Seeking advice or SEO services to help your website build rankings and conversions?
Perusing some of my usual SEO and online marketing news sources today I came across a post at HubSpot that explores 7 signs that the SEO consultant you are talking to is either incompetent or a fraud.
These tips can give you an idea if the SEO firm employs legitimate tactics to rank your site higher. Like any other business or industry, SEO has a lot posers who will make lavish promises to you and not deliver. In the end, all you’re left with is a site that isn’t ranking well at all – worst yet, you will be out of thousands of dollars.
1. References “unknown” experts in their sites and marketing literature
If they excessively make very vague references like “experts” that have provided them with “proprietary” or “cutting-edge” techniques and never mention SEO experts like Rand Fishkin (from SEOMoz), Aaron Wall (from SEOBook.com) or Matt Cutts (Google’s SEO guy) when writing about or discussing SEO, it’s likely you can’t trust them.
2. Suggests specific keyword densities
Emphasizing the idea you should stuff website copy with keywords to accelerate rankings is another sign. Content needs to be useful and informative and not stuffed with words that will be picked up by the search engines. Even if in some alternate reality the site wasn’t penalized or banned by Google, it wouldn’t be any use to you since no one will ever actually read it and do something. And if they pull some figure out of a hat like you need to have a 14.2% keyword density, head for the hills.
Keywords definitely are important but they should be weaved into your copy to make it sound more informative and “natural” sounding.
3. Frenzied directory submissions
The basis of their SEO services is to list your site in a million directories is another sign. Directories can be great if they’re used properly. But especially be suspect if they say they have a proprietary list of directories that nobody else knows about.
4. Obsession about link buying
Anyone can buy links…any SEO consultant who says you need to spend thousands of dollars buying links, get away from them now! Your goal should be to create great inbound links you do not pay for by having great content. Simply paying money for links will be noticed by Google and your site will be treated accordingly.
5. Naïve use of social networking sites
Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc. can be very valuable in marketing your business online…if they’re used right. If an SEO consultant says they have hundreds of friends out there that will produce activity for you, take a vacation, go see your mom, whatever just get away from them. Besides, techniques like this can get your URL permanently banned.
6. Endorses black hat practices
Do not hire an SEO consultant service that says they are using what’s known as black hat techniques. Examples include: hidden text on pages, redirecting users to other sites, offering different content to search engines and actual readers or anything that sounds like they’re tricking the search engines. There are many legitimate techniques an SEO can employ to boost rankings. Using black hat techniques like that can result in a penalty or total site ban.
7. Excessively confusing explanation
SEO isn’t rocket science…any reasonably intelligent person can understand the basics. If they can’t explain their rationale and approach in a way you can understand, politely decline.
Read the post for more detail and discussion on things to watch for when looking for SEO services.