| As a website owner it is perfectly natural
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| | actions of the people that you employ to
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| to expect your website to rank near the
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| | build and maintain your website.
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| top of the search results. After all, with
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| | There is no reason for an SEO consultant
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| all that fantastic content that you've
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| | not to explain why and what they are doing
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| just spent days and weeks fine-tuning, how
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| | and they should be prepared to document
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| could it not be immensely popular?
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| | all that they have done. They should not
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| And as sure as night follows day, when
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| | insert undocumented code and you should be
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| your site fails to make the first page
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| | careful of those that want to install
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| it's tempting to blame Google, because,
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| | their own software; give consideration as
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| how could your beautiful new website be
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| | to what will happen if you decide at a
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| the problem?
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| | later date to end you relationship with
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| So, take a deep breath and read the next
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| | them.
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| line.
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| | Golden Rule Number 4: Treat references
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| It's not Google's fault, it's not your
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| | with a pinch of salt
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| website's fault: it's your fault.
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| | References are useful but will not always
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| Sorry, but you haven't finished the job.
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| | tell the whole story. Ten years is a
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| Your next task is going to be challenging,
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| | lifetime in SEO, and it is a subject that
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| but in this new world, competition is
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| | is more to do with understanding the 'now'
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| fierce, and to finish the job you'll need
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| | than the 'then'.
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| to pay careful attention to the various
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| | Search engines in their current form first
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| ways you can claw your site up the
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| | started to appear in the mid 90's and a
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| rankings.
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| | lot has changed in search engine
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| But don't despair. You can get help, it
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| | technology which gave birth to the SEO
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| even has a name Search Engine Optimization
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| | consultant. As the search engines have
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| (SEO) and there are plenty of consultants
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| | become more adept at spotting and
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| and companies offering SEO services, the
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| | penalizing websites that achieve
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| only problem is sorting the wheat from the
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| | prominence by stealth rather than merit,
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| chaff. Luckily for you, you are just about
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| | so SEO techniques have had to evolve.
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| to read The Six Golden Rules for Choosing
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| | Despite the SEO basics being the same for
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| an SEO consultant.
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| | any website how they are applied and to
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| Golden Rule Number 1: Contacted by an SEO
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| | what degree is very dependent on each
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| firm? Keep your wits about you!
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| | specific website; its design, maturity,
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| Although it does not automatically follow
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| | market, purpose, objectives, the type and
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| that all SEO firms that contact you are
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| | size of the organization as well as how
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| just out for a quick buck you should keep
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| | competitive the market. Some SEO
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| your wits about you and be wary of any
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| | techniques that are relevant and effective
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| that do. The majority of good SEO
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| | for some websites will be irrelevant and
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| consultants will rather react to an
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| | ineffective for others.
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| inquiry than spend time trawling the
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| | Golden Rule Number 5: Prepared to be
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| Internet looking for poorly optimized
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| | disappointed
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| websites.
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| | Limit your expectations. No matter how
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| Golden Rule Number 2: Guarantees are lies
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| | good the SEO consultant they will not be
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| - spurn them and the companies that offer
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| | able to take you from 'nowhere' to a
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| them
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| | number one listing overnight. There is no
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| Okay, as Golden Rules go it is not fair to
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| | magic bullet that will allow a one page
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| say that all guarantees are lies, there
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| | website to permanently out rank a large
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| are a few genuine guarantees that are
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| | multi-national, if you believe those that
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| offered in good faith and as a sign of
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| | say there are, expect to be disappointed.
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| confidence, nevertheless err on the side
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| | SEO takes hard work, time and patience.
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| of caution and treat them all as you would
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| | Golden Rule Number 6: Are they worthy of
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| a suspect standing over a dead body with a
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| | your trust
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| smoking gun.
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| | The most important quality to look for in
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| SEO consultants have no control over how
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| | an SEO consultant is trust, as more often
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| the search engines search; they have no
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| | than not you will be entrusting your SEO
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| influence over the competition and so no
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| | consultant with your business and
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| matter how much you want it they are not
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| | reputation.
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| in any position to offer you meaningful
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| | If you are not familiar with SEO speak you
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| guarantees with regards to the results
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| | need someone who is not going exploit your
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| that can be achieved.
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| | ignorance, isn't going to shift blame on
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| There are no 'special relationships' or
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| | to others and is going to do things right,
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| 'tricks', if you are offered a guarantee,
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| | with long term objectives, and not
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| or think yourself covered for insisting on
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| | implement solutions that offer immediate
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| one, it is quite possible that the
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| | rewards followed swiftly by long term and
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| guarantee offered will be worthless.
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| | serious pain.
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| Guarantees that are freely offered are
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| | A good and trustworthy SEO consultant is
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| generally not what they seem. Anyone with
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| | worth their weight in gold, like good
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| a basic knowledge of SEO will be able to
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| | neighbors; when you have found one, think
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| rank you high for an uncompetitive search
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| | twice before moving.
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| phrase; being ranked number one for a
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| | Have you got a Champ or a Chimp?
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| search phrase that no one is using is as
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| | The following is a questionnaire that can
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| useful and expensive as erecting a
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| | be used as an aid to ask potential SEO
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| billboard in the middle of the Sahara
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| | consultants a number of questions.
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| Dessert.
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| | Based on how they respond to the questions
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| Golden Rule Number 3: Secretive SEO's
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| | it will help you root out those that lacks
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| should be shown the door
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| | the basic knowledge, expose those that are
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| Your relationship with an SEO consultant
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| | willing to tell you what you want to hear
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| should be similar to that you would expect
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| | and identify those that are prepared to
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| from your accountant as you are ultimately
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| | tell you what you should hear.
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| responsible for your website and the
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| |
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