Hiring SEO (Search Engine Optimization) companies could not only save time but also improve the site and yet make you face the risk of damaging your reputation and your site. This means that you should research before you hire. SEO companies are meant to provide structure and content review of your site, impart advice on the technical aspect of web development, assist in content development, the business development campaign online is handled with their help, help in keyword research, give SEO training and give their expertise in specific geographies and markets.

All google search result pages are either paid advertisements or organic search results. By being a part of their search engine it will not have any effect on your site\’s presence and this is made quite clear by Google. They recommends that you educate yourself first by checking out Google Webmaster Guidelines and Google 101: How Google crawls, indexed and serves the web before you begin the search for a SEO. These sources are free.

If you are planning to put up a new site or redesign the existing one, you\’d probably like to hire a SEO. They help in improving sites even existing ones. As part of your interview you can ask the SEO to show examples of previous completed work or to share their success stories. Ask if they follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines and if they have offered advice or any online marketing services so that it complements the organic search business. Ask them about the expected results and it\’s timeframe. Question them about their experience in your particular kind of industry, city or country.

Take a look at the development any international sites, if they have done so. Look at their top SEO techniques, look at their experience in this business. Ask them how they will communicate all site changes. Insist on their providing details, recommendations and reasons behind the changes. Mail or emails that come from web consultants and SEO firms our of nowhere shold not be opened. No SEO company can guarantee the #1 ranking on any site engine. Beware of SEO companies that do not clearly explain their intentions and act secretive.

Free-for-all links, schemes that suggest link popularity and such talk by any SEO company is a useless excuse. Don\’t consider it. Do research about the SEO company\’s background before hiring them. Ask clear questions to understand where the money is going. Avoid shadow domains they are usually owned by the SEO. Avoid \’doorway\’ pages. Walk away from these SEOs. The other things that indicate a rouge SEO are offering to sell keywords for the address bar, if they cannot distinguish between search result page ads and actual search results, use obscure, long keyword phrases and guarantee rankings on it.

If they have multiple aliases while operating, if they try to get traffic from search engines, scumware or spyware that are fake, if they are not listed on google or if Google has removed their domain, if they ask for root access to your servers or ask you for your FTP account information. You can file a complaint online by visiting http://www.ftc.gov/ and click on \”File a Complaint Online,\” or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. If not in the United States, please file at http://www.econsumer.gov/