Unqualified SEO Experts are like unqualified plumbers. How to Qualify your SEO Company.

by Michael Craig on 13/11/09 at 2:25 pm

Search Engine Optimization is a relatively new service and companies have been popping up for years claiming to be SEO Experts. Even the word “Expert” has somewhat lost it’s meaning. What things should you look for when selecting a SEO Professional?

Here are 6 simple tips to help you from getting scammed when choosing an “SEO Expert” for your website.

6 indications your SEO Expert is not qualified

1. They have given you the one-size-fits-all approach

Each business has different goals, and unless the big picture can be specifically shared by both the website and the SEO company you are wasting your time.

In order to get a thorough analysis and to make the best recommendations, the SEO company needs to take a detailed look at each section of your website. If you receive a templated proposal with no specific recommendations of any actual changes required to promote your website using organic search engine optimization techniques, then don’t even bother.

The one-size-fits-all approach is not conducive for Search Engine Optimization because the amount of work required and the techniques used differ greatly from client to client. The only way to get results is to have the unique needs of each client met.

2. They promise it will be “Quick” …

If the SEO company promises you unattainable results, this should throw an automatic red flag. Search Engine Optimization is a fairly slow process that requires bench marking to continually check the feedback and gauge how well the techniques are producing results. Though we have had success bringing clients to the first page of Google within the first 30 days, on average projects take 4-5 months to achieve solid results.

3. … or dirty !

If the SEO company recommends risky techniques, such as link-farms, keyword stuffing, or invisible text, this can greatly penalize your website in the search engines. Worst case, you will be black listed from the search engines.

4.Relies heavily on the use of Meta keywords

Recently, we have seen proposals from other SEO companies which rely heavily on the use of Meta Keywords. To be frank, Meta Keywords simply are not that important anymore to the major search engines: Google does not use Meta Keywords anymore, and Yahoo! only uses them sparingly.

It’s important to remember other strategies that are just as easy to implement as Meta Keywords on each page:

• unique, descriptive page titles
• short meta descriptions
• the keyword density of page content

5. They provide no analysis of their work

As mentioned before, Search Engine Optimization is a continuous process. Without analysis of the process, there is no feedback and it’s impossible to benchmark what works well for your business and what does not.

Your SEO company should implement a system to provide statistical analysis of your website that can be guaged or measured on a daily basis.

6. They do not guarantee nor can they show results

This is the most important item to watch out for . . . if the SEO Company fails to give a proposal with case studies or actual client results, keep your money in your pocket!

If possible, ask the SEO Professional if they can guarantee your results. Depending on the SEO Company, they may agree with slightly modified terms. Because the stakes are higher for guaranteed results, it important to make sure they will use only search engine approved techniques.

When chosing an SEO company, make sure they SEO professionals have a solid understanding of SEO practices and your desired goals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, the provider should be more than happy to ensure you have a complete understanding of the SEO process, their recommendations, the timeline, and all costs before any work begins.