Seer Interactive is a search engine optimization and management agency, but unlike its competitors, Seer says it doesn't game Google. While other SEO and SEM firms use any number of tricks to get clients to the top of search results, Seer, says CEO Wil Reynolds, relies on an ethic of caretaking. No tricks. Reynold's philosophy is to build popularity organically, not by creating thousands of dummy blogs that link back to the client homepage, a popular tactic.
Seer, housed in a
former church in Northern Liberties, has built its reputation almost entirely by referral, according to Reynolds. "I've always had a belief that if you take care of each client to the nth degree, and you hire good people, over time you generate an avalanche of referrals," he says. "Cold calling is not my style. Instead, my style is to kick ass for you so you tell other people."
Seer now counts 60
clients worldwide, in places like Brazil, South Africa, and most major US cities.
Reynolds just got back from San Francisco, the headquarters of eight clients. "I like that personal connection." While Seer was officially incorporated in 2002, it wasn't a real business until 2005, when Reynolds left his job at Aeon for quite altruistic reasons.
His job was getting in the way of volunteering three hours a week at CHOP, and four days after being denied permission to leave early to get to the hospital, Reynolds quit and took on Seer as a full time endeavor. Giving back is essential to the nature of the business. There are 24 logos of Seer supported non-profits displayed on the company website.
"We've been growing accidentally," says Reynolds. "This happened organically." Reynolds has gone so far as to tell clients not to pay when there have been delays in delivery. "We weren't taking on new SEO clients for the past 12 weeks so that we could ramp up hiring."
Seer just hired six new employees in the last six weeks, bringing the total to 44, with an additional half dozen contractors and part timers on the books as well.
In the past year, says Reynolds, staff has doubled. In contrast to other tech firms, Seer hires marketing staff almost exclusively, with only one developer on board. Revenue, according to Reynolds, is up 50 to 70% annually for the past four years. "We hire at will. I will overhire on talent because I know it's easy for us to get new business." Seer accounts include Revzilla, LinkedIn, Wine Enthusiast, Intuit and Crayola, to name just a few.
Source: Wil Reynolds, Seer Interactive
Writer: Sue Spolan