The importance of search engine optimization (SEO) in online marketing cannot be overemphasized. If you are planning to launch your online business or you already have a website up and running, you have to appreciate the place of SEO in the whole scheme of things.
Today, it takes more than a beautiful website to run a successful business because the competition is stiffer and only the most innovative marketers can survive. In fact, Google says that while millions of websites are indexed daily, only half of them meet their revenue projections. In such a situation, your SEO strategy determines if you will meet your business objectives. Working with an established SEO company is the first step towards actualizing your internet marketing objectives.
Why Focus on SEO?
According to an imFORZA survey, 80% of internet users ignore paid ads and instead look for organic results.A similar survey shows that 93% of all internet experiences start with a search engine. Things get even more interesting; 75% of internet users don’t scroll beyond the first page of search engine result pages (SERPs). This means that if your website is not ranking on the first page of SERPs, you virtually don’t exist. In simple terms, your business doesn’t exist if it can’t be found on a search engine.
Through professional SEO services, many businesses today enjoy better conversation rates, reduced bounce rates, higher site traffic, brand awareness, brand authority and so much more. An SEO service brings both expertise and resources needed to boost your internet marketing campaign. This company will become an integral part of your online business success.
How to Stay Away for SEO Scams
There are very many reputable Houston SEO agencies around here but like with any other industry, you will find a few unscrupulous companies. The internet has made it easier for such scams to thrive and as a website owner, you have to be very careful about the company you choose. Many business owners have been lured with irresistible SEO offers only to end up losing money and in some cases folding up their businesses. To avoid such pitfalls, below are some warning signs you should look out for:
1. #1 Ranking Guarantees
Who wouldn’t like to get that enviable #1 ranking on SERPs? This is one reason SEO scams are thriving. The importance of high ranking on SERPs seems to override everything else. Many website owners throw caution out of the window when they get the promise of top ranking and this is where things start going wrong. One thing you must remember is that Google core search ranking algorithm keeps changing and anyone who assures you about top ranking on SERPs is simply taking you for a ride.
2. Lack of Communication
A few days down the line you still don’t get any communication from the SEO service. There are no reports about the progress of the SEO project and their line seems never to go through. Such a company will most likely turn out to be a scam. These are the people who keep trying playing the system through black hat techniques. You must appreciate that at the end of the day, the company will not suffer in case your website is devalued. Look for a company that sends reports on a number of organic visits, links built, industry insights and much more.
3. Free Trial Services
Free trials are such a good deal, aren’t they? Well, you are in for a surprise because the SEO company needs access to your website for this arrangement to work. One of the biggest mistakes you can ever do online is to give out your password and website access information. This is just like giving a stranger your ATM PIN no. It is very easy to be arm twisted by these scams to eventually agree to subscribe to their services if they already have access to your site.
4. Massive Search Engine Submissions
It might sound like a very good deal but submission to multiple search engines does not add a lot of value. Google dominates almost 70% of the market and MSN, Bing and Yahoo share the spoils. If your SEO company is promising to get you on very many other search engines, this will, in fact, hurt your SEO efforts. This is something you can do by yourself if need be and you don’t need to hire the service to do it for you. Simply put, this is a service you don’t even need.
5. Insider Knowledge Claims
Of course, you have heard claims by some SEO companies that claim to know someone at Google. Others claim to have a secret to the search engine ranking formula. Google has already refuted such claims and if anyone is advertising using the same line, you better run and don’t turn back.
Also, there are many other signs that will help point out SEO scams in your city. The bottom line is that the company you use should be transparent in its workings and must be open to scrutiny. Always work with an SEO company that offers no guarantees, but which has a clear-cut process to evaluate the ongoing SEO project.
David Wicks is blogger and writer. He enjoy writing posts more on fashion, technology and more other which are helpful to readers. He also like to spend more time on social media.