My SEO is insisting that we use every keyword on each page in the H1 tag, which just isn't possible from a logical standpoint. It's misleading to users because it omits some additional things that page contains or it just sounds awkward.

I know that if we don't follow all their suggestions they will use that as the reason if we don't do well in rankings. How can we write page headings that work for the spiders but also for the users?

The heading for that page should contain only the stuff that that single page is about.

The h1 heading tag will therefore be different on every page of the site.

Imagine if the headline for every story in a newspaper were all the same, and every headline contained keywords from every story in the paper? That is what your SEO is trying to do.

Let me clarify: They are saying that every keyword for that specific page must go in the h1 tag. So if my page on GMP training uses 5 different keywords that each keyword go in the H1 tag like so

h1 tag "Good Manufacturing Practices: FDA GMP, CGMP Training Workshops"

Stuffing them all together like that doesn't make sense so I don't know what to do

I would shorten it a bit.

Some of the words can go in h2 tags further down the page.

cfpa - in the past couple of threads there's been a similarity to the theme.

At this point, I'm going to offer the following advice:

Find a lawyer and get out of the contract if you guys are this unhappy with the suggestions the SEO is making.

There is always a way to terminate a contract, and a good lawyer will advise you on this. They will also be able to secure a number of expert testimonials to back up any claims made that the SEO is off-base.

I'm not trying to push you away here, but it's clear to me that you're unhappy with this SEO.

We have no way to know the entire story or all of the agendas that may be involved in this scenario. We only see what you post. Again, nothing against your desire to learn and make sure things are right, but it's clear to me your company has some issues with this contractor and your best way forward is with legal counsel.

I am assigned to work on this but I am not in management. I have no authority to break the contract or get a lawyer involved. Upper management is ignoring the problems. They don't want to deal with it, they don't want to lose the money, and they do not want to get a lawyer.

Also, I am the only person out of 30 who has any idea what SEO is. I tried to explain how the quality of their work is terrible, the linking issues, etc. They don't want to listen or get a lawyer.

If I push getting the lawyer and breaking the contract no matter how valid that is, management will get mad at me. That's just the reality of it.

They also don't want to take the time for all of that. They want the site done asap. So that's why I'm here--to micromanage the SEO co and fix all their mistakes. And I am the only one working on this project. When I see something like what they are recommending for h1 headings and I think it looks off, I need objective people to tell me if it's right or wrong.

My heart does truly go out to you - it sounds like you're trying to do the right thing even given the crap conditions.

I truly wish you the best with this.

Keep posting up the questions, obviously, and we'll do what we can.

In the end, you realize, you're going to know enough yourself to move these efforts in-house to a large extent.

Yes it is wrong and considered a bad SEO practice. If you are not comfortable with raising the issue directly to management, you could direct them to a article via email that specificaly addresses bad SEO practices. I would suggest looking on searchenginewatch.com for this type of article.

i-forage inc.

Thanks if_orange. I did actually try that already. It was an article about the Dont's of SEO and every Don't listed was something our SEO was recommending. I sent it management and they didn't respond. I've learned not to push the issue even though I know it's right to break the contract. I've just decided that I am going to do pretty much everything myself. It's really crazy--we are paying a company for me to redo all their work.

It would depend on what they have to work with and the other elements on the page.

I don't see anything particularly wrong with the H1 tag example - but it does depend on overall other elements, content and context.

It does seem totally ridiculous to work with them then attempt to change it... but that is your choice and by doing it it will become your responsibility - you should look at the contract to see what it says about implementation and changes etc.

If they have a clause that refers to no responsibility IF this or that - you may want to re-think your position.

If you just let them do the task because all of your alerts are ignored at least your management will see, that if it fails, it is not your doing.

You get in there and do this and that and it fails - guess where the finger is pointing.?