Although I've not the slightest doubt that we will have lost potential customers as a consequence of it, I can say with some pride that I have never succumbed to the temptation to "promise" a potential client that we will get them onto the front page of Google in exchange for his or her business.
It sickens me when I see SEO companies and marketers doing this. How exactly do they know they will be able to get you onto the front page of Google for your chosen keywords? Do they have contacts at Google who can be bunged a fiver in exchange for a front page placement? Is there a magic code and, if so, wouldn't their business benefit from selling it to the highest bidder for millions rather than touting for SEO contracts on the 'net?
In point of fact I could honestly promise any customer that I would get them onto the front page of Google for a given set of words. Almost every site has some unique content. But unless the keywords you are targeting are likely to be widely used, and by people seeking out information in your field of operation, then it isn't really a great deal of help.
Earlier this week I did a random trial and error search on Google to see where some of my keywords were on Google. For middleman and minding your business I was 10th. For online business promotion I was 8th. For low cost business promotion and middle man I was 6th. For online promotion service and the middle man I was 5th. For the middleman I was 4th. For online business promotion service, online business promotion services, business promotion service and business promotion services I was 2nd. And for we're minding your business (our company slogan) I was top. This was in each case out of several million entries.
Most of this has been achieved without going overboard on targeting specific keywords. The successes referred to above were largely built organically. Much of it just happened that way. Yet still I won't make promises that I might not be able to keep to. Neither will I build websites, or blogs, or articles that are full of incomprehensible rubbish in order to stuff my content with keywords. I've too much pride in my work and in my reputation to do that.
Getting front-page recognition on the major search engines boils down to a combination of incoming links, good quality content and a little knowledge. That and the fact that you need to have been around for a while.
There is no substitute within the SEO industry for experience. Much about SEO is plain and simple common sense.
