www.optimalwebsite.co.uk started this topic @ 09:54 on 15/09/2006
I've been chatting online to a guy who runs a website called www.trafficpowersucks.com If you didn't know, Traffic Power and all their clients were delisted from Google for the use of "doorway pages" - an unethical optimisation technique. When www.trafficpowersucks.com and www.seobook.com broke the news on their websites, Traffic Power responded by issuing lawsuits. Google normally remains silent, but for what's probably the first time they confirmed the delisting. Anyway, his advice for SEO companies and for people considering hiring them is excellent, so here it is:
"If I were ever to hire an SEO, I'd look for several things. Mainly, a guarantee, which I know is a very hard thing to do as an SEO, and I see that you do that, in writing no less. Secondly, I would want to do a search for SEO, or a similar keyword, and find that SEO company in at least the first couple of pages of results. Had I thought of that with Traffic Power, I never would have hired them, as they were banned from Google and would not have shown up for anything. Your own company could be your most important customer, get yourself listed high on Google for relevent terms, and then you can go to potential customers and say "Go do a search for "Search Engine Optimization" on Google. Out of over 92 million results, our company is listed at number 22." The higher the better, of course, and the more keywords the better."
Apparently, the CO responsible for Traffic Power later fled to Egypt...
Anyway, hope this helps,
Joel - www.optimalwebsite.co.uk
RE: Search engine optimisation companies/clients
awebapart | 15/09/2006 12:19 PM
Thanks for the info... as usual, buyer beware.
I would add that selecting an SEO company just because it is highly google ranked for SEO may not be the best criteria either, since that SEO company may still and probably be using dubious techniques for high rankings that may get it and its customers banned at a later date.
A guarantee is also very difficult in this area, a bit like asking for a guarantee for a long range weather forecast. The dubious companies who are in it for short term gain are more likely to offer a guarantee, since they have no problems about dishonouring the guarantee, closing the company and perhaps starting again under a different name. Other dubious companies are more likely to offer guarantees, using carefully worded or small print to make you think the guarantee means one thing when it means something else.
IMO an ethical SEO company will at best guarantee that certain SEO work is done, certain search engines will have your site indexed, and if you are banned from a search engine due to their SEO work then a money back guarantee.
On the subject of buyer beware, another piece of advice is that with any supplier of any service, not just SEO, do your research first. If you are thinking of using company x, do a google web and groups search for:
"company x" problems
This should give you a fair idea of the service company x provides, if the search results go on to unhappy customers then beware. Guess what, if you google "traffic power" problem then www.trafficpowersucks.com comes up first! Unfortunately this safety net wont work with new companies.
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Paul - www.awebapart.com - 'a web apart'
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