April 29th, 2010 by Dan

SEO is a term that most people running businesses online will know. However, they rarely understand the intricacies and algorithms making up the ranking system – which is why they often place their site in the hands of a good search engine optimization company. However, this creates a Catch 22 situation -how can they choose a reputable and well-informed SEO company, from the hundreds that are out there?

Firstly, personal recommendation is always a good idea. Whether by word-of-mouth or internet forums, hearing from people who’ve had positive experiences and achieved lasting results is always the best way forward. However, if you don’t have this option, look at companies who come high on your searches and have blogs, articles etc. Study these carefully. Do they have worthwhile content, or are they keyword stuffed and full of errors? Compare the information to that provided in search engine optimization literature (online or in the library), to check for accuracy.

A blog that is regularly updated, contains articles more than 50 words long, has regular comments (of approval – no flaming!) and isn’t keyword stuffed may prove the site is worth investing in – but first check the content is original. There are lots of ways of doing this, the most straight-forward being to copy and paste a paragraph, and see how many results a search brings up. If the site owner has simply plagiarised someone else’s work and rearranged the words a little, this will show (Google will still find the words, no matter what order they’re in). Plagiarism detection software is another option. Copyscape, for example, is widely used by content buyers checking for plagiarised and re-spun articles.

Non-original copy doesn’t necessarily mean the SEO company isn’t trustworthy – there are plenty of ways to get copyright-free material – but it could mean they rely on third-hand knowledge in practice, in which case they could be working in a misinformed way. This is especially true if the information has been fed to them by a competitor. Something to remember for your own blog, by the way!

A good search engine optimization company should offer a free trial period without obligation. Avoid companies that offer free or low-cost short-term trial periods and insist on having your bank account details, until you’ve Googled the company name with the tag “scam” attached. If the first listings on your search are Trading Standards, the Better Business Bureau or Rip-off Report, keep walking! A reputable company will be keen to keep its internet marketing intact, and will generally offer a no-strings-attached temporary membership period, with the option to renew for longer.

For extra security purchasing goods like SEO tools and books on the internet, invest in a prepaid credit or debit card that’s not directly tied to your bank account. Freedom, Bread, Cashplus and several PAYG mobile companies now offer these, and they cost little or nothing to set up. Operating under Visa or MasterCard, they ensure no-one can take more money from you unless the card has been loaded first.

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