Search engine optimization companies are popping up everywhere. Prices and service guarantees are as different as black and white. Unfortunately for companies unfamiliar with search engine optimization, some search engine optimization companies are simply scams.



Here are some “red flags” which you should look for when hiring a search engine optimization specialist.

Meta tags are commonly thought to be synonymous with search engine optimization. The reality is somewhat different. Meta tags do need to be formatted properly and include only keywords and keyphrases that are actually in the content of the web page. If your search engine optimization company says things like “advanced meta tag development” or “proprietary meta tag optimization”, you should be cautious. There is no such thing as “advanced” or “super” or “proprietary” meta tags. Either your meta tags are formatted correctly or they are not. It is a simple right and wrong. The right way is to include only the keywords and keyphrases included in your web sites actual content. The wrong way is to spam your meta tags with any and all keywords that come to mind. Not only is keyword spamming frowned upon by the search engines, it is useless for your search engine optimization efforts.

You should also be cautious when search engine optimization companies offer “don't pay us” guarantees. Many SEO companies will offer such guarantees where you don't pay any monthly service fees until your site is ranked high. Another one allows you to stop paying after so many months if your web site isn't ranked high. The most important guarantee is simply a guarantee that the company will perform all of the monthly services outlined in your service agreement. If your service plan includes elements to increase link population (quality link population) and maintain site content relevance, then the natural science behind search engine optimization will allow your site to gradually increase in ranking. However, make sure you have a guarantee that your SEO company is in fact performing all the tasks outlined in your proposal and service agreement.

Perform the easy background check. You should never spend more than $500 on a product or service without Googling the company name or brand. This can be extremely valuable. Because of the powerful link population and enormous level of content on consumer report web sites, they tend to rank very high in the search engines. Therefore, before signing anything, you should Google the search engine optimization company's name and see if any complaints have been posted. Use phrases like “Avoid XYZ Company” or “Never use XYZ Company”. If you see something posted, ask the search engine optimization company for their side of the story and listen for fast dismissals of the situation like “That customer was just an idiot and didn't know anything.” This is usually a sign that the negative customer is in the right.

Finally, the most ignored way to protect against bad search engine optimization companies is to make sure they accept credit cards using a regular merchant account. Merchant accounts will not keep a company which has a high level of charge backs. Charge backs occur when a company does not do what they say they were going to or fails to deliver on a product or service. Ask your search engine optimization company how long they have had their merchant account. If they had one prior to the current merchant, ask how long they were with the previous merchant provider and why they are no longer with them.

Do not be embarrassed to inquire as to who their merchant provider is. You are getting ready to hand over more than $1,000.00 to this company; you are well within your rights to ask. If a company is using a third party such as PayPal or 2Checkout (exclusively rather than as a second payment option), ask the search engine optimization company why they are not using a standard merchant. PayPal, 2Checkout, and other similar services do not have the same high standards as a regular merchant solution. Standard merchant accounts will also require the officers of the company to have an acceptable personal credit score whereas third party payment processors do not check personal or business credit.

By doing your homework and asking the right questions, you can feel comfortable with your selected search engine optimization company and hopefully enjoy a pleasant, long term business relationship.