Most people react negatively but I assure you it's not personal, I don't judge websites....search engines do. I don't post here very often and wouldn't have posted at all except that even with all (good) advice against HA, you endorse it...which could potentially lead to someone else following the same path. Your (positive) opinion of HA is biased...even if it's unintentional.
As I said, many times I've shown a supporter of H-Advisor that their confirmation bias is a result of HA understanding SEO and Keywords....and them not. The perfect client for HA is a person that doesn't even try to rank organically. In most cases, HA can't rank well organically either so they use adwords. The false economy is twofold....A) the victim pays several hundred percent for the adwords that create the leads that they do get and B) they have no persistent benefit....as soon as they stop paying, their investment vanishes.
A person would be better off managing their own PPC campaign (and richer) than passing thru to HA. Keep in mind that Organic get's 85% of page clicks vs 15% for paid. Better still....investing the same money in their website would return the best long term ROI. Cost per click diminishes over time for Organic plan...which is why most choose a organic plan.
My advice for people with the loot is like my advice for America's energy plan....ALL THEE ABOVE - DRILL BABY DRILL. Meaning, after you lock up #1, and the cash is rolling in, there is nothing wrong with grabbing all the candy. For those not in the top 3-5...there is work to do at home before tossing it willy-nilly at anything that sounds good.
Dormant...not dormant, The other site isn't doing any better BTW. I'd wager the average PWI member could spot the most glaring omission of both sites...it's that obvious.
You don't need a "SEO Guy" to do a check...just google your primary service + location. SEO isn't a magical dust available only to SEO witch doctors....it's mostly common sense.
Again....not picking on you, I just want people to understand HA is a money pit, generates bottom feeder customers and competing bidders...no value selling, all price selling. I've addressed this on two other forums.
Not trying to throw gasoline on a burning fire here, but does Barry even have a website? Barry where is your website? I would think a dormant website is better than no website at all. At least you can use it on marketing material...
Im not trying to get into an argument here but the same way Barry pointed out:
which could potentially lead to someone else following the same path. Your (positive) opinion of HA is biased...even if it's unintentional.
As as a professional Web Developer ranking #1 for Website Design Phoenix, Web Design Phoenix, Web development Phoenix etc... And fellow power washer ranking for all my search phrases Pressure Washing Phoenix, Power Washing Phoenix etc...
I wouldn't want some fake SEO guru misleading people on this forum pretending he knows about SEO when he has no website to back it up.... I don't necessarily disagree with any of the SEO advice you have given so far but I wouldn't trust a doctor giving advice without a doctor's degree. After making such bold accusations about a person on PWI I would expect to see you ranking for Pressure Washing Cincinnati and Power Washing Cincinnati but I cant seem to find you at all, besides the BBB and Angies List.
Although, you may have been trying to help it came off a little bitter like you lose out to contractors on HA all the time. If you yourself had a website you probably wouldn't even care because you would be so busy you wouldn't have time to waste thinking about HA.
And my final thoughts are that HA is a tool and can be used with or without a website. I don't use HA but I use to use it when it was Service Magic. I can not say that I loved it but it use to work from time to time. It doesn't work for me now in my current position running a $1.25M company but it use to work very well for me when I was doing $50-100K a year. I think EVERYTHING WORKS whether its door hangers, flyers, SEO, PPC, EDDM, Word Of Mouth, Faxes, etc... It all works, it just works better for some then it does for others based on region, demographic, sales pitch etc. And just like any other marketing, each of the different marketing tools has a different ROI. But it all pays for itself and some, if done correctly.
If Mike says HA is working for him then why should that not be heard on this board? Why do you assume Mike is lying? How does it feel to be put on the spot and questioned about your response...
