Comments on: Sample SEO and Web Marketing RFP

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:39:07 +0000

I’m not sure about any specific to your industry, but there are sites such as BidSync that operate as central depositories for RFPs. Also remember that the criteria often extends much further than cost per mille alone!

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:54:09 +0000

I was wondering if there was a place where advertisers post their RFP’s and then networks bid on them and the lowest CPM is chosen?

By: SEO Budgeting | How much should I budget for search engine optimization | seo budget

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:03:51 +0000

[...] Start by trying to answer the following questions before throwing a random number in a spreadsheet or your “SEO RFP“. [...]

By: Geoff Karcher

Geoff Karcher — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:50:02 +0000

As much as I hate RFPs for both web development and search marketing it seems that they’ve become a necessary evil.

I highly recommend that if you go through this process, still take the time to meet the people you’ve submitted it to, preferably before you even read their response. Ask them to show you the results they’ve generated and the strategies they used to get there. Case studies are nice, and all search marketing companies use them, but also ask them to show you the results, while you’re sitting with them. Both in the search engine rankings or PPC campaigns and in the sales/lead gen result (conversions). You need to actually see their work, not prepared marketing materials.

Then, ask them where they would start with your site. Don’t ask them to promise you results or rankings, if they are credible, they will shy away from ranking guarantees. But ask them what strategies they would likely employ. If they’ve spent the time to properly respond to your Search Marketing RFP, they should have at least a basic understanding of your needs.

That personal interaction, and seeing their work, is what will really tell you if they are the right fit for you. No RFP document will do that.