Kuldeep Just do it ✔️ even they might be selling their same products/services to same types of people. This is very normal in market 🙂 Corina Never. Completely unethical. You physically can't do your best for both. 💟👍🏽7
Violetis » Corina Why unethical? Is yellow pages unethical? It's very ethical to work with more than one client in the same niche unless it's a hyperniche in that case you'll charge accordingly. Corina » Violetis I think you've missed the point, yellow pages (ie. the book version) doesn't have a hierarchy in the same way. There's no winners and losers. Anyway, this post was talking about same industry PLUS location. Imagine client A finding out you're sharing their business strategy and inner plans with client B, so you can help them more? Then you share tactics that worked for client B with client A. Fine, you earn money. But you showcase yourself as someone who puts money above the client relationship and breaches the trust they had in you. Unless you declare it openly… In which case, good luck with that. Violetis » Corina I don't think I missed the point, I've been in the business long enough to understand the scepticism behind this issue. In the older days it was easier to rank because the competition was lesser and the algorithms where not that difficult/sophisticated, you could guarantee your client first placement on the SERPs, now a days you can't unless you have an army of people working on a site and charging an arm and a leg. Good luck getting paid… If the client wants exclusivity from you that's fine, can he afford it though? If you find a client like that, keep him as much as possible until you manage to show results, that's if he doesn't drop you because he doesn't see results fast enough. Times are volatile and people want fast results, they don't have patients… Corina » Violetis I have enough clients in enough industries in 12 countries across the world that I don't need to take on the same industry in the same location. There's millions of people that need our help, I don't feel the need to fight for exclusivity and no client has ever demanded it from me. The people who want fast results and have no patience aren't the clients who will let you do your best. They will likely move on to hire another 5 SEO users in the next few years. Violetis » Corina I think you're missing the point then, the question was about local Search Engine Optimization (SEO and good for you keep doing what you're doing…🙂😉 Corina » Violetis You can work for many industries locally too. Have a lovely day. Violetis » Corina Yes you can but depending the city/town there aren't many that can afford SEO services or want to use it. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not the only way to get business just in case people haven't realized that in here… Garcia » Violetis Say you find yourself in a business niche that doesn't have that much SEO competition. Would you still take on two clients for the same area and niche? You would be battling yourself trying to get first for both customers but eventually will have to leave someone on second because you decided to do sketchy business. You also diminish your own service value by showcasing that you couldn't get the other business to first place.
Johnson We only take two if the same sector in the same area. They float between 1st and 2nd all the time anyway. The 3rd place can be your lead generation site to push even more traffic to the other two as well. Violetis There are many keywords that clients can rank for on any particular niche. There's never one money keyword/phrase. As a matter of fact your going to try and rank them first for the easier ones, if you have a strategy. When you clients start seeing results you'll have a conversation with them, and determine how far they're willing to invest with you. If they pay for exclusivity give it to them, if not… You gotta eat too…
Stambovsky A lot of companies are completely industry specific. "Marketing agency for Chiropractors" etc. I think if you don't do that, there can be conflicts of interest. But two or more clients in one industry doesn't necessarily mean there is a conflict. It's a case by case thing imo. I have seen it where the second person in an industry to become a client is "second place" but benefits from the lessons learned and audience insights of the first, and is still happy with their result. If every firm only served one customer per industry, and all of the customers wanted #1 search result, it would be very bad for the market. I think local smb owners don't often care about being #1 nearly as much as just getting more business than they were before. In fact if a business owner told me they would leave if I couldn't get them to #1, I'd find pricing on the firm that was beating me in their industry, and compare it with the ROI of my services. Reverse sales pitch. I wouldn't actually do that, if probably get it all together and then just say "do what you gotta do".
Corina » Stambovsky Good points and I'm with you on those. I just didn't have time to write a full essay. 😊 Stambovsky » Corina Force of habit. I go back and turn what I can into personal blog material. Whole reason I'm on these groups. Also every once in a while there is a truly mind blowing expert on here and they pop in to write a two sentence idea/tip that completely changes my day. 💟1 Kathy » Stambovsky "I think local smb owners don't often care about being #1 nearly as much as just getting more business than they were before." So true! And honestly, SEO users shouldn't care either! SHOCKER I now! I gave an example of 2 attorneys I serve in the same area below. They flip back and forth from #1 and #2 all the time. They really don't care. And neither do the searchers who are probably looking them both over. But if one of the attorney sees a drop in business, he'll go right to search, and if the other is above them, he'll call me. Only when his calls drop does he assume it's rank. And then I remind them the other has more 5 star reviews and ask them what they are doing about it. 🙂
Jordan Personally I don't ever because of how I work with clients. I blanket the area so if I take on 2 I'm competing with myself and that's shitty and boring. I take over areas to crush competitors so imo it's shady as f*ck to work with 2 in the same area. 💟👍🏽5
Violetis » Jordan Your opinion but don't criticize… You can never "crush" because who ever got to the first place didn't get there by accident. You might "crush" for a certain keyword but that's not enough and you know it… Jordan » Christos No… I crush but thanks for your input 🤭👍🏽2 Violetis » Jordan Whatever… Jordan Why you so mad and arguing with everyone 😂 🤭👍🏽2 Mata » Violetis Very odd, his response is very relevant. It's like a landlord renting out the building to 2 people who do the same thing. Do you think the tenant would want that? In my opinion ethics Plays a factor, but it's just kind of dumb, one of your clients will lose, so ultimately you'll lose one of the clients, if you are claiming you can do #1. Avoid the situation. This is good advice and very relevant to the OP. Violetis » Jordan If you're referring to me use my name like I do yours. In case you are referring to me, I'm not arguing, you simply see it that way. I just didn't like you being disrespectful, criticizing and using profanity. Your tone sets mine. Violetis » Mata Different story if you promise your client first position… nevertheless I clarify my opinion in my other comments…read up… Corina » Violetis You argued with me too. I'm new in the group but I'm certainly not new to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), I've been in the industry for 13 years. Some of us just have a stronger personality in how we express ourselves. Taking offence is just pointless and puts up a barrier to learning and evolving. Whether you approve or not, the industry is full of very passionate people who enjoy the thrill of being the best, instead of just doing the minimum to get paid or going along for the ride. There's also potentially a cultural and economic difference that accounts for our viewpoints, too – I see you're in Greece. 🤔👍🏽2 Violetis » Corina And generational difference, younger generations tent to be more political correct and sensitive, on the other hand older ones have increased survival skills and assertiveness comes out more. FYI I didn't argue with you, I was debating… And yes I am in Greece, Greek-Canadian to be exact…
Tammy ✍️ I have had my practice for 9 years and trust me I have never had the same client in a city. I am just torn between who I want to choose to work with in one particular city. Kathy I have a pair of personal injury attorneys in the same city. They were ok with it. In fact one referred me to the other, but now that one says that was the worst day of his life, meaning he made a dumb decision. 🙂. I'm at the point now, though, that they have to decide. It was fine in the beginning when there wasn't a lot of competition, and ranking really depended on, besides what I did on their site, how much each one was willing to put into it themselves with blogging, local sponsorships, etc., but things have heated up. They need concerted effort and though I honestly think I could do a great job for each one, if one outranked the other, I think they'd think the other was getting better treatment. I don't want to be out in that position. And, besides, being clever has a lot to do with what I do. It would be hard if I was on both sides trying to outwit the other. And so even if your client has no idea who else you're working for, that could be a dilemma for you. I wouldn't recommend it. You can refer those ones my way. 😜😉 💟1
Corina » Kathy "Being clever has a lot to do with what I do". This is the essence of the whole debate ❤️👏 Kathy » Corina It's also the essence of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), or should be. Right? I should mention that I positioned these two clients completely differently. One is a father and son team in a small office in a strip mall, basically, and only takes car accident cases. The other is a much larger firm in a big beautiful office and takes all kinds of PI cases, including child sexual abuse. They have a reputation that extends nationally for those kinds of cases. Given the difference between the two, I felt comfortable working for both of them for many years. But now that it's harder to maintain rank, and it's going to take a more clever and creative strategy, I can't do work for both anymore.
