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Google has recently changed its webmaster guidelines relating to SEO and for the first time they seem to be accepting that there is a place in the market for search engine optimisation companies. They do however warn webmasters to be careful over SEO selection as there are a lot of companies that won't help add value their websites.
Their advice to businesses is that "If you're thinking about hiring an SEO, the earlier the better. A great time to hire is when you're considering a site redesign, or planning to launch a new site. That way, you and your SEO can ensure that your site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the bottom up. However, a good SEO can also help improve an existing site."
A blog is not the place for a business pitch, but the article does suggest some useful questions to ask a prospective SEO which it would be remiss of me not to answer:
- Can you show me examples of your previous work and share some success stories?
- At I-COM we're always happy to show off our latest results, to see some take a look at our latest newsletter.
- Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
- Yes!
- Do you offer any online marketing services to complement your organic search business?
- We can offer a one-stop shop for your online marketing requirements, everything from design through development. We're also a Google Adwords Qualified Company.
- What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe?
- We don't promise first place results and the timeframe involved in seeing real progress depends very much on the competitiveness of the sector. We do go so far as to say that you should expect to see some progress in terms of listings and traffic within three months.
- What's your experience in my industry?
- We work with a wide range of clients from different sectors and we'll always be upfront about other companies we work with - it's the best way to avoid any issues of conflict.
- How long have you been in business?
- I-COM was established in 2003, and we've developed a fair amount of experience in SEO - our team has over 36 years of it.
Anyway enough of the pitch, our advice is to read what Google says to help make sure you engage the SEO partner that's going to help your business and not hinder it
