Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » search engine index http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog Web Hosting Industry News, Latest Trends, and Analyses. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:48:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Four things to Consider When Hiring an SEO Firmhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/08/18/four-things-to-consider-when-hiring-an-seo-firm/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/08/18/four-things-to-consider-when-hiring-an-seo-firm/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:51:14 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=479 Hiring an SEO firm is a move that cannot only improve the optimization of your site, but also help you save time and increase your bottom line over the long haul.  However, this is a large decision and one that deserves careful consideration on your part.  Choosing the wrong company could damage your reputation and ultimately hinder the success of your business.  While some of these experts companies can provide valuable services, others have blemished the market with unethical practices, utilizing overly aggressive marketing tactics to manipulate the SERPs (search engine result pages) in ways looked down upon by search engines.  These practices tend to violate guidelines and could result in a penalty that lowers your sites’s ranking or complete removal from the search engine index.  There are many pitfalls that must be avoided, thus this article will let you know what to look for when choosing an SEO firm.

1.) Know the Facts

It is very common for SEO firms to make the claims of being able to deliver guaranteed rankings.  They often allege special relationships with major search engines or boast the ability to guarantee high rankings with priority site submissions.  These are the type of companies you want to avoid at all costs.  There is no such thing as guaranteed rankings or priority submissions.  If a particular company is offering something that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

2.) Get the Facts

Should the SEO firm throw something your way that you don’t completely understand, never hesitate to ask for comprehensive explanations to clear things up.  This is very important because if the company creates misleading or deceptive content for your site, you could be removed from the search engine index entirely.  Although you want a company that operates with honor, in the end, you are held liable for the actions of the firm you hire for SEO.  By gathering all the facts, you can determine if their services will aid in your cause, or end up doing you more harm than good.

3.) Be Cautious of Linking

We recommend steering clear of any firm that tries to persuade you with free-for-all links, link farms or other schemes to achieve link popularity.  You should also think twice about any company that wants to submit your site to thousands of search engines.  In most cases, these practices have no positive bearing on search engine rankings.  If anything, they will end up impacting your rankings in a negative way.

4.) Know What You’re Paying For

There are a number of search engines that combine PPC (pay per click) results with the standard search results.  This is where you really need to be cautious of SEO firms because some will guarantee you a ranking, but have you placed in the advertised section opposed to the regular search results.  To avoid this trick and others like it, be sure to ask the company where your money is going and if any of it will be applied to rankings that show up temporarily on the advertising side of the page.

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