Keep yourself away from SEO Experts or Internet Marketing SEO Firms offering services at lower prices or claiming to achieve number#1 ranking in Search Results.
Some SEO companies might guarantee you ranking results which is very much possible by using Ethical/Organic SEO practices over a long run. But if they claiming to provide top rankings in very short time, they might use unethical methods that will ultimately hurt your rankings on the search engines.
No SEO Expert or SEO Company is directly or in-directly associated with Google or any other search engine.
Finding tough to decide:-
Doing it yourself or Outsource?
When to Hire a SEO Expert or SEO Company?
What to ask for when you hire SEO Expert or SEO Company?
Optimizing your web site to achieve higher placement in search engine listings can help increase visits to your site and grow your customer base. While this is a process that you can learn, in some cases it might make most sense to hire a reputable SEO Expert or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firm.
Like any other business decision, making the commitment to hire outside help requires due diligence and an investment of time and money. You should evaluate your expectations and determine whether or not youre capable of making them happen yourself.
There are pros and cons to doing the work yourself, just as there are pros and cons to hiring outside help. Its important to consider all of these factors before making your decision.
You can read more in detail about all these Questions at below link from Yahoo Small Business:http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-article-a-6680-m-6-sc-35-when_to_hire_a_seo_company-i
Doing it yourself
Advantages: Optimizing your site on your own is cost-effective and can be a great way to learn more about running a web site. In addition, you retain complete control over your site which might make you feel more at ease with the process.
Drawbacks: If you do not have programming skills as well as a practical understanding of industry-accepted SEO practices and knowledge of search engine guidelines, you could inadvertently employ a spamming tactic and damage your search engine listing. Spamming on purpose or by accident can result in a sites permanent banishment from some of the largest search engines on the Web. It takes time to learn how to optimize a web site properly, and you could quickly find yourself with more work than you have time for. In addition, managing your sites optimization is an on-going process and getting the most from it requires frequent management.
Hiring an SEO Expert/SEO Firm
Advantages: You wont have to tap into internal staff resources or shift your focus from the main function of your business. You will be relying on professionals with a lot of knowledge and more resources than you might have. Your SEO Expert or SEO Firm will become a partner in your marketing efforts and work to help you achieve the most from your investment.
Drawbacks: SEO Expert/ SEO firms cost money. In addition, you shouldnt expect to just hand your site over to a company and walk away you will need to explain your goals and participate in the process. It is very important for you to research and find a reputable, known SEO Expert/SEO firm.
What to look for in an SEO Firm
A reliable SEO Expert/SEO firm should have a good reputation and an industry presence. To begin your search, start with popular SEO forums, ask for recommendations from colleagues, or contact the owners of sites you frequent and ask how they handle their search engine optimization.
As you begin making a list of potential firms, cross off the ones that have used spamming techniques, eliminate the ones that dont offer all of the services you need are beyond your budget, dont have references, or dont respond within 48 hours to your request for information. These are signs of a firm that simply wont fit your needs, arent reputable, or are too busy to provide good customer service.
Cost also will be an important factor in your decision. Look for a company that works with other businesses similar to your own in terms of size and scope. These companies are more likely to offer services within your budget.
Reliability is key because there are certain industry standards associated with SEO and a good firm will be able to outline those for you and explain how they avoid making your site look like spam to a search engine. Checking references is an easy way to test credibility. Any firm can have a good pitch, but the customers actual experiences always should hold more influence when you make a final decision and a firm should be more than happy to provide references to you.
Because the SEO relationship typically is ongoing, it is important to find an expert/firm and a main contact at that firm with whom you are comfortable dealing on a regular basis.
While the pros and cons of optimizing yourself or hiring an outside SEO expert/firm can vary significantly depending on your companys internal capabilities, budget, and goals, the decision to hire an SEO expert/company should come down to the amount of time you have available to learn the process yourself and your budget. When done well, either by you or a professional, search engine optimization is an effective way to promote your business and possibly generate sales.
Hire or Outsource to well renowned Ethical Organic SEO Expert Afzal Khan or contact me to discuss more in detail about requirements.