Search engine optimization is very important if you are looking to expand your internet exposure; however, it seems that many people fall victim to bad SEO (search engine optimization) practices. The main criticism is that many people are paying too much for little or no results. Also, many of them are victims of bad SEO techniques. If you plan to hire an SEO professional in the future, I recommend that you take the following steps before hiring any SEO company or individual:
A) Find out how well known and experienced an SEO company is before you talk.
Do they have a considerable number of client list?
They’re available?
B) Examine your portfolio.
What kind of results have they achieved?
Get in touch with some of your clients. Were they satisfied with the SEO work that was done?
C) Consider and confirm your methods?
How will they optimize your site for the major search engines to reach your keywords?
Do they use organic methods? Some people or companies use doorway pages, hide text in the background, use redirects and other blacklisted methods. Stay away from these because search engines consider these techniques as spam.
D) Get at least three proposals from other SEO companies.
Look at each one carefully. Are there similarities? Proposals will help you know which companies are honest and which ones are trying to sell you something that doesn’t work.
How much? The cheapest is not always the best; however, the higher price may not be attached to a complete and feasible course of action. Try to find an individual or company that will give you what you want within your SEO financial plan.
E) Get everything in writing.
Please review the document carefully. Make sure you cover everything you’ve discussed, including methods to achieve your desired results. Have the copies signed by both parties. If the job is large, you may want to consult an attorney.
F) Clearly indicate the payment conditions.
While most SEO firms won’t do any work for free or accept a pay scale based on results, many knowledgeable SEOs won’t be shy about a base-plus-performance incentive package. I am not a firm believer in prepaid contracts. Most SEO professionals will meet 50% up front, 50% upon completion of the standard. Make sure all financial terms are as clearly defined in your contract as the actual scope of work. This will protect all parties involved in the event that expectations are not met.
All in all, try to do your best to train yourself in SEO. Have a basic understanding of SEO terminology and SEO methodology. Anyone offering SEO services should have no problem explaining how they intend to get results.
