WE'VE MOVED!

We are proud to announce our NEW community destination. Engage with resident experts and fellow entrepreneurs, and learn everything you need to start your business. Check out the new home of StartupNation Community at startupnation.mn.co

SEO Scams: 15 Ways to Avoid Them

DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
edited June 2009 in Marketing
What qualifies companies to be SEO experts is competence. And the way you find out if a company is competent as well as legitimate is to check their credentials thoroughly, by exercising good old common sense and following these steps:
 1. Verify their contact information.
 2. Talk to previous customers.
 3. Visit top SEO forums like Jill Whalen`s High Rankings Forum to find out what other legitimate SEO experts have to say about them.
 4. Check their Better Business Bureau record.
 5. Check them out with the Attorney General`s office.
 6. Check them out with local police agencies.
 7. Check them out with various online scam watch sites like Scam.com
 8. Avoid companies that send you unsolicited e-mail (Spam). Legitimate companies don`t send spam.
 9. Avoid companies that aren`t among the top 100 SEO sites, (although there are exceptions to this rule).
 10. Avoid companies that try to pressure you into making a quick decision.
 11. Avoid companies that aren`t willing to stand behind their work. (Money back guarantee, etc.)
 12. Avoid companies that promise top 10 rankings. Legitimate SEO companies don`t make those kinds of promises.
 13. Monitor their willingness to answer your questions. If they seem evasive, walk away.
 14. Monitor how quickly they respond to your communications, or if they respond at all.
 15. Listen to your gut. If it doesn`t feel right don`t do it.



Amendment:

 

16. Avoid any seo experts that objects to you checking out their company. Chances are they have something to hide.
David Jackson
DavidJackson3/24/2009 10:22 AM

Comments

  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    Now that`s a useful article!
     
     
    Thanks, Craig. I`m glad you found the article useful.
     
    However, the "usefulness" of any article is in the eyes of the reader.
     
    David Jackson
    DavidJackson1/27/2009 6:47 AM
  • BrandonGetsItBrandonGetsIt subscriber Posts: 0

    Really good points!
    We are currently looking at a number of SEO people for different verticals and it really does pay to do your homework.
    We have one guy in particular that only charges $1 for the first month in order to prove his worth.  Enough time to prove it, but well after the point that someone could use improper tactics to build your site.
    Good SEO people understand the need for consistent repeat business and will negotiate for that.
    Lastly, good SEO people don`t make promises because there are no SEO guarantees.
    Brandon
  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    Really good points!
     
     
    Thanks, Brandon!
     
    David Jackson
  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    #8 is a big one. I receive spam emails every now and then of people advertising their SEO services. I figure if they have to contact ME, something’s not right.

     
     
    Exactly.
     
    If a company has to resort to sending spam, that`s a huge red flag!
     
    David Jackson
    DavidJackson1/27/2009 3:41 PM
  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    While there are a few points in this piece with which I can agree, most are ridiculous suggestions and have little to do with locating a reputable, dependable SEO expert.
     
     
     
     

    "Methinks thou doth protest too loudly!"                           William Shakespeare


    Wow...if you`re protesting this strongly about seo scams, you must really have something to hide. I have a question for you: If you`re really an seo expert, why is it that your website which has been online for one year doesn`t rank any higher than my site, which is brand new?
     
    You`re typical of the type of so-called seo experts I warn people about. You call yourself an expert, but yet you can`t get your own website`s ranking out of the basement. Caveat emptor!
     
    I stand by what I wrote. Marketers should always do their due diligence, and check things out carefully. And yes, that includes the Attorney General`s office and local police. That`s just smart business.
     
    Why? Because if the seo company that you`re considering hiring is ripping people off, you want to know about it before you give them your money. And the only way you`re going to know that is if you check things out. I can`t imagine any reputable seo company having a problem with that - with the emphasis on "reputable."
     
    I`m going to add another warning sign to my list:
     

    16. Avoid any so-called seo experts that objects to you checking out their company. Chances are they have something to hide.
     
    David Jackson
    DavidJackson3/24/2009 1:09 PM
  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    If I may add- getting 3 competitive bids and seeing what each have to say about different roles and strategies they use for ranking will provide a valuable benchmark from which to measure the other.
     
     
     
    I personally don`t think it`s necessary to get bids for seo. After all, the lowest price isn`t always the best deal. However,  you should always compare fees, and what those fees include or don`t include.
     
    All things being equal, it ultimately comes down to the seo company`s competence and professionalism, and the comfort level you have with the seo company.
     
    David Jackson
    DavidJackson3/24/2009 1:29 PM
  • patentandtrademarkpatentandtrademark subscriber Posts: 103
    getting competitive bids are a good idea where the two services are truly equal - or nearly equal.
     

    Thanks for not giving a quote from a literary work you have never read in an unsuccessful attempt to impress.  That tactic shows the writer to be ignorant.
  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    I would get bids for, as I mentioned, roles and strategies, not necessarily price - although that will always play a part in decision making. But getting competitive bids for anything is always a good idea, unless your family is in the business - hahaha.
     
     
     
    I understand what you`re saying. My point is the lowest price is not always the best deal.
     
    David Jackson
    DavidJackson3/24/2009 1:44 PM
  • bratebrate subscriber Posts: 0











    This is one of those crucial aspects which are
    overlooked by many companies. In the latest advancements of the search engine
    spiders, search engine optimization has not left by mere re occurring your
    desired keywords, It is highly required that your website design and content
    should serve as an enticement to the web spiders. Its of no use to have a site
    which doesn’t comply with the standards of search spiders. I got my medical
    website reconstructed from a web designer and marketing company named
    medicalwebexperts.com. They need to almost reconstruct every page to make it
    compliant with search engine algorithms. After a few months of time, the impact
    was definitely distinctive in my income. I have got a steady increase in the
    patients, which was a direct result of reconstructing and marketing my old
    obsolete site.


     


     


     
Sign In or Register to comment.