Increasingly, SMEs are requesting pay-for-performance SEO solutions for their business.
These requests are being made most commonly by start-ups, businesses with small budgets, companies nervous about entering into a long-term contract, and businesses with bad experiences of dealing with unethical SEO ‘experts’.
A pay-for-performance SEO model provides a relatively risk-free SEO solution for SMEs, as they are only required to pay once SEO objectives are met. If the SEO specialist fails to meet pre-agreed targets and objectives then the SME incurs no cost.
There are many different types of pay-for-performance SEO models to suit your business objectives, but here are a few of the main ones that might work for your SME:
The pay-per-ranking model can be an excellent tool for focusing on a very small, select keyword phrase set or simply just one keyword phrase
Pay per ranking
- Google ranking #1 in Search Engine Results = £x when position achieved and £x to maintain position over month
- Google ranking Top 5 in Search Engine Results = £x when position achieved and £x to maintain position over month
- Google ranking top 10 in Search Engine Results = £x when position achieved and £x to maintain position over month
The pay-per-ranking model can be an excellent tool for focusing on a very small, select keyword phrase set or simply just one keyword phrase.
Pay based on revenue
One of the most successful pay-per-performance models is linked to revenue, and involves the SEO specialists being paid based on factors such as total sales, total profit, or an increase in sales or profit or cost per acquisition.
Done correctly this can be one of the most successful pay-per-performance SEO models available. It relies heavily on robust tracking mechanisms that allow the SEO specialist visibility of the SME’s sales and revenue.
Pay for traffic
Another pay-per-performance SEO model is ‘pay for traffic’. The existing level of website traffic is recorded as a benchmark and then traffic targets are set with the opportunity for the SEO specialist to earn more depending on the level of traffic they deliver.
It is important that the SEO and SME work closely together to ensure that traffic quality is maintained. This methodsallows the SEO specialist to drive traffic not only through organic search, but also by other referral methods such as through social media channels.
Pay-for-performance SEO models allow SMEs to have a trial run of the service, which previously they may have given a wide-berth, sticking instead to other, more tried and tested digital acquisition channels such as PPC services. The pay-per-performance model allows the SEO specialist to prove themselves and their service, and often, once the SMEs begin to see the benefits manifested in improved sales and leads, the SEO project can snowball in scale, with organic search being seen as a key acquisition channel.
Done properly, a pay-for-performance SEO model removes the risks associated with a service with few guarantees. Discuss with your selected SEO company which pay-per-performance SEO model is best suited to your company.
