recourse would be to see, but not sure I want to go this route. I have filed a complaint with the better business buerau and am waiting for a response.
In the meantime I am still trying to get my ratings higher and any recommendation would be appreciated, I also like feedback if it is negative so that I do not do the same mistake twice.
We as Realtors know the internet is an important part of our business but i do like to see some returns in moneys spend.vThere is no way to know if those promises are just empty promises. I will also contact NAR and may be there is a list of recognized companies which have a good record. I am still looking for the right firm and am now more concerned if I go with another company it might be a repeat performance of I just went through.
I have been lucky to have had an excellent year last year and this year looks even better but this was all referrals from former clients and some website clients which some how found my website.
Thank you for any information you can give me, Helga
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