Choosing a search engine optimisation provider can seem daunting at first. There are so many claims that it's difficult to know where to start and what to believe. Here are some tips to help you choose:
Things to look for when choosing a search engine optimisation provider
1. Do they use ethical SEO?
Ethical SEO is making sure that all the methods used you your potential search engine optimisation provider are within the current search engine guidelines. A good litmus test for whether something is ethical SEO or not is if you'd be proud to tell your mother (or even your grandmother) about it. If you'd blush or rather not mention what you're doing, there's a good chance it's not an ethical SEO method.
2. Do they buy links?
Google and the other search engines are reasonably happy for you to buy links for the purpose of gaining traffic to your web site but they don't like you buying links with the aim of distorting the search results. If your potential search engine optimisation provider buys links, double check that these will be flagged as "no follow" so that they don't come back to haunt you if they're spotted by the search engines. Go to a few of the sites that your SEO provider is using - if they look awkward or contrived to you, there's a good chance the links are being bought. Check in the view source option on your browser that they are flagged as no follow.
3. Does your search engine optimisation provider provide a realistic time frame?
Any SEO provider who claims they will provide near-instant results is not telling you the whole truth. Results take time to achieve - the sheer size of Google's index dictates that - so any search engine optimisation provider promising results within days is unlikely to be telling you the truth. But equally if they tell you it will take a year or more before you start noticing any results then - unless you're in a very competitive industry - you should be wary.
It's often best to trust your first instincts when you choose a search engine optimisation provider - if they look or seem dodgy, there are plenty more firms to choose from. It's better to be safe than sorry.