Consumer Alert For Search Engine Optimization........How To Select The Right SEO Firm For Your Company

Its no secret that getting yourself highly ranked on the search engines is very valuable and in high demand.

Now the bad news....... It is also a LOT of hard work and getting more difficult each day.  Unfortunately, SEO has become a generic term that does'nt have the same meaning nor standards as to what it represents. 

Professional SEO firms can make you millions of

dollars by positioning your company to compete

nationally or internationally. Fly by night firms

can get you banned with the major search engines

by utilizing shady or illegal practices. 

For that reason SEOMC has developed a standard

and a code of ethics for you to utilize when selecting

the right SEO firm for your company.

Get Our CODE OF ETHICS DOCUMENT

5 Key Items When Shopping For Search Engine Optimization & Marketing

If you understand these SEO tips, it can save you thousands of dollars and many, many months of frustration.

1. Have They Been There & Done That?  Make them show you proof they can actually position you highly on the search engines (see our report for one of our web sites).  Realize that their clients are private but they should be able to show you at least one of their own personal sites. 

2. Are They Secretive?  Some of the top people in SEO are also some of the most prolific when it comes to giving away their "SECRETS".  Positioning web sites is kind of like completing your own business taxes for a substantial business..... The principles and the know how is available for all to see (no real secrets) but knowing exactly how to fit ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER requires skill and hard work.  If an SEO firm is secretive about what they are going to do, then run away as fast as possible.

3. What Is Their Guarantee?  This is a bit like Goldilocks to be "just right".  If their is no guarantee, then that is ok but the firm needs to show you an incredible track record.  Because of client privacy, this can be difficult.  On the other hand, if they guarantee you #1 positions (rather than first page positions), then we suggest you run away.  There is no one on the planet that can guarantee such performance since search engines are constantly evolving.

4. Are They Using Pay Per Click (PPC)?  Pay per click advertising are paid ads that run on most major search engines and can be an excellent strategy for generating immediate traffic and sales.  However, PPC is not an "organic"strategy for getting highly ranked on the search engines.   Unfortunately, this is the way some companies satisfy their "first page guarantee".  True search engine optimization is designed to get you highly ranked in the organic (non-paid) results for the search engines like Google.

5. Are They Using "Black Hat" Approaches  Search engines, especially Google, hate web sites that try and "trick them" into ranking highly.  There are approaches like cloaking and doorway pages that play all kinds of games with the search engines.  While this can possibly get you ranked quickly (at first), it typically results in the removal of your web site from search engine rankings.  Let's face it, true SEO is a lot of work, time consuming, and reap awesome rewards.  Consequently, there are many companies out there trying to "beat" the system but in the end, we believe it will harm you much more than it will help.  Our best SEO tip is to really avoid anything considered black hat SEO.