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How To Choose Good Search Engine Optimisers
Do Not Pretend That You Know Everything Learning Search Engine
Optimisation can be easy because there are alot of articles in
the web. Many people, after reading a few SEO articles claim
that they are experts and know what is going on. I heard of
stories of clients telling their specialist "What you are
proposing is wrong. It should be done this way...". Such
statement can put off your SEO specialist easily because what is
the point of asking for help if you think you already know
everything. The first step in seeking help is not to pretend
that you know everything. SEO is a complex science and there is
much more than what it appears to be.
Nobody Can Guarantee No.1 Ranking Within A Short Time The main
benefit of getting good ranks in search engines is that you need
not spend huge amount of money in advertising. It is a good long
term investment. If someone can guarantee No.1 Ranking in
Google, you have to be skeptical about it. However, it is
possible if the keyword is not competitive. I am saying that it
can be done. For example, it is much easier to improve the
ranking of a website if the keyword of the site is "Train
Design" as compared to the keyword "Web Design" because the
later is much more competitive. It is also easier to improve
your ranking in MSN and Yahoo as compared to Google especially
if your website is new. Therefore, becoming no.1 in Google
within a week is highly unlikely. A typical Search Engine
Optimisation work takes at least a few months to see real
results.
Good Keyword Research Strategies The first step in the SEO
process is always keyword research. The specialist will
recommend that you optimise your site for certain keyword(s)
that will bring in good traffic. From the previous "Train
Design" example, even though it is possible to be say no. 1 in
google for that search term, does it really matter? How many
people are searching for that term? This is the first and most
important step in the whole SEO process. A good SEO will do a
thorough analysis of the keywords to optimise for your website.
Ask For Opinions If you have decided to use the service of
certain SEO Specialist, ask around in forums or look for reviews
of the specialist or firm. Many people who had experience with
the specialist can tell you if he is good and whether the
charges are reasonable. Do not believe in testimonials unless it
is from someone that you can verify. Testimonials are everywhere
and anyone can fake them easily.
The Search Engine Optimiser's Homepage Visit the homepage of
your specialist and check its Google Page Rank. You can do so
easily by installing the Google Toolbar. Alot of people argue
that the homepage of the SEO specialist is not important but I
choose to differ. I reckon that the Google PR for the homepage
of a good SEO should be 6 and above. If the Homepage Google PR
of your specialist is 1 or 2, then you need to think twice about
using his service. Google PR is not everything but it is a good
gauge of the capabilities of your Search Engine Sepcialist.
Conclusion Search Engine Optimisation techniques are easily
available in the internet. Doing it yourself can be fun and
interesting. However, the downside is that you might
accidentally do something wrong and pay a huge penalty. Being
blacklisted by Google is almost irrecoverable. A good Seach
Engine Optimiser or firm can save you alot of headache and time
which will help you reap good rewards in a long run. There are
many other ways to choose a good Search Engine Optimiser other
than those listed in this article. For example, the linking
strategies..etc. I found the most reliable way is still through
the words of mouth.
About the author:
Bernard Peh is a great passioner of web technologies and one of
the co-founders of Sitecritic.net
Internet Articles. He works with experienced web designers
and developers for more than 5 years, developing and designing
commercial and non-commercial websites. During his free time, he
does website reviews,freelance SEO and PHP work.