Do you take Seo and ppc management on competitor sites?

[DavidKonigsberg]

I would love to hear what everyone thinks : I wanted to know what people do about seo and ppc when the keywords and industries overlap.

[RobertFisher]

David

I am not sure what you mean when you say when the keywords and industries overlap. With industries I am not sure how they overlap unless you mean in a vertical like law where you could have a bankruptcy attorney and a DWI attorney. Both would in essence be competing for the broadest attorney and law terms. (Lawyer or Attorney for two).

We would take clients like this, within a given geography we will take competitors (5 dentists in a large city), etc. With national accounts (we have a large legal account for example in a very competitive area) we would not take a competitor without some sort of sign off from both sides.

Especially with professional practice clients, one of our biggest selling points is that if a marketing firm does say all the chiropractors in the country...who do they give their best to? If you are serving all are you really serving any? With so many Legal Marketing, Dental Marketing, Medical Marketing, Chiro Marketing companies, we find it fairly easy to get clients when we show them the logic. We don't then turn around and do the same.

We want clients that we help to become best. We tell them from the beginning that if we cannot prove their outcomes in their market they should let us go. We even show them how to measure it in real dollars, leads, etc.

So, we like exclusivity. In an event where we can serve competitors we would only do so if all are in signed agreement for some reason.

Best

[lavellester]

There is a strong argument for it being deemed unethical.   Perhaps the closer the industries/companies and their respective marketing strategies/goals are the stronger this argument becomes.

Good mention from Robert about transparency.

Sure it goes on loads though... what's your thoughts?

[DavidKonigsberg]

We never take two competing accounts but we just had someone come to us for seo and we have a direct competitor of theirs as a client who we do ppc for and not seo

(we asked the client for permission and he said no because we know the analtics etc of the business)4what

what would you do?

[RobertFisher]

Do what your client requested. First, because you owe him that as a client. Second, because he is right about the analytics (and rather astute it seems), but lastly, and most importantly in my opinion, Because it will ultimately gain you respect with both clients over time. 
For me, I would hate to lose that business, but I would tell the one who wants the SEO that you have to honor your commitment, but that you also believe there are other good SEO firms. Give him three that you think are good (don't give one as that could be a bit of a rub with your client) and let him speak with them. Or give him some good rule of thumb on how to find a good firm.
You will ultimately benefit.