AA Web and Marketing

There are thousands of Search Engine Optimization companies nationwide. The problem for many businesses that are looking to get clients is finding the right SEO company. Many of them claim lots of different things. If you're a business owner there are some things you should look out for before handing over a check to a SEO company.

The first thing you should stay away from are companies that guarantee first page placement on Google. That is a big red flag. No one can guarantee you anything with regards to how you will be placed on Google. Tell them to specify to you whether you will appear in first place for sponsored search results or for organic results. If you are being told that your business will show up in sponsored results then be prepared to continue paying the SEO company because once you stop paying then you will drop off the sponsored search listings. Oftentimes, companies try to mislead potential clients and instead of providing organic SEO services they are actually providing PPC services.

If a company has stated that they are offering organic SEO services and they are promising fast results within a few days or a few weeks then you can look at that as the second red flag. Again, Google does not have a set schedule and ranking is determined by many factors. Keep in mind that if your competitor has had a web presence for many years then it will be hard to surpass them on Google's ranking, especially if they are doing SEO on their website. Your business may not rank on the first or second page of Google for many months and possibly not rank at all for a specific key phrase.

Finally, stay away from companies that tell you they get results because they work with Google. That is another false statement that is used by some web marketing companies. Oftentimes they are providing PPC services through Google AdWords. So, while technically they are working with a Google account, they are not working directly with Google and anyone can set up a Google AdWords account.

There are many good companies out there. The key is to shop around and see what each one has to offer. A good SEO company isn't necessarily the most expensive but it is strongly recommended not to look for the cheapest company either. Ask for references and do your research on the web before settling. That should be enough to help you weed through all the bad apples in the SEO business and if you follow all of these steps then you should be on your way to getting some good business and a good return on your investment.