Don’t Get Scammed by Fakers in the SEO Industry! Three Tips for Getting Real Service
Did you know that 83% of consumers use search engines to find information about local businesses? Considering that ecommerce, or online retail, now tops one billion dollars in global sales, it is not surprising that many companies are trying to figure out how they can improve their rank in online searches, and connect to more of the audience searching for their type of service or product.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the solution many turn to. The problem is that many people investing in SEO fail to understand even the basics of the marketing strategy, making them more liable to fall for scams. If you are considering using SEO for your company, here are several things you should know.
1. No Empty Promises
Many companies are hooked in by the promise that they will be given the number one rank for their industry. Sounds like a great deal when you read it, right? The issue here is that this is an almost impossible guarantee, especially for competitive industries. Obviously number one is something you should aim for, but for an SEO company to promise it speaks of a “take money now, show results maybe later” type deal. Look for an SEO company that is honest about likely outcome, and plans on providing performance analytics along the way.
2. Show What You Market
Don’t invest in a supposed search engine optimization expert if they can’t rank high themselves. It might sound obvious, but look at all the SEO PPC ads that pop up during any search. Someone is clicking on them, but hopefully, that someone is not you. If a company ranks high organically on their own, it demonstrates that they at least have an understanding of the techniques it takes to get high in Google results. After all, 80% of users rarely or never click on the paid ads, instead preferring organic results.
3. Phrases to Listen For
So you’ve been talking to Seo consultants, but you’re not sure if what they say rings true. Ask them how they deal with updates to the Google algorithm. If they know their stuff, they will probably mention the Panda and Penguin updates that have changed how SEO companies handle both link building and syndication, among other things. If you hear phrases like “invisible text” or “keyword stuffing,” you should definitely be on red alert, because these are techniques Google actually punishes websites for using.
What has your experience with SEO consultants been like? Research more like this.