Was talking to one of my long time customers the other day, checking in and see how he was doing. He was sharing with me how many so called search engine optimization companies solicit him on a daily basis trying to pitch him the dream of online internet success. He loves to ‘play’ with them on the phone and always asks:

Steve: How did you find me?

“Well I googled some of your search terms and found your company.”

Steve then goes on to ask, where was I in the rankings?

Long pause : “Well you were number one…..”

If a search engine optimization company does solicit you via phone (cold call) be sure to ask them the basics:

1.) How long has your company been in business? Look for some stability…
2.) How much do you know about my industry? (this is key: they need to understand your market, or at least take the time to learn it.)
3.) What is / would be your plan of attack?
4.) Will you be utilizing AdWords or a pay per click system? (Some companies promise top ten results then simply open an Adwords account and rely on that to bring you results.)
5.) How long does it usually take to get me results? (If the answer is 24 hours, you’ve got problems….)
6.) Do you adhere to the Search Engine Marketing Code Of Ethics?
7.) WHERE is your company located? (Wouldn’t you rather be able to call them if you need to without spending BIG bucks to call India?)
8.) Do you engage in any black hat SEO techniques? (Spamming, hidden links, cloaking, etc.)
9.) Can you show me some of your other customer’s results? (CALL their customers and ask)
10.) Do you guarantee me top ten organic results? (Trick Question: NO one can guarantee top ten results in the organic search engine listings.

If you are seeking a reliable search engine marketing expert, look no further. Contact On Target Web Solutions today at 407-830-4550 : Ethical, Dependable, Solid.

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