Search Engine Optimizers

SEO is an abbreviation for "search engine optimization." Many SEO companies provide useful services for website owners, from writing copy to giving advice on site architecture and helping to find relevant directories to which a site can be submitted. However, there are a few unethical SEO companies who have given the industry a black eye through their overly aggressive marketing efforts and their attempts to unfairly manipulate search engine results.

While Google or Yahoo does not have relationships with any SEO companies and does not offer recommendations, we do have a few tips that may help you distinguish between an SEO that will improve your site and one that will only improve your chances of being dropped from search engine results altogether.

• Be wary of SEO firms that send you email out of the blue.

  Amazingly, we get these spam emails too:

  "Dear Paramount Web,
  I visited your website and noticed that you are not listed in most of the major search engines and directories..."

  "When it is too good to be true..." Reserve the same skepticism for unsolicited email about search engines as you do for "drive 1,000,000 visitors to your website" or "submit your website to 100,000 search engines".

• No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google or Yahoo.

  Beware of SEO's that claim to guarantee number 1 rankings, or that claim a "special relationship" with Google or Yahoo, or that claim to have a "priority submit" to Google or claim to have your site listed in 48 hours or less.

• Be careful if a company is secretive or won't clearly explain what they intend to do.

  Ask for explanations if something is unclear. If an SEO creates deceptive or misleading content on your behalf, such as doorway pages or "throwaway" domains, your site could be removed entirely from Google's index. Ultimately, you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire, so it's best to be sure you know exactly how they intend to "help" you.

• You should never have to link to an SEO.

  Avoid SEOs that talk about the power of "free-for-all" links, link popularity schemes, or submitting your site to thousands of search engines. These are typically useless exercises that do not affect your ranking in the results of the major search engines. At least, not in a way you would likely consider to be positive.

• Some SEOs may try to sell you the ability to type keywords directly into the browser address bar.

  Most such proposals require users to install extra software, and very few users do so. Evaluate such proposals with extreme care and be skeptical about the self-reported number of users who have downloaded the required applications.

• Be wary of companies that claim to submit your website to 10,000 + search engines.

  While you consider whether to go with an SEO, you may want to do some research on the industry. The major search engines include Yahoo, Google, Alta Vista, MSN, AOL, Ask Jeeves, Lycos, Looksmart, Excite, etc. 95% of search engine traffic comes from these sites directly or indirectly (through affiliates).

• Be sure to understand where the money goes.

  While Google never sells better ranking in search results themselves, several other search engines combine pay-per-click or pay-for-inclusion results with their regular web search results. Some SEO's will promise to rank you highly in search engines, but place you in the advertising section of the engine rather than in search results. A few SEO's will even change their bid prices in real time to create the illusion that they "control" other search engines and can place themselves in the slot of their choice. Be sure to ask any SEO you're considering which fees go toward permanent inclusion and which apply toward natural search engine placement.

• Make sure you're protected legally.

  For your own safety, you should insist on a full and unconditional money-back guarantee. Don't be afraid to request a refund if you are unsatisfied for any reason, or if your SEO's actions causes your domain to be removed from a search engine's index. Make sure you have a contract in writing that includes pricing. The contract should also require the SEO to stay within the guidelines recommended by each search engine for site inclusion.