Guaranteed SEO - can a top Google result be guaranteed?

After reading about companies offering guaranteed Google results, either page one, or even NUMBER ONE results, you're probably wondering if we do, and if we don't, why, when others do?

Ask if justweb™ guarantees a result, and we tend to agree with what Google says:

No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google. There is no priority submit for Google.

Having said that, it doesn't mean we (or anyone else for that matter) can't achieve a great result for you - just ask our clients. BUT, there is no guarantee of a page one position. We will, however, guarantee to IMPROVE your results.

Why don't you guarantee page one results?

Imagine a car race. You have a dozen teams, each running different cars, with different pit crews and set ups.

What is the ONLY way you can guarantee a #1 winning position - or even a top 3?

If you answered with you not only have to control the other cars and drivers, but you have to control their pit crews too - you are correct.

Same thing in search engine optimisation (SEO). Unless you can control your competition's website and their SEO team (or strategy), you have buckley's chance of guaranteeing a result. Once again, it doesn't mean it can't be done. Just be careful when signing a contract or agreement with an SEO company that you are familiar with all the details and disclaimers. Will your results be for keywords that REALLY count, or for ones that aren't going to work for you?

justweb™ has achieved page one Google results for the following (but not limited to) keywords: "chiropractor", "seo Australia", "public relations company", "best publicity", "consumer pr", "law articles", "spam law", "Mercedes dealer", "pr services", "trademark symbol", "seo Sydney", "website design sydney", "business alliance", "social media specialist", "modern Australian restaurant", "website audits", "good copywriter", "videos seo", "how to rank in Google", "wedding planner sydney", "putting greens", "wedding designers", "custom spraypainting", "document destruction", "psp repairs", "nintendo repairs", "frozen cocktails", "black label", "wheel repairs", "organic beef Sydney", "wellbeing centre", "Toyota dealer", and many, many more.

As you can see, these are not obscure or longtail search terms that would be a walk in the park to get results for, such as "Barney's blue widgets in South Beach", OR search terms which would find you anyway, like mentioning your business name, what you do, and your suburb in the one search query.

How can you tell if an optimiser is experienced and capable?

Some questions Google suggests you ask a potential search engine optimiser before allowing them to work on your website are:

Can you show me examples of your previous work and share some success stories?
justweb™: yes

Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
justweb™: yes

Do you offer any online marketing services or advice to complement your organic search business?
justweb™: yes

What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?
justweb™: This is dependant on a number of metrics - each site/business can be different and take different periods of time. However, movement can usually be seen within one to two weeks from starting the optimisation process. Results are measured quite easily - better search engine results means more traffic to your website, which of course should mean more business for you.

What's your experience in my industry?
justweb™: A good SEO shouldn't need too much experience in your particular industry, if any, but they should certainly take time to get to know your business and industry a little first.

What's your experience in my country/city?
justweb™: We are based in Sydney, Australia. We prefer to optimise for Australian websites. The city is somewhat irrelevant in my view.

What are your most important SEO techniques?
justweb™: Getting to know you, the client, your services and products, analysing what people search for relevant to the the products and services on offer, analysing your website with regards to its search engine friendliness, and making sure only white hat SEO techniques are used to achieve results.

How long have you been in business?
justweb™: Since September, 1996

How can I expect to communicate with you? Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?
justweb™: Communication can be by phone or email. In my experience, people don't generally want to know everything that is done - as long is it is done to a standard, and results are achieved and visible.

We prefer to use "whitehat" SEO techniques, and rely on experience combined with on page and off page optimisation techniques.

Matt Cutts, a senior and well respected Google associate, sums up what is needed for good results very simply:

1) making great content that will attract links in the first place, and
2) choosing a site architecture that makes your site usable/crawlable for humans and search engines alike.

If you think your website can do better than it is currently doing in Google, please check out our website audit page.