If you are looking to, or already have outsourced your SEO then there are a few things you need to know.
Many people when buying SEO turn to their web design company for help as they believe it will make things easier having everything in one place but in many cases this is a big mistake. It is an ugly truth that many web agencies are actually outsourcing their SEO to external consultants and companies.
This is, by itself not an issue as long as you are aware of it, and agree to it, but I believe it is very bad practice to hide this from you, the consumer.
You will need to have direct contact with the SEO company or specialist to get the most out of your campaign as you will need to have regular reviews to ensure your campaign stays on top form.
The easy option is not always the best and you should ensure that whoever looks after your SEO really knows what they are doing. Always make sure you can talk to the specialist and if you are only allowed to speak to a customer representative then you are probably going to be playing Chinese whispers so probably best to avoid.
Whats in a name? Quite a lot when it comes to SEO actually!
It has been known for a long time that including your keywords in your websites domain helps with the optimisation. This is down to the search engines deeming that if the keyword is in the domain then it is actually very relevant to your site.
It is worth mentioning however that if your website is established and branded that you should not worry too much about changing it now. There are more factors with your current site that are worth more such as:
Domain Age
Current Branding
Inward Links
Bottom line is, if you are looking for a new site and can easily fit the keyword(s) in your domain without it sounding silly then do it, but if you established then don’t worry about it.
Are you like the many businesses that don’t backup their websites? what would you do if your web host had a critical server outage and lost your files?
This is a rare occurrence but a very possible one especially with the cheaper hosts. It is a very wise move to ensure that you are taking regular snap shots of your web files and backing them up to a safe location.
Just think of the problems and cost to your business if your website suddenly vanished!
Keyword stuffing is the process of filling your website with long lists of keywords. This is done with the sole purpose being to higher the keyword weight on your pages and get you ranked higher in the search engines.
There are many different ways you can keyword stuff including:
Using hidden text
Listing keywords in plain view
Using the hidden input tag
Repeating keywords in the Meta
Hiding keywords in the Comments tags
This is a black hat technique and should be avoided at all costs if you value the longevity of your website rankings.
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation when implemented correctly can propel a website up the search engines natural rankings unleashing a mass of targeted and well converting traffic.
The problem is when done badly SEO can effectively kill your websites online visibility by getting you removed from the search engines. This may sound like a horror story that cannot possibly be true but unfortunately it is.
There are many bad so called SEO Specialists out there that get results by spamming the search engines and using black hat techniques such as:
Keyword Stuffing
Doorway Pages
Invisible Text
These tactics can increase your rankings but it will only be a temporary fix (long enough for them to collect their fee). But very soon the search engines cotton on and realise what is going on and then your website gets punished.
This can be anything from a temporary slap down the rankings or they could just ban you indefinitely meaning your website would not be found in the search engines.
This may sound harsh but the search engines have these rules to stop the system being manipulated and keep results relevant.
Remember, you get what you pay for and if your paying only a couple of hundred pounds then I would question the value of what you are going to get back, after all how much time can be put in for that?
Think how much your website and rankings are worth to you and the problems caused by risking it all for a cheap deal.
If you are looking to buy Seo Services then STOP right now. There are several things you need to find out before you sign the contract. It is always better to do the research before hand and spend a bit longer in the beginning to ensure a painless and fruitful campaign.
What to make sure you get:
No tie-ins - If you are being tied in for a year or even a few months you will not be able to leave if you are seeing no results so ensure you are totally happy and it is always best to go with a standard 30 day term agreement as this shows the company’s confidence in archiving as if they don’t you wont stay.
A clause free contract - I have seen it all in the small prints of contracts and you need to read it to ensure there are no bad clauses such as if you leave they remove any links built to your website or undo all work carried out.
Proof of ability - You need to ensure that you can see some examples of work such as clients rankings, testimonials and case studies. Anyone worth using will have these if not get worried.
A professional well ranked website - You want to see a professional website that is ranked in the search engines for some of their key terms as this will show they can practice what they preach. Also take the time to look at their website and make sure it is professional, up to date and also they list contact details as you want to ensure you are dealing with a real person.
If they can tick the above boxes and leave you feeling confident then chances are they are a good bet, but if you are not sure then keep looking. Your website is an extension of your business online and you need to ensure it is well managed.
Just a quick post to say I have now just put the finishing touches on my 7 day SEO course which will help you if you are looking to optimise your own website. The best part is I am giving it away totally free.
Free SEO Course Schedule:
Day 1 - Keyword research and how to find your killer keywords
Day 3 - Website analysis and Competition research, how well are they doing
Day 4 - Optimising your website’s on page factors
Day 5 - Link Building for your website and ensuring the off page factors add up
Day 6 - Email marketing how you should be using it and why it is normally the most underutilised tool in your marketing arsenal
Day 7 - The Blog and RSS Feeds
If you would like to receive your copy then get over and sign up to my seo newsletter and receive day 1 straight away.
