Search Engine Optimisation UK Or USA - How Do Your Choose Your SEO Company?

June 2, 2008 3:37 am RSS Feed Icon Search Engine Marketing

A top website is of no benefit if it cannot be found. So how do you choose a great search optimisation company that isn't going to rob you blind? How are you to know if they're doing a good job?

When searching for search engine optimisation services, considerUK or USA company?....new company or established?....DIY or professional? There are many choices to consider when outsourcing the SEO for your site.

Although many optimizers have stretched the limits of the term "professional operation", SEO is a legitimate business practice. Deciphering the ever changing Google algorithms can be overwhelming, so it makes sense to employ the services of a search engine optimization company.

White Hat And Black Hat - What's The Big Deal?

White hat SEO conforms to accepted search engine guidelines and does not use deception to get higher rankings. Content is king for the whites who will concentrate on making your content easily accessible rather than trying to pull one over on the system.

This has long term stickiness because it always references good content. After all it doesn't matter if you jump from 2 hits to 3429 hits a day when your site has useless content as no one will come back.

It's a fact that return visitors are more likely to make a purchase than first timers so make sure you're providing quality information.

While not illegal, black hat SEO is sneaky and deceptive and break the search engine's Terms Of Service (TOS). No matter what you read, you will be caught eventually and your site will be removed from the search engine results pages (SERPS) and quickly ruin all your hard work. It does not make for a long term business strategy.

Black hat techniques include having keywords that are hidden, or written with the same colour as the background, cloaking links, redirecting from a search engine friendly page to a different one for the reader, and much worse.

These practices are not just the preserve of the one-man-band operating SEO out of the basement. In February 2006, Ricoh Germany and BMW Germany were removed from Google for using deceptive practices.

Does Search Engine Optimisation Really Work?

There is no doubt, SEO works wonders when done properly. It's important, when you're looking for your search company, to apply common sense, just as you would with other decisions you make.

Here are a few tips to get you on your way.

  1. Hire a company before you start creating your web site. They can optimise your menu titles and site map before you even get any content posted. It is easier to tweak SEO rather than changing everything continually

  2. Check their references. Ask the company to provide before and after evidence, including screenshots, for the work they've done. Then you will see if they really know the subject

  3. Try to choose someone in your own country. Search engines react positively to local spelling and links. UK links to your site will hold more weight than US or European links. A local business will have better knowledge of local markets anyway

  4. When interviewing an optimiser, suggest a black hat technique to them and see what they say. If you're told its one of the things they do, end the interview. If they explain why that method is a bit dodgy, that's perfect

  5. Be prepared to pay for good service. A good rule of thumb for all web work is that you get what you pay for. If you want it cheap, chances are, you'll get cheap, shoddy work

    6. To summarise, if you need to out-source web site SEO services, check references, test for black hat, test competence. It can all be done by picking up the phone and talking. You'll know when you're onto a winner.

    Make your web site design pay its way instead of breaking the bank and grab a free subscription to Winning The Marketing Wars. From web tool advice to simple, everyday marketing you can use; and all explained in easy English

    Conversion Rate Optimisation - CRO
    SEO and SMO helps to bring targeted traffic to your website, but once that traffic arrives, Conversion Rate Optimisation takes over in turning those v...

    Search Engine Optimization Introduction Part 1
    Search Engine Optimisation (or SEO) alternatively known as Website Promotion Services or Website Ranking Services or Internet Marketing or Online Mark...

    The Battle Between Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) & Pay per Click (PPC)
    When promoting a website, there are many different techniques that can be used. Ultimately, a decision must be made as to where to invest your hard e...

    Search Engine Marketing Tips for Online Success
    One of the premier online marketing services, search engine marketing is growing from strength to strength. It helps websites in getting ranked in the...

    Yahoo! Announces New Advertising Deals
    Any advertiser from the Gambling and Finance sector wanting to advertise on Yahoo! and other members of its vast network such as Cheapflights will be ...

    How Important is Search Engine Marketing?
    Search engine marketing is something very important today. The online businesses are all about getting more traffic to your website. If your websites ...

    Search Engine Marketing - Optimising Your Website For Yahoo!
    SE optimisation is a hot topic in internet marketing, so we have written a series of primers on the important factors in getting high search engine ra...

    Fast Search Engine Traffic - 5 Steps for Search Engine Traffic
    With the use of internet increasing to its current level, the search engines have become very important. Now if anyone has to look for any relevant in...

    Productive Search Engine Marketing - 3 Key Methods to Search Engine Marketing
    Search engine marketing is one of the best strategies you can employ to promote your web site and boost traffic. It is assumed that if you rank highe...

    Search Engine Marketing Firm Does Result Orientated Optimization Work for Online Sites
    Search engine marketing is one of the most important components of search engine optimization for online sites on the web. There are numerous sites on...

    Search Engine Marketing an Effective Way of Sales
    The process of search engine marketing involves various technical as well as logical skill to increasing website popularity and increasing website use...

    5 Keys to Search Engine Marketing
    In this day and age many a business enterprise rooted in the Internet has withered because of a lack of a targeted search engine marketing plan. If y...

    A Statistical Approach To Increasing Your Visitors
    By now your website is listed in the search engines and you are looking at bringing more targeted traffic into your website. People who are specifical...

    Search Engine Marketing or Search Engine Optimization?
    What is the real difference between search engine marketing and search engine optimization? Or are these two terms just different technical variations...

    Various Aspects of Search Engine Marketing Strategy
    Search engine marketing is a combination of many entities such as website designing, search engine optimization, linking, online advertising and effec...