Does SEO work?
-
Hello, I have a question which I really want to get to the bottom of.
We are carrying out some SEO for a client. Im currently using the tools in Moz to help me with this. Im currently trying to target "Dentist Balham". We are following all the "rules" creating content, created a mobile friendly site etc. However the site that is coming top is www.balhamdentalcare.co.uk which carries non of the things we are doing, in fact a lot of the content is PDF downloads. They don't do well in the SERP Report compared to other sites. Its basically not a great site but its coming up first. Does any one think this can be beaten or does it just come down to the fact that they use "Balham" in the domain name?
Thanks for your advice.
Ade -
Thanks for that, i feel inspired! I know it can be done its just sometimes you feel your doing a lot of work and you look at another site and think "there not doing half this stuff, why are they doing so well?" Im of course also looking at other areas/keywords to improve the SEO but as you know most clients get certain terms into there heads that they want to show up for. Thanks for your help.
-
Thanks Jeremy, I've not been working on the SEO that long, less than 2 months. I guess my question is more to do with the fact that its hard to say to a client "This is SEO and this is what needs doing on your site" then for a client to simply turn round and say " well this company doesnt do that and they are top".
-
I took a quick look at the BalhamDentalCare site.
You ask... "Does any one think this can be beaten".
In the organic SERPs, yes, absolutely. They can be beaten. There are many things that competitors could do a LOT better. But those competitors would have to do a LOT of work to match them.
In the local results. They have great position - but a smart competitor who is willing to work hard could beat them.
You also ask.... "or does it just come down to the fact that they use "Balham" in the domain name?"
Having the word "Balham" is slightly helpful. But that word in the domain will only decide their position against weak competitors. When competition increases a word in the domain means very little compared to all of the other work that needs to be done to be competitive.
Quite honestly. balhamdentalcare.co.uk has done a fantastic job creating content. If they ever learn how to do really good SEO or hire a really good SEO then the other "dentists in Balham" are going to have a difficult time beating them. If they simply write better title tags and sharpen the optimization of their pages they will be a lot stronger.
A small amount of smart work could make them a lot stronger, but most competitors have an enormous amount of work just to pull even with them in their current state.
Beat them now while they are in low form and hope that they don't get smart.
-
I think an important thing you forgot to mention was how long you have been carrying out your SEO strategy for this client. This is essential to know - high ranking websites do not happen quickly.
Having a keyword in the domain used to be extremely beneficial, but Google has began not factoring it in nearly as much.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Does a lot of Google Business Account create website SEO keyword spam?
Hi, I have an SEO client from Abu Dhabi and when I handover the project - they got only one Google My business page. One month after SEO keyword rankings found to be great. However, from last week onwards, I have noted keywords ranking is dropping.When I checked with their map - one of the keyword map rankings also lost.When I cross-checked their listing - it has been showing -they listed 8 Google my business verification.Using the same website and same phone number - just to make their presence all over Abu Dhabi.My question is -does this affect SEO keyword ranking?
Local Listings | | Navya12340 -
Co-working spaces for multiple locations?
I have been working out of co-working space for about 6 months, and I have had good results in local results here. I have also read that Google does not look favorably upon the inclusion of these locations. Has there policy on the inclusion of these spaces changed? Can I safely use other co-working spaces to expand to other locations? Thank you for your guidance. Ben Sessions
Local Listings | | BSessions0 -
Social profile links - markup not working
Hi all, Weeks ago, I implemented the advised social profile markup (below, but with my own details, of course) but I continue to have no success with getting my social profiles onto my knowledge panel. Any ideas? Cheers, Rhys
Local Listings | | SwanseaMedicine0 -
Virtual offices and local seo
Hi,
Local Listings | | corn2015
Are there any downsides to registering busiensses in directories that have virtual office addresses?0 -
SEO without a budget and Cheating Competitors
I have law clients in the atlanta ga area. I have worked with one client http://bestdefensega.com for the past 4 months trying to get him to the top. We blog 3 times a week, have manually built citations and legal directory profiles. My client doesn't have a large budget to purchase profiles on some of the larger legal directories like findlaw, lexus nexus etc.. With that said,
Local Listings | | underdogmike
Using Open Site Explorer I have discovered that his competition all have multiple business websites pointed back to their main websites.. So each law office has several really generic websites in addition to their main site. Other's appear to be receiving links from some type of link farm and really generic directory sites.
The domains of these guy's are older and more established. Where as, my client has a new practice and a new domain. How do I compete in the local market without a budget for the premium legal directories? So after 4 months my client appears in the local pack search results for only select keywords. Criminal defense attorney woodstock ga. His competition appears in the results for all variations, where my client only shows for this one term. How do I get me client in the local pack for all variations of Criminal Defense in my area? According to Moz, my site has a couple spam score issues and the explanations are not clear enough for me to make some types of changes.
**How do I make these changes to reduce the spam score? My site has more back links than Moz is reporting why?** All of the other sites that I manage perform well and my clients are realizing their ROI with relative ease. But criminal defense is a different beaat and it is starting to frustrate me. RAR! Thanks in advance!0 -
Default Local SEO question: Does Google really do improptu check ins?
I have a client who has multiple locations within his state, many of which are satellite offices. Although they don't have anyone working at these satellite offices full time, they have office space available to them their, someone who can take calls/mail and do use the space frequently in person. We've been in the process of cleaning up duplicate and incorrect listings in directories to get on the map in the SERPs in these markets, but the local SEO outfit we've hired has come back with a problem I found surprising. In order to clean up the duplicate & incorrect Google+ profiles that we've got out there for these offices, we evidently need to work with an actual Google moderator. This moderator has said that the satellite offices in question are actually not real business locations and are in violation of G+ guidlines. The local SEO I'm using says that it's not uncommon for Google to actually send someone out to do an in person improptu visit when they are suspicious that a listing might not belong in their listings, and I find this really surprising. Do any of you have any experience with whether this is the case? FWIW, this is a real business that could have someone working remotely in these offices remotely if that's what it took to make Google happy, but they'd rather not and certainly don't need to in order to offer their services in these markets.
Local Listings | | LeeAbrahamson0 -
Local SEO: Creating a Second home-based business?
I'm in a bit of a pickle, here's the issue: I have a home-based business with a physical address. I plan on starting another home-based business at the same physical address. I only have one phone (cellphone). I plan on operating both businesses unless one completely eclipses the other. I can probably see your head spinning right now . . . how big of NAP issues are we looking at? I own my house, I could probably add a line to the new business address (like a suite # or something) I can afford a landline or secondary cellphone if necessary Any thoughts, ideas, criticisms, direction, hate-mail, or solutions?
Local Listings | | roachdesign0 -
Local SEO: How many consistent citations needed to rank
Hello, Can you guys analyze this site and see how many (quality, consistent) citations they'll need to rank 1st (in local results) for the two following local terms: weight loss salt lake city hypnosis salt lake city website: The Brain Trainer LLC www.expandingpotentials.net Thank you
Local Listings | | BobGW0