After putting in years as an in-house SEO, last month I took a leap to the agency-side of the business. In-house, I had the opportunity to solicit and retain SEO services from some of the search industry’s best and brightest. I’ve also been tasked to manage consulting gigs that were already in place. For every excellent experience I have had in seeking, retaining, or managing an SEO consultant relationship, I have had five others that were downright bizarre.
The first SEO consultant I hired was Dixon Jones back in 2002 for a small international e-commerce project. I later learned that this was his first SEO gig, but that's another story. In 2006 I worked with SEOmoz, which eventually landed me this job. Both of these experiences were fabulous.
Of all the consultants I’ve considered hiring or have worked with (voluntarily or otherwise), these are the ones that intrigue me most...
Closet Genius
Brilliant and eccentric, you are ‘internet famous’ and greatly respected in the search community. Your reputation is enveloped in an air of mystery. Nobody has met you in person… this includes the pizza guy and your largest paying client.
Livin’ Lazy
Your response to a recent big money consulting inquiry was, “Nah” [your disinterest emphasized by a shrug of the shoulders]. You have The Lazy SEO Manifesto printed and stuck to your bathroom mirror with gum (the scotch tape was in the other room).
Retired Rock Star
Your reputation is amazing. The passive revenue from your old side project still pays all the bills. People come from all over to hear you speak. You are still in SEO because the people are a lot of fun and you get heaps of respect in the space. You often entertain the idea of consulting, but don’t follow through.
Hung-Over
You attend conferences to drum up consulting business, well, at least that’s what you tell your spouse. More than once, you have lost out on a big opportunity because you were hung-over after a search party and missed the lunch meeting.
Throwing Darts in the Dark
Flipping burgers sucks! You decided last week that SEO is the career for you. Admittedly, you have a lot to learn. For now you will ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ with uninformed mom and pop sites.
Devs Gone Wild
You have been a developer for your entire career. Back in ‘99, you put a block of white text on a white background and it worked really well. You recently learned that SEOs make pretty good coin and have decided to dust off your tried and true skills.
One Foot out the Door
You are getting ready to make the jump from full time employee to full time independent but are scared to death. You aren’t really ready to take on independent contracts but plan to be in one month. Okay, maybe two.
Own Worst Enemy
You have developed a set of detailed criteria to help you filter through consulting requests. At some point along the way you decided that you would only work with clients whose domain names start with the letter “G”. You can’t remember why. You haven’t worked in a while.
Tin-Foil Hat
You’ve done some pretty shady stuff. You’re sure the search quality team is on to you, so you wear a tin-foil hat to be safe. This didn’t go over so well at your last client meeting.
What type of SEO consultant are you?
Okay, I printed this out and went over it trying to figure out where I fit in.
I do have a Tin Foil hat, but I onlt wear it to keep Google from reading my mind.
I might be my Own Worst Enemy, but I get along with myself pretty well so I think I would talk to myself if there was a problem.
I can't be the One Foot Out the Door guy, I already work for myself and if I acted like that I would be SO Fired!
The last thing I developed was a roll of 35mm Black and White. But nobody uses that stuff anymore.
Darts in the Dark is a lot like Pinatas in the dark, it seems like fun until the screaming starts.
I solved my drinking problem by imposing a very strict one beer limit so I don't get Hung Over as much and my wife can't buy groceries with stories so she only uses cash.
Not famous anywhere yet so I must not be a Rock Star. I can't stop working long enough to take a day off so I don't think Lazy fits...
So I must be In The Closet... well, it does explain a few of those pictures with Darren... so to be a better SEO I would have to come out of the closet. Oh wait, some people have met me... so I am officially Out of The Closet. That doesn't sound right either. If I'm in The Closet maybe everyone that has seen me is in there too. Must be a Walk In Closet.
Who do I have to speak with about coming out of the closet?;p
I think I am the Soap Box Prophet.
I am either a flash of brilliance or a guy standing on a box; depending on who you ask.
I feel ya! In the same boat ... or in the same box (depending how you descide to spin it) ;)
XoXo
Funny. But how about the SEO who is sick of taking clients and working for others so he/she starts building their own sites and now can't figure out if they are an SEO or an Affiliate first and foremost - but they don't care as long as they're making money...
How about Identity Crisis?
Yup, the greatest moment is when you realize that SEO works much better when you take full control and profits on a dozen of own sites.
Enjoyable read...
Perhaps a nice follow up to the post would be how to jump from one to the next? For example, going from "Throwing Darts in the Dark" to "Closet Genius" which isn't exactly the clearest path.
Fabulous idea. Perhaps next Friday.
of such trial and error processes, real results can be found, such is the way to enlightenment :)
lol after doing this for 10 years i think my darts in the dark days are over unless google throws a curve ball any time soon.
Great stuff - soon you'll be able to write it from the other side about the crazy clients - something to look forward to ;)
Are these all the options? I'm wondering which category Rand & Dixon fall into (while trying to shake off that hangover).
Love your post. One category that's missing is the business owner SEO, or Self-SEO. I've met so many business owners, usually one man operations, running very successful online stores and I have to say those guys know more than an average SEO. When they contact me it's usually when they run out of depth, time or resources and need that extra nudge.
Good Post :P But you forgot the Pretend Closet Genius :P
One-size fits all Oven Mitt
You own a small web development/design firm and hear a lot about SEO so you tack the buzz word onto your services and claim your websites are search engine friendly. People believe you because you've been in the business for a while and your sites look oh-so pretty.
*Somewhat like the Devs Gone Wild but with color palette options.
This one deserves a place in the list for popularity purposes :)
I freely admit to being MANY of those types Lindsay :)... But don't tell the Critchlow brothers. ;)
Thanks for being so gracious about my efforts in the early days! Glad that the first experience wasn't a disaster. It wasn't my first though. The company formed in 1999 after I had enough clients to make it feel like a "goer". But yours was certainly the first across borders, so to speak.
Best,
Dixon.
Thanks Dixon. That makes me feel better. ;)
Back then I don't know if anybody had a lot of experience bringing an ecommerce operation from North America to the UK & Europe in an search engine friendly way. Your solutions worked out fabulously, regardless of experience.
Funny stuff Lindsay. Good to see that the "One Foot Out The Door" type is common enough to make the list so I don't feel like it's just me who's constantly thinking, "I'll be ready to launch next month." (Which I've been doing for the last few months ;-)
Looking forward to seeing more of you on the blog now that you're settling in.
Never mind what kind of SEO Consultant I am today, I've found my destiny.
The Lazy SEO Manifesto now resides on my wall to remind me of my new life goal.
Thanks for this great post!
Seconded - can you start an agency on that basis? Hmm....
When I wrote the post I had no idea it would shape someone's future. Fabulous. Let me know how it goes for ya.
Haha, some of the coolest post that I've seen here at SEOmoz. I'm thinking a name for a SEO guy that hates clients and do everything that they not want. And in most of the cases he is right. :D
I'm thinking Rogue Realist.
If he hates the clients it's enough to do what they DO want ;)
Hmmm sounds like a member of the labour party! ooops...
How about another category for the up and coming? That is the guy that is like a sleeper... you don't know he is there until the site he SEO's outranks yours and then you can't seem to top him. He knows alot but doesn't have a lot of visibility in the industry....
good post :)
are we all in the same boat?
Ive been one foot out the door for nearly a year but stuck working with an agency who meet a horrible selection of the other definitions!
hmm.. well when "mom and pop" have 35 years of combined experience in software engineering, web development and are successful at placing their clients for their keywords in organic search, that's not exactly fake it till you make it. Lots of us out here don't toot our own horns; you don't have to be a "rockstar" when your biz is doing well by word of mouth, client to client and you never have to advertise yourself to make good. ;-)
I'm pushing to be able to work in my pants and a dressing gown, ideally shuffling around with a coffee stained mug and shouting at anyone who comes near.
Probably a ways off that yet...
And I want cats! Hundreds of them.
The neighbourhood children will be frightened of me and call me 'weird cat lady'
...or worse
Didn't even have to think long about this one: definitely livin' lazy!
nice post but couple of options r missing... i do not fall in any category for now :) for now i will use carralon commet "'One Foot out the Door' for me and looking forward to 'livin lazy' one day" : )
How about the hard working SEO? He does everything promptly and is always up to date on algo changes and knows what the newest tools of the trade are. :)
Nice post.
I am a retired rock star. haha
ah ah ... goo Lindsay
i'm teh "Throwing Darts in the Dark" Seo
;-)
bye
nice post good to see someone acually putting creatativity into their blog post
lindsay, good post, let's say 'One Foot out the Door' for me and looking forward to 'livin lazy' one day : )
Great post, I the only reason I came across it was because I was thinking of creating a link bait along those lines.... I'm only 1 year too late.... damit :P
I'm getting an error when i try to sign up for the PRO tools! HELP!
Secure Connection Failedwww.seomoz.org uses an invalid security certificate.The certificate expired on 2/20/09 12:19 PM.(Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate) * This could be a problem with the server's configuration, or it could be someone trying to impersonate the server. * If you have connected to this server successfully in the past, the error may be temporary, and you can try again later. Or you can add an exception…
Jeff is on it.
funny post.. =)
Attractive post! The Livin' Lazy type is the most tempting, but I prefer to ride the trends-freak, first-mover advantage and occupy a new market for a mature brand or startup. SEO helps to gain brand performance control and it's beauty for all innovators, creators and wild rock stars around.Wish you a great start in SEOmoz!
I'd advise obtaining Retired Rock Star status before progressing to Livin' Lazy. It is always nice to have the bills paid.
Sure, I love rock'n'roll! After all, in the end of the day, we are 2 types: Active or Passive. Thank you for the inspiration, Lindsay!
Nice post. I have worked both inhouse and last 2 years as a consultant and I can definatly relate to your post.
As of who I am, all of the above? :)
I have one more type. It is based on never managing to show results, no matter how long he tries or what he says...but never admits it to himself. He uses LOTS of buzzwords to sound good. You name this type. Perhaps (S)leaze (E)ver (O)nward?
Hey, good point. I know of a company like that. They don't make promises but the also don't deliver even close to quality results. They over charge and then blame the failed results on the customer, the industry they are in, or other factors. I'd say their name but I'm sure they'd try to sue me.
Very funny, also the The Lazy SEO Manifesto :)
I'm just really hoping I'm not the basis for the "Devs gone wild" I thought white text was IN. LOL just kidding. Thanks for the fun read Lindsay, I hope to aspire to some of these some day. :)
Love the post Lindsay! You'd be soo surprised how closely this applies to all industries ;)
Not sure where I fit in. I am sure that I am not the rockstar yet, and still too young to be thinking retirement.
Hey Lindsay,
I think, I "Hung-Over"
Excellent summary! Well written. Thumbs up from me! :)
Im the SEO other SEO's hate as i keep outing their bad practices and naming and shaming those who say one thing but do the opposite.
Lets put itn this way, im not making any friends in the SEO community
Fear me lol!
Haha, common Mark, we know you, you don't fit even in the so desired Hung-Over group ;)
HAHA... nice to know i'm getting a name, good or bad its all good PR :)
One day i'll learn to play nice with other SEO's
That to me means your a good guy then! :P
Theres too many cowboys and too many mixed views and WAAAAAAY too much properganda in the SEO industry.