Deciding to hire someone to help promote your website can be a challenging process, especially since there are so many companies and not all of them are reputable. Asking these questions can make it clear rather quickly if you are dealing with a reputable SEM (Search Engine Marketing) company or not. Also known as a Search Engine Marketing Firm.
- Do you offer search engine submission services? The first thing that should be explained to you is that while search engine submission was an important technique years ago, it is pretty much obsolete. The major search engine sites’ technology has advanced to the point that your site is indexed rather quickly, so search engine submission is a non-issue. If, however, someone uses this opportunity to upsell you or makes it sound like search engine submission is a valued service, this is a huge red flag.
- How do you integrate keywords into a site? This is an excellent way to determine whether you are dealing with a black hat or white hat SEO firm. While it is important to use the right keywords, it is equally important not to engage in keyword stuffing, which is a black hat SEO practice. Some people talk about keyword stuffing as an antiquated SEO tactic, but, honestly, it was never a valid strategy. Unfortunately, some people still use it today. It is not only ineffective, but it actually hurts your site and dilutes your brand. When an SEO company discusses keywords with you, the focus should be on quality content and using keywords appropriately. If someone tries to pitch you poor SEO practices that sound like spam, run in the other direction.
- Can you please explain link building to me? Link building is a valid SEO practice that focuses on establishing quality, inbound traffic. Link farming, on the other hand, is another black hat SEO technique that can really damage your site and your business. A link farm is basically a group of websites that hyperlink to every other site in the group. Link exchanges are on the bubble, but more often than not someone offering a link exchange is looking for an easy way to bolster a website that offers very little value. Using link exchanges as a regular practice is outmoded and unethical. If this is being suggested as a way to promote your website, then I would start looking elsewhere.
What about Panda? Since you have just lobbed three low-ball questions, asking about Panda may surprise whomever you are speaking with, but they should be able to recover quickly and talk intelligently about one of the most profound SEO developments in recent memory.
In case you do not know, in March 2011, Google released its Panda (also known as Farmer) update. It was a new algorithm that changed how Google ranked websites, and some sites, including some excellent ones, really suffered for it. Now that people have had time to process the changes and Google has made some updates, however, Panda is not the apocalyptic event some people made it out to be.
You should expect an answer that acknowledges its significance, but also views the changes in an optimistic light. There is an increased focus on the user experience, which is where your energies should be, anyways, but some of the metrics used to gauge the quality of that experience have changed. The best way to promote your website, both pre and post-Panda, is to have a high quality website with valuable, engaging content. If that is done well, search engines will find you even as algorithms continue to evolve.
Hiring someone to promote your website can be a challenge, but if you ask the right questions, you will quickly determine if you are dealing with a quality SEM firm. Article Courtesy of Search Engine Marketing Firm Wpromote
