About the Expert
I am Vineet Raj Kapoor. I run a web design, development and training company since 1996. Search Engine Optimization is a term that came much later. As a techno-commercial person, I developed an early interest in this. Some sites which were designed by me at that time, still rank on the first pages of Search Engines. I also take lectures on web promotion in leading institutes of our area. I did website designing as it should be done - with page titles, keywords, description meta tags, image tags, text links at the bottom - as an essential part of making a website. I made a lot of static pages on the sites and everytime I did all this. I thought this was the only way to make web sites. And then I gave press releases, registered my website with various directories and search engines, had links from my clients, and gave links to my clients in return - never forgetting to take care that each directory, page name, and link text is a proper english word.
Then I noticed that the sites made by us in the last 3 years did not show up on the search engines. Then I checked up the earlier sites - virtualciti.com, oewin.com, imperial-products.com etc. They showed up on search engines. I checked google.com, I checked yahoo.com, I check msn.com, I check aol.com, I checked altavista.com, I checked excite.com, I checked lycos.com - They were everywhere! They were ranking there in Top 10, they were at No. 1.
Then came the acid test. Google changed its algorithm is a major way. And my sites still have page ranking up there in the Top 10. Rather they moved up!
Then why did the other sites not go the same way? Well, the only reason could be that I didn’t create the latter sites - my employees (website designers) did. Then working back I realized that things that I considered very essential or part of my duty, were overlooked and left out by the expert website designers. I generalized to the theory that most designers who make sites are either employees with design targets, or are part timers/ freelancers so their aim is to deliver just what is asked for. They concentrate too much on the looks, and so have so little understanding of html. Though for the record - “It didn’t take me extra time to do the essential things for SEO”.
Now, the essential part is - I do have figures that prove that I was right all along! I know what worked for me. I see no reason that it won’t work for you. I can also guide. I can do the things for you, or I can guide you to do them. Whichever way you want. I have learnt that there are no SEO tools better than sheer hardwork, no submission tools better than your hands, no search algorithms better than common sense, and there is no way to build sites than follow the basics!
This doesn’t mean that I don’t keep track of what is happening! I am equally aware of accessibility, sandbox and blackhat issues and take care to build it into the sites for search engine readiness.
The more you study the more you realize that the best thing is to come up at no. 1 in search engines, but the toughest thing is to make that happen. Now the deeper we get into it, the tougher it is to get there. There are many paths to getting a good ranking in the search engines. Now a Page 1 advertisement on google costs about $4000 for a month for a good category word. Now an ad is an ad and looks like an ad. So it makes sense to spend on
search engine optimization in the hope of getting on Top 20. For getting in the search engine through rankings is a very tough call as everyone wants to avoid paying so much. SO they go for consultants or experts in the field. Now this is a No Guarantee field with a lot of noise. People are giving guarantees too. It is same as a doctor guaranteeing you a baby without a checkup. Whereas you know that even a checkup can’t assure a baby.
I decided that I shall personally take care of all search engine optimization work that is entrusted to me. Though I never tried to read too much of the algorithm part. NO I don’t have access to any dishonest employees at any search engines giving away algorithms at throwaway prices. I was an initial visitor of jimtools.com and became a firm believer that I need not fool the search engines. The search engine should be able to find my worth. SEO is not about manipulating - it is about honesty. I am so happy that the days of doorway pages, hidden text, sham keywords are over. Search Engine Algorithms are now nearer to common sense. I use common sense.
I am sorry, I am still learning about ppc. Since, I didn’t have the interest to spend money and learn myself. Usually the paid links are in a different colour/ style - so I thought that it didn’t make sense to stand out from the crowd. It is something like paying at the JukeBox to listen to a song you want to hear. It is more like giving an Oscar to the sponsors - there is no respect behind the prize.
I too have been on freelancing on the web for a few years to get the exposure and make new friends. I have learnt a lot in the process of delivering to people from different cultures and sensibilities. Frankly I have a lot to learn.
For example take a very valid key phrase “small business consultants”. It sounds quite No one looks for mentors and counselors for business consultancy. Now, “small business consultants” is too generic. First, you need to try and see if you have tapped your local market thoroughly? i.e. is “small business consultants in chicago” is more specific to the point that I can imagine a genuine buyer searching for that term. The generic terms are generally searched by corporates while creating websites, and by designers, researchers and other data gatherers - who are no use to you unless you are a “hits freak”.
See finally I can make your web site search engine ready for only $350-$750 (for a low level key phrase : sub 100,000 results) onwards. I can give you advice if you want to do it yourself. For that my hourly cost would be $40/ hour. I can do a site review and give you my feedback in the form of a report. Alternatively, I can do it all for you. For that the charges are $550 (vary based on the key word importance) for the SEO of your website. Additionally $20 per extra page that I need to create. So it turns out to be $700-900 usually. Also, after 3 months of work if you’d like to continue the charges are $100-250 per month. For e.g. $175 is for a medium level key phrase (sub 1 million google results).
