I don’t know about you, but every morning my inbox is crammed with junk mail offering everything from instant weight loss to new roofs. But more recently I have noticed an increase in emails from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies.
These companies inundating my inbox claim to be able to get my website ranking for just about any term I care to mention.
As soon as I see one of these (frequently brightly colored) emails I delete it. But I’m guessing, due to their prevalence, there must be people out there responding to these unsolicited approaches.
Don’t Fall For It!
The one thing all these companies have in common is their over exaggerated claims about their effectiveness as ‘SEO experts’. Some will even claim to be able to work their magic far cheaper than your present supplier.
But the question remains, if they are as good as they say they are, why are they sending out masses of unsolicited emails?
This spam activity would suggest:
- They aren’t as good as they claim
- They probably use black hat techniques
- They can’t be that great at SEO, because if they were, they’d be ranking highly for their chosen search terms and would be getting business that way rather than having to annoy others with their spamming
Choosing the Right SEO Company For You
So, if you ignore every email you get from SEOers, how do you find the right company for you?
The best advice I can give is to ask people you trust for recommendations. Then do a Google search for your area and make contact with a few of the companies that appear. Ask them to provide you with client recommendations and what techniques they use. If any of them offer a cast iron guarantee that they’ll get you to the front page of Google, run like the wind, because no one can make guarantees when it comes to SEO.
Above all don’t fall for the hype. If their claims sound too good to be true, they probably are.
It pays to be choosey because if you use a company that’s less than ‘white’ you could find yourself being saddled with a hefty Google penalty.
SEO is essential for today’s online businesses, but it’s not a quick fix; it takes time and expertise – you have to be in it for the long haul.
About the Author: Sally Ormond is an independent copywriter and owner of Briar Copywriting Ltd. For tips on copywriting, marketing and social media, you can also read her words of wisdom on Briar Copywriting’s Blog .
