Search Optimization is a very complex topic and there many firms out there that will twist and bend the facts to their advantage. We have created a list of 8 red flags to consider when selecting a dedicated SEO company for your business.

What to Watch Out For

1. Search engine optimization businesses that do not have the necessary experience in this technique.
2. Search engine optimization businesses that require you to spend time filling out a form in order to receive a quote. Companies who do this are attempting to gauge your business and will charge a much higher fee to those they regard as profitable. Expect to pay hefty set up costs and high monthly charges.
3. Search engine placement companies who claim they are the most trusted in the business.
4. Search engine optimization businesses using dubious linking practices. All SEO companies should obtain only one-way links that point to your website. You should never have to include outgoing links to other sites on your website.
5. SEO companies who claim to obtain first page rankings for your website on the major search engines within 48 hours to a week. These companies will sign you up to Google Adwords, MSN Adcenter and Yahoo Search Marketing (previously known as Overture) and will charge you for doing so. On top of this, they will pocket half the fee, using the remainder for your Google, Yahoo or MSN account. This system means you will find yourself in a rotation scheme with your advertisement appearing for only an average of 15 minutes each day, before disappearing.
6. Search engine placement companies who offer their services for a cheap monthly fee of around $10 and actually give you nothing in return. After taking your cash, they will sign you up with Yahoo Search Marketing or Google Adwords, while passing on the pay-per-click charges to you. You don’t need a company such as this to act as a middleman.
7. Search engine placement businesses who claim to have carried out SEO work for top brand names such as Wal-Mart, Citibank, Pepsi, etc. These household giants have no need for search engine optimization, as everyone already knows them.
8. Search engine placement companies who offer a fixed fee to receive a top three sponsored listing in the major search engines. Businesses who offer this are nothing more than middlemen and you can get this service yourself without any need for them. Here’s how they work. They advertise a top three sponsored placement in return for a monthly fee, usually in the region of $100 - 500 per month. They don’t want your website to receive clicks as this eats the budget, so they use keywords and phrases that are rarely searched for by users. This results in them pocketing possibly more than half the money you’ve paid them as the sites receive few clicks. You could set up the same service yourself with the search engines but do you really want to? After all, it’s natural search engine results you’re after. Results that can achieve up to 77% higher click rates than those obtained by sponsored listings. Don’t forget you also get an unlimited number of hits with natural search results.