Dumb SEO Questions

(Entry was posted by Pooya Dubash on this post in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 02/25/2021).

What checklist do you guys have before taking on board a client for seo?

What checklist do you guys have before taking on board a client for seo?
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YOUR ANSWERS

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

  • Ammon Johns: For myself as a consultant, very little. Offering my investigation, analysis, and advice based on those, is my service, not something that is done before. So really, the only thing I need to check before taking them on is that they have paid for my time. Anything else is what they are paying me to look at.There are occasional circumstances where I have a client who pays extra to be my ONLY client in that market, so where such a deal is in place, the only other thing I check is that it is not an exclusive market situation.
  • Kristine Schachinger: Ammon Johns that
  • Mont Se: Ammon Johns I would add to this that they are at a stage that they want help to move foreard. Not enough to ask for help sometimes
  • Richard Hearne: I only ask 2 questions:1. Can I bring significant value to the client;2. Will they be able to implement.I say no if both the above aren`t positives. As a result, I almost exclusively work with tech cos, and those whose websites are their primary product. My clients all have significant devops resources and technical knowhow. IMO the best thing you can do is to say no to potential customers where you wont generate significant value. You won`t win every time, but at least you`re qualifying the work with the highest potential for positive outcomes.PS have watertight contracts. Obtain professional indemnity if you cant contractually indemnify yourself.
  • Pooya Dubash: Thank you, so I guess I`m not the only one who says no to a client who is asking for miracles without wanting to change things around.
  • Steve Toth: Can it work? Do I like the people and the company?Is the company in a growth stage (check LinkedIn insights).
  • Kevin Schlosser: Let me just send a PDF of all steps I take to complete SEO tasks with exception. Right!
  • Michael Stricker: Credit check. As Ammon Johns said, initial payment, processed and in my possession. Access to GA, GSC, website CMS, host and DNS. Contracts a/or reports by prior SEOs. Introductions to devs/IT, content, social, sales, customer service, leaders/execs. Signed contract or Proposal. Signed roadmap/plan of action complete with projected elapsed time requirements.
  • Kristine Schachinger: An audit with prepayment. I learn whether I liked them or not. They pay and get usable work if I decide not to work with them long-term we both win.Besides I don`t believe in doing SEO work without doing an audit, so I just treated as a separate portion of the engagement.
  • Jeff Ferguson: These days, the only checklist is if they can afford my fees.

View original question in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 02/25/2021).