Did you know that nine out of ten people access information online through a search engine? And eight out of ten don’t make it past the first page of search results. If you want to benefit from your online presence, search engine optimization is a must for you. Well-placed organic search engine (SE) results can help your business stand out among the clutter of paid advertising and unrelated content. SEO stands out from other business strategies as it allows you to accurately measure performance and results.
Common Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategies
SEO professionals use the following strategies to help get your business onto the first page of search results.
- They place links to your business on well-regarded websites.
- Improve the content of your website to ensure that it contains all the important keywords.
- They maintain compliance with SE requirements and industry best practices.
7 Characteristics of Legitimate SEO Companies
Before you hire SEO professionals, you need to learn how to distinguish the professionals from the illegitimate SEO professionals who are guaranteed to put your business on the first page of results on major search engines. Illegitimate SEO professionals use various backdoor tricks to circumvent search engine rules. This often results in the client’s web pages being banned from search indexes after a short period of time. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the difference between legitimate and illegitimate SEO providers before hiring SEO companies. Seven traits differentiate true search engine optimization experts from illegitimate SEO providers.
1. No spam
Legitimate SEO providers always refrain from spamming for advertising purposes. If you receive spam from SEO providers promising top rankings for low prices, be sure to check their search engine history.
2. Reduce your dependence on Advertising
Effective SEO focuses on a smart web strategy to enhance your company’s reputation. This leads to significant reductions of up to 80 percent in your advertising budget. Professional SEO companies will never ask you to buy a lot of paid ads.
3. You can find legitimate SEO companies on search engines
Professional SEO companies comply with SE algorithms. This allows you to see its long-term track record on search engines and assess its suitability for your website and business. On the other hand, illegitimate SEO services ask clients to keep faith and provide short-term beneficial results. However, due to your non-compliance with the rules, search engine administrators remove all traces of your customers from search indexes.
4. No secrets. You need Strategy and Business Tactics
Legitimate SEO companies will always share their strategies with you prior to implementation. Some companies promote their strategies online, while others share them in boardroom sessions. On the contrary, illegitimate SEO providers keep their methods hidden from clients as they violate SE algorithms.
5. They have endorsements from trade associations
Customers of brick-and-mortar retailers and service providers check endorsements from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or trade associations before entering a store or office. Search engine optimization professionals are no different. Peer groups emphasize a shared code of ethics and a transparent approach to demystify the practice of SEO. Some SEO companies are also enrolled in BBB online programs that check for ethical behavior and customer satisfaction.
6. Targeted SEO goes local, not obscure
Professional SEO companies use area names to give you a high ranking in localized search. This allows you to attract potential customers to your products and services, in your target locations. Beware of SEO providers who promise you “rank number one on Google” in a matter of weeks. They do this by associating your website with an unusual search term that has a very limited audience.
7. The best SEO companies do not ask for links to your site
Legitimate SEO services will never ask you to insert suspicious links into their web pages. Illegitimate SEO companies may ask you to post links to yourself and other clients in prominent places on their websites. These links allow them to improve the ranking of their websites in search engines.
With increased competition on the internet, it’s getting harder and harder to get websites to take notice. As a result, more and more companies are turning to SEO companies to increase the value of their websites. Some businesses have even received improvements of more than 300 percent in their search engine rankings. Now that you have all the knowledge you need to select the right SEO company for your business, don’t wait any longer and reap the benefits of search engine optimization.