When it comes to online business presence, many businesses are familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) and its benefits. If you are not, you might be asking "what are SEO services and do I need search engine optimization?"
If you have an online presence, are not currently using SEO services and do not have a plan to address search engine optimization, then the answer is most definitely yes, you need it.
Search engine optimization is a strategic approach for improving the online visibility of a given web site or a web page as it pertains to ranking on search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Search engine optimization assists the organic searches looking for your business or services, with the goal to improve where a site appears in the search results list. The closer your site is to the top of the search results list, the better your chances are of being visited by consumers and web site visitors.
Search engine optimization can target various types of searching; local searches, image and video searches and industry-specific vertical searches. SEO services are what gives a web site an improved web presence.
Not all search engine optimization is used for business or positive purposes. “Black Hat SEO” or “spamdexing”, is an SEO technique utilized to degrade the relevance of search results and reduce the user experience with search engines.
Some SEO techniques include tactics like link farms, keyword stuffing and article spinning to try and manipulate Search engine results. Recently, search engines have modified their algorithms to look for sites that employ these techniques so they can remove them from their indices.
Another pitfall to be aware of is the risk of using a less than reputable or inexperienced SEO company. Improperly implemented or formed SEO strategies can damage your site and company's reputation. It is important to research the potential advantages, as well as the potential damage that an irresponsible SEO can do to your site. Using a proven, professional SEO provider will save you time, stress and money.
When doing your "due diligence" you will want to find out as much as possible about a potential SEO provider.
Depending on the confidentiality agreement, examples of the SEO provider’s work or client lists may or may not be available, but it’s worthwhile asking. You can also request a copy of their confidentiality agreement for review while you’re at it. This is a good document to have in many situations so you should be familiar with it.
The SEO provider should be able to tell you how long they have been in business. If the company has been in SEO for just a short time, you should inquire about the time and experience that the staff who will service your account have in the industry.
Ask what results you can realistically expect to see, within a given timeframe. The SEO industry is not an exact science and you should be wary of any claims of "page one, result one, on all search engines." Industry experts have seen and overcome the regular algorithm changes of the various search engines, and know that results will shift in position from time to time. They should be upfront and honest about this fact.
An SEO company’s experience in a specific industry, country/city, or internationally may also be relevant to your situation. A well rounded search engine optimization company should be able to discuss with you how they will address each of your specific needs.
You should inquire about what search engine optimization techniques would be applied in your situation. Obviously, most companies are not going to walk you through a "how-to" of what they do, but they should be able to answer this question from an overall strategic standpoint.
Finally, both you and the SEO service provider should be clear on how often communication will occur, and what those communications will entail. An experienced company will update you on the changes made to the site, provide detailed recommendations and give you some explanations of why the changes were made.
Your research into a potential SEO service provider is important, because overly aggressive marketers, companies using search-engine-result- manipulating scripts, and companies that employ many other shortcut techniques can actually reduce your relevance in key search engines, and in some cases, they can result in the removal of your site from the index entirely.
Some of the services that SEO companies offer can include providing a detailed, comprehensive review of your web site's content or structure, including keyword research and content development.
They should have some sort of technical advice on developing the web site in terms of hosting, redirects, error pages, etc. and have the ability to recommend beneficial changes.
A good search engine optimization company should also possess obvious expertise in specific markets and geographic areas, including those that you require.
The SEO Company should have some expertise with how Google's algorithm crawls, indexes and serves the web, and should understand Google's Webmaster Guidelines.
In addition, a good SEO company should not put links to their other clients on your doorway pages or offer to sell keywords in the address bar. They should not get traffic from "false" search engines or spyware, and they should distinguish between actual search results and ads that appear on search results pages.
Finally, if they have had domains removed from Google's index, are not listed in Google, operate with multiple aliases, falsified WHOIS info, or own shadow domains, then you will probably want to look elsewhere.
By choosing an experienced, professional team when it comes to search engine optimization, you can enjoy increased traffic to your web site, stay ahead of algorithm changes, and maintain a healthy presence in the search engines for years to come.
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