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How saturated is the market in Ireland ?

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  • 21-02-2010 2:55pm
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭


    With the emergence of more and more small businesses in Ireland offering SEO and Internet Marketing services as a core part of their business, do you believe that the market is saturdated ?

    And how badly are these "fake" businesses "We guarantee to get you to number 1 in google for some obscure long tail key phrase that nobody will search for" affecting the industry in your opinion ?


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    #2
    D.W
    Closed Accounts Posts: 218 ✭✭D.W


    Its the same as in any industry-there are some good operators and there are cowboys. The cream always rises to the top but certainly a lot of people I have talked to over the past while have been stung with false promises with regards SEO and it leads to a sceptical attitude for the industry as a whole.

    The one thing that I always say to people with regards seo-if someone/a company "guarantees" you anything run a mile. There are NO Guarantees.


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    #3
    nodgienodge
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭nodgienodge


    D.W wrote: »
    Its the same as in any industry-there are some good operators and there are cowboys. The cream always rises to the top but certainly a lot of people I have talked to over the past while have been stung with false promises with regards SEO and it leads to a sceptical attitude for the industry as a whole.

    The one thing that I always say to people with regards seo-if someone/a company "guarantees" you anything run a mile. There are NO Guarantees.

    Heres a guarantee: You're guaranteed to be disappointed if you buy this piece of crap:
    http://www.cheapelectronics.ie/product/18


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    #4
    blue4ever
    Registered Users Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭blue4ever


    I believe that SEO is only a part of the process. There is a prevailing wisdom of 'build it, they will come'.
    The SEO is straight forward enough (for most sites) and you need to get someone up to speed internally with the SEO - so you have to be able to explain/impart/train).
    You also have to look at their site in terms of their overall business and get involved there - so their business process and how it relates to their site and business and visa versa.
    You want to look at usability etc. so its not just SEO - and shouldn't be.

    @nodgienodge - would their web site not say it all....


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    #5
    TitoPuente
    Closed Accounts Posts: 549 ✭✭✭TitoPuente


    The market is saturated with complete cowboys because there's zero barrier to entry. My agency refuses to collaborate with SEO or Online Marketing 'specialists' on client projects without first auditing their knowledge and track record. There are only a small number in Ireland that I would ever consider bringing in on a project.


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    #6
    RedCardinal
    Registered Users Posts: 145 ✭✭RedCardinal


    TitoPuente wrote: »
    The market is saturated with complete cowboys because there's zero barrier to entry. My agency refuses to collaborate with SEO or Online Marketing 'specialists' on client projects without first auditing their knowledge and track record. There are only a small number in Ireland that I would ever consider bringing in on a project.

    The same could equally be said of web design/development. I generally only work direct with clients, and avoid interactions with intermediaries as much as possible.

    As for saturation - there's also a strong structural issue at play here: lots of small businesses are appearing (which is a good thing), and budgeting in the hundreds of Euro for a service that could offer ROIs far higher than any other medium (which is a naive thing).

    I'll admit that measuring ROI on SEO is difficult, but if people insist on paying peanuts they're likely to persist with getting monkeys.

    I turn away 95%+ of all leads I get, and only work with clients who are generating strong revenue online, or who have a past record of doing so. All enquiries that begin by asking about costs are politely declined because I know one of the many monkeys will offer the earth, moon and stars for €500 all in.

    Clients beware: if it sounds too good to be true...


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    #7
    Digino
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭Digino


    As Richard said above, it's extremely difficult to accurately determine the potential ROI on SEO as much of it is speculation.

    You'll find that most of the big agencies are expanding their service offerings to things other than just SEO and PPC. Conversion Optimisation, affiliate marketing, advanced measuring, and usability, better describe the focus of agencies who know their stuff. Chances are those agencies have SEO & PPC down to a tee if they are offering the services I mentioned and have the clientele to back it up.


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