Is Your SEO Expert Ripping You Off? Here’s How You Can Know!

Search engine optimization (SEO) has become a big industry in recent times as more and more businesses now rely on SEO experts to get their business websites on the first page of Google, Bing or Yahoo!

Of course, with the constant algorithm changes from Google, staying up to date with the changes is something that no business person will want to waste his/her time about.  The solution? Get an SEO person to agonize about such technical issues!

Unfortunately, while we expect these SEO professionals to do a good job for the money we pay, the sad truth is that some unsuspecting clients end up getting ripped off. Yes, that may not be pleasant to hear as no-one likes to think they get taken for a ride, but it does happen I'm afraid to say.

Although it's rare, poor results sometimes come from some people in the SEO industry.

So, if you hire a search engine optimization guru, how do you know they're doing a good job?

Here are the telltale signs that might prove you need to find someone new:

1. You Aren't Given Any Measurable Results

A good SEO firm will keep you up-to-date with the various things they do on your behalf. This means sending you regular reports; i.e. the things that help you measure results!

A bad SEO firm will seldom, if ever, provide you with any details. They might tell you how “complicated” the process is for you to understand. And they'll use that excuse to justify not showing you any data.

2. They Never Ask You For Anything

Have you ever wondered why the person you hired to do your SEO never asks you for anything? You'd think they would have some questions, right? A decent SEO consultant will ask for things like:

• Access to your site's Google Analytics account;
• Access to your social media accounts;
• The keywords and phrases you want to rank well in; and
• Admin access to your website.

If they never ask for such details, you should be suspicious. In fact, you should take that as a sign they are doing little for the money!

3. They Won't Help You Improve Your Site

Part of the work an SEO expert provides is consultancy. They will work with you to build a website that gives you a return on your investment. They aren't web designers; but, they will point out areas of concern. For example, they might tell you that your site isn't responsive.

A good SEO person will even let you know of the best ways to improve certain layout problems. That way, you can increase the readability of your content.

4. They Are Secret Squirrels

One telltale sign that will raise a red flag is when your SEO provider won't say what they do. Sure, each person has their industry secrets. But, in the world of SEO, proper experts all use similar techniques.

There is no secret fellowship that SEOers are part of! If your guy (or gal) won't tell you what they're doing, chances are they don't know what to do! In other words, they will just make things up as they go along and hope you don't catch onto them.

5. They Increase Their Fees Without Explaining Why

Most SEO firms and experts work on an hourly basis. Some might offer a flat-fee package, depending on what you want them to do. If yours keep increasing their fees, are they telling you why?

If they don't, it's time to look for a legitimate SEO person to use. Any service provider should be able to justify why they want to charge more for their work.

Conclusion

Getting a SEO expert to help you with the search engine marketing needs of your website is something you should do. But just because you need this desperately does not mean you should throw away your money. It is better to hire the right SEO consultant to optimize your site. So, before you hire that SEO person, check them against these tips and you will be making the most use of your money.