Search Engine Optimizers
Many SEOs provide useful services for website owners, from writing copy to giving advice on site architecture and helping to find relevant directories to which a site can be submitted. However, there are a few unethical SEOs who have given the industry a black eye through their overly aggressive marketing efforts and their attempts to unfairly manipulate search engine results.
– Google, Information for Webmasters
Key Factors to Keep in Mind
- Be wary of SEO firms that send you email out of the blue.
- No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google or any other Search Engine.
- Be careful if a company is secretive or won't clearly explain what they intend to do.
- You should never have to link to an SEO or other links to achive better results.
- Choose wisely! Do your research; is the company a one man operation or a firm? Do they blog about it? Client testimonials, references?
- Be sure to understand where the money goes; SEO and SEM are two different things. Proper SEO is an organic process, sure SEM helps, but it also inflates the results and generate more traffic. It then become harder for the untrained eye to monitor the pay-per-click traffic vs a general search referral.
- Make sure you're protected legally and that you have a contract in writing that includes pricing. The contract should also require the SEO to stay within the guidelines recommended by each search engine for site inclusion.
If the SEO uses unethical method's, it could lead to your website being blocked or black listed by Google and/or other Search Engines.
Most of the information above comes from the Google Information for Webmasters SEO resource page.
The bottom line
If it doesn't feel right, you can't get a straight answer as to how and what will be done to optimize the site and help increase your ranking, simply don't use their services.
When in doubt, walk away from the SEOs.
For more information, check out the Google Information for Webmasters website.