There are numerous articles, and probably just as many opinions, about the most important aspect of a search engine optimization campaign. These opinions come from bona fide industry veterans as well as self-proclaimed gurus; however, very few mention the oft ignored aspect of any SEO campaign that can make or break the entire effort: proper expectations.
The reality of the matter is that not every website will have the capability to rank, and not every website owner will have the intestinal fortitude to dedicate time and treasure into a long-term effort designed for earning rankings and authority. So, not every SEO campaign will have the potential to fully succeed, and should, for that very reason, come with a well defined set of expectations (outcomes) based on the efforts (input) that the site owner is prepared to invest. It should be noted that sometimes it’s not the owner of the website who is the problem, but the SEO service provider who fails to set proper expectations based on the information gathered from the client (if any) regarding their commitment to the SEO process.
The old computer programming adage “Garbage In, Garbage Out” can be applied to SEO (or almost anything else really). Good (long-term) rankings cannot be gained by bad work, but mediocre rankings can be achieved by mediocre work. This is the simple truth, and should be embraced by all those who seek to rise above the competition.
The onus of setting the proper expectation falls on SEO companies and consultants. The prospect of signing up a new client and collecting payment should not keep SEO professionals from asking whether they should. Not every website owner who is willing to spend money on SEO should be allowed to without the setting of proper expectations.
Are we being too naïve about how the World works? Perhaps; but the notion that ethics should always trump profits is something worth advocating, even if it only gains scattered support.