OK, while I only have one LTD company registered, I have been of course thinking about the second. I assume you can all figure out what that is.

After reading a short, but spot on Article here: Search Engine Optimisation - Ireland

I got thinking.

There are literally only a handful of SEOs here in Ireland that really know what they are doing (OK, maybe a FEW more than that). Without blowing my own trumpet here, I would like to nominate myself as one of them. (From about 7 years experience in the field).

It seems like the others, many on this board, all seem to be working solo and we all seem to be competing against each other. In a world where customer education is so important, wouldn't it make sense for at least a few to come together and WORK together as one entity? I'm sure we all have our strengths and weaknesses, but together, wouldn't we:

1) Make More Money
2) Be helping more Irish Companies get on the global stage
3) Be limiting the competition
4) Be able to launch a new product/service more sucessfully for oursleves?

Am I only dreaming here?
What am I overlooking?
What are the downsides partnering with a few people who you KNOW are good at SEO?

Has anyone got any feedback on this?

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Web Design | Search Engine Marketing | Pay Per Click Management

Since that article was written clients seem to have woken up somewhat and now every michael mouse web agency seems to be offering SEO services, may be time for an Irish version of Search Marketing Association UK - SMA-UK ....

Yep big problem is the literally hundreds (if not thousands) of web designer who offer 'SEO services' a.k.a. some software tool that they purchased for $299. The mud has well and truly stuck at this stage. Secrecy also precludes figuring out who the real indigenous experts are (but I'm pretty sure there aren't more than a handful).

Unfortunately the market here is also very underdeveloped IMO.

It could be quite possible to create and market some association (if the real SEO folk promote it). Dave over at AKAmarketing (SEODave here) had a recent blog post on this subject. He might be a good man to talk to about this as his site is virtually smothering all SERPs for SEO/marketing related queries.

The big issue with working together is that SEO is 90% opinion and 10% fact (IMO ) and when you're used to doing things your own way then it is very difficult to work with others who may have their own ways. That said, there may well be individuals whose skill lies in copy, while others may be master link builders etc. It would certainly make sense to try and figure out who has what skills.

But anything that would benefit the 'industry' as a whole would have my full backing and support.

Best

Richard.

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Search Engine Optimisation - Red Cardinal Internet Marketing
Internet Consultant Ireland | Search Engine Optimisation Services
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Well now this is one of the most interesting topics on this board I have to say. I like the original poster would deem myself to have about 7/8 years in the SEO field. Now admitedly most of this was working on personal sites, research and testing etc along with an SEO contractor stint with well known development house but I have only formally started accepting work from clients in the last two years or so since I graduated from DIT but i have always used my own site as a showcase, however I don't agree that my site smothers the results. So whose to really say I know what I'm doing?

Whose to say redfly really knows what he's doing, whose to say body knows what their doing? its going to be though to decide who is good at SEO, and what or who defines good? Well certainly in the sense of glengare thought about an irish seo association type of thing. Sure everything tom would want to be in it.

In relation to the specific four points, I honestly think the best SEO amoung us would make more money going alone than in a partnership - correct me if you feel I'm wrong on this though, but I mean what way would it work? 25% cut of all jobs in this one entity? I guess a single dedicated SEO and SEM company would have more pulling power with the big companies and thus would attract bigger contracts but this of coures means bigger jobs, longer hrs etc.

Point two is a big plus for me on this one, recently I have started targetting a big enough SEO related term but in all honestly i don't think I will break into the top ten for .co.uk nor .com but I will try all the same, if 4/5 seo consultants where all working towards the same cause perhaps promoting from their 'personal' blogs I imagine a company like the one dave suggests could establish itself reletaivly quicker (2years perhaps) in some good positions.

I guess we would be limiting the competition but we would also be sharing the profits so....

Not quite sure what point 4 means, I think if we where to get together in a single company, everyone would have to be committed 100% to the company cause, that means not solo singles folks.

If someone was to talk to me about potental here I will listen of course, it something that if the financial side of things was discussed more I would consider but only in a years time.

Totally agree with Richard about hundreds/thousands of designers thinking they are SEO PROs because they've bought the latest web position gold realise, although I must say I honestly think that real business don't pay attention to many of them, I mean have you seen some of their sites?

I also agree about the 90% opinion thing too, however I do not see this as an obstical that can not be overcome.

I'm meeting up with a 'competitor' next week who shall remain nameless but I would have more of a real world idea of how things could work after that.

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MY BLOG | MY FORUMS | Search Engine Optimisation

Something that I do think would be of benefit to the 'real' SEO'ers would be to have a common platform from which to promote SEO in Ireland.

I'm pretty sure working together wont work. However, having knowledge of eachother's skillsets could be a very good advantage from the POV of sub-sontracting. For the moment though the market is far too under-developed.

I have touched base with other SEO folk (met one or two and chatted with others) and would be delighted to meet anyone simply with a view to learning about what they do.

I didn't have the chance to go to barcamp and regret that. I hope that I will be around for next year and will arrange something about SEO if no one else does.

I'm not sure if the Irish market is big enough to have a sole platform for SEO and Online Marketing. However, I do think it would be beneficial for all of us to have a platform to sell our services.

What I still find is that selling SEO is really difficult. The majority of clients either don't know what it is or don't see the value of it.

The reason for this, imo, is that too many people have been burnt by web development companies who promise greener grasses on the other side once their new fancy website goes live.

Our approach has always been to focus firstly on how the client plans to market their website and then worry about the look and feel of the site after this has been tackled properly. However, a designers approach is to just give you a nice looking site and hopefully it will work out....

For me the IIA has never taken online marketing seriously, as soon as it's a buzz word, they start talking about it at their events. Yet, people like us have been preaching its importance for nearly a decade. Can you imagine how well Irish businesses could be doing online now if they had listened all those years ago??

Anyway, I'd love to be involved in something like this, but maybe the best approach is to tackle an already estabished body such as the IIA to take this area more seriously.

If they want to preach how good the internet can be to your business, start from the start.....

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Web Design Ireland | My Blog | Online Marketing Ireland

Folks I read this post the other day ::

SEOmoz Blog | How to Price an SEO Campaign

Have a look at some of the figure which they propose charging, now they are I believe amoung the best at what they do but can you imagine an Irish company accepting prices anything like this? So I definitly agree with Tom about Irish SEO clients not understanding the value of it to their business.

Wow, that's quite interesting!
Don't think we'd be in business if we were pricing like that!

That's the USofA for you - bigger market, bigger budgets and better appreciation of the ROI from organic search.

I do believe there are some companies here who have large SEO budgets though. Just that most contracts go to Stateside providers.

If you get those prices you only need one or two jobs a year and is all happy for you.

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