Search engine optimization (SEO) is the Holy Grail in online marketing. Every business owner understands the importance of having an online presence and this has increased the number of SEO experts out there. Well, if you check most consumer complaint sites, SEO firms are among the most mentioned when it comes to poor services. This is because business owners don’t do due diligence when choosing which company to use.
It is true SEO is important for your website, but should you go for any company that advertises its services? Most site owners say all SEOs are the same while others are led to believe that SEO is a mystery and no one understands it. There are thousands of SEO scams out there and as a business owner, you need to know what you are paying for to avoid losses.
It is true Google algorithms are convoluted, but this should be no reason to allow anyone to trick you into a scam. A qualified SEO expert provides a well detailed strategy to promote your website on search engine result pages (SERPs) for targeted keywords. These experts also create fresh content and audit your website to enhance customer experience. How do you identify these online SEO scams? Here are a few ideas:
- SERPs Ranking Guarantees
If a company approaches you with guarantees about your site’s ranking, run and don’t look back. There was a time when playing Google was easy. All you had to do was buy links and stuff content with keywords. These tricks would immediately push your site’s ranking on SERPs. However, Google Penguin is now real-time and your site will suffer penalties if your SEO specialist uses these techniques. If an SEO company gives such guarantees, it is highly likely they want to try black hat techniques, which will cost youa lot.
- Overboard Marketing
Cold calls from a company, which you have just contacted are a danger sign. Online SEO scams also use direct emailing to lure business owners to sign up with their services. A professional service should only contact you if you have requested for a service. Fake SEO experts will bombard you with calls and emails in the hope that they will trick you into using their services.
- Too Good to be True Offers
While everyone is looking for a good deal, it is important to consider the consequences. If you give access of your site to a con, they could potentially destroy your business. It is important to evaluate the deal you are getting and compare it with others in the market. If a deal looks too good to be true, ask the company how they are able to provide their services at such a low rate. There are some companies which promise free services, but at the back of your mind, ask yourself how such a firm is able to survive.
- Secret SEO Strategies
This is an old trick in the SEO scam book. An SEO company will approach you with a secret strategy that is bound to fool Google. Well, there are no ways to fool search engines and if your SEO professional cannot explain how they are going to help your site’s ranking, you better keep looking. An SEO strategy should be open and transparent. You should also be able to monitor how it is fairing in case you need to cancel it any time.
- Relationship with Google
This is another alarm bell though most business owners fall for the trick. If an SEO professional tells you they have a relationship with Google, run and keep running. This is a scam to lure you into a trap. These scammers know how desperate business owners are for better ranking on SERPs and the mention of a special relationship with Google is all they need to lure you. Google has constantly indicated it has no relationship with SEO firms.
Finding the right SEO strategist will go a long way in improving your business website. You should always query the SEO professional you are about to hire to confirm they are experts. A good SEO specialist will outline everything that will be done on your website and they provide are liable communication channel to ensure you are updated.
