Is a none SEO expert allowed to code a SEO tool?

Sven · January 2015

I just got a strange E-Mail and would like to point it out here as well. I AM NO SEO EXPERT. Still I code SEO tools.

This however seems to be a problem for some guy since I didn't want to answer his SEO related questions. He asked for a refund and told me I should not code any SEO tools if I have no clue about it. Actually I think about it differently. Even though Im no expert, I still know the basics and I listen to this community, adding new features, improving current features or even removing some that do no longer work.

I also think it's a better way listening to people what they want to have in a software rather than only adding things I would think work. Thats not how good SEO works.

Also to everyone while we are at this topic: I really can not answer too specific SEO questions. Please understand that I can not go to everyones website, analyze it and decide whats a good SEO strategy and what's not. This is a software you buy, no SEO service.

When I receive such SEO related questions, I always try to send them here to study the forum and maybe ask you guys for some deeper thoughts.

To sum it up:

- Im no SEO expert

- I still code SEO tools

- I am listening to you guys and code what you need

- I am not answering SEO related questions

- You buy a SEO tool no service (just compare prices and you will see why)

Tim89 · January 2015

@Sven You're a top guy.

I would rather a person be honest and literally say "I don't know" instead of appearing to know it all, as you said, it is far beneficial to listen to the needs of your customers and react accordingly with updates/features, it's the best way.

Whoever sent you that email is, well... simply put, a retard.

It's like being the best engineer in the world building an engine for a formula 1 car, It doesn't mean that engineer knows how to drive that car does it? A simple analogy but it puts it into perspective.

You're doing a great job Sven, keep it up!

Domainer · January 2015

seems like someone is jealous...screw him!

s4nt0s · January 2015

Every developer I've ever hired never had previous SEO experience, but they were still able to build me great SEO tools.

There are some very good SEO + SER related threads here on the forum, but it sounds to me like the customer just wants everything handed to them. If they wanted it all done for them, they could just use a SER backlink building service and let them handle it instead of figuring it out themselves.

For me, half the fun is playing with the software and figuring it all out, but I guess I'm weird like that

I wouldn't let these type of customers bother you, as @tim89 said, "you're doing great job!"

DonCorleone · January 2015

Actually that's a good thing. An SEO expert might have some prejudice , that would have hurt the flexibility.
Also it's quite rare when an expert in a field creates a software for that field. Generally they hire IT staff for that.
Air force general's who are expert in air warfare don't create fighter planes ... they hire engineers for that.

Sven · January 2015

Thanks all for the words, so basically you guys agree with my concept then.

Hinkys · January 2015

Man, if every developer was half the developer you are, this world would be a better place.

Most guys just do it for the money and don't really care. You really seem to care about your products, fixing every little bug and trying to make your product better every day.

Also, if you were more into SEO and if you were actually helping people with their websites, strategies and what not, that would just mean less time spent actually DEVELOPING.

If that person actually wanted to learn instead of being spoonfed, he'd take the advice and go visit this forum.

Actually, I've heard good advice about these kinds of emails a while ago. If you start reading it and realize that it's about to bum your day, just delete it and move on. Easy. If it's about a refund and it's within your refund policy (don't even know if you have a refund policy but still), give it to him and move on. If not, it's his problem. Either way, in delete folder it goes and move on.

Sven · January 2015

Thanks @Hinkys same I see it really. Though it's not about the refund but I just don't understand how some people see things. I just thought I would write my point of view here so all know how I think about it.

Tim89 · January 2015

Some people want blood and bone.

JudderMan · January 2015

I think you're better for it not being an SEO expert, as you'd simply have too little time on your hands to code SER. I've only been a user for 15 months or so, yet I've been following the progress of it for closer to 2.5/3 years.

Too many 'SEO' people in this industry are idiots. It makes our life hard when talking to clients as they've been burned by these chumps in the past.

Keep it up Sven, a few people knocking you here and there is always going to happen. If you were an SEO guru, you wouldn't sell SER and keep it to yourself while everyone else struggled with inferior tools, and you could have (or might already have) wiped out most top earning industries with your own websites as I'm sure you do a little bit of that as well, but SER has helped its owners generate a lot of money, and that's what keeps our economies spinning.

Sven · January 2015

@JudderMan haha well indeed I would love to sell one or the other tool we also have like the GSA Radio Stream Recorder. It's a top program in this niche, though noone seems to know about it and selling it is hard.

2Take2 · January 2015

"You've sold me a link building tool, now please rank my site(s) for me as well..." ROFL

As above, there's no need to be an SEO expert to build an IM tool, and it's probably better not to be for the reasons already mentioned.

Keep up the good work.

JudderMan · January 2015

@Sven just push an affiliate setup for your products and let us all push them for you - this is your forum, you should advertise your other stuff more. You don't need to sell anything, you've proven yourself/GSA as a company that makes fantastic products that are affordable and just work well.