Every online business wants to be in the number one spot of the major search engines. After all, being in the top position means more exposure, more exposure means more customers, and this translates to enhanced net income for the business.

Those in the market for an SEO professional, or a team, to optimize their web sites for the major search engines need to be wary of those claiming to guarantee a number one position in the rankings. Quite often those making this claim are practicing what is called “Black Hat” SEO.

Changing Algorithms

One of the biggest reasons why a number one spot cannot be guaranteed is because of the very nature of search engines themselves. The major search engines are constantly adjusting their placement algorithms and do not give out this mathematical information. As such, claims of placing a business in a number one spot, on this information alone, are completely unfounded.

Page Before the Real Deal

One commonly utilized tactic in black hat SEO is to create pages that are entry or doorway pages not linking to the actual web site navigation. A doorway page is nothing more than a click-through advertisement for a web site. They do not generate any sort of discernible traffic as many viewers will simply click their browser back button and continue searching. Google has some very strict guidelines when it comes to doorway pages and using one could result in the entire web site being pulled from the search engine’s index.

Linking Bonanza

When an SEO professional, or team, claims that paying for links is the route to take, be wary. Often these paid links are placed within fake or unknown search engines and “free for all” link pages. Another tactic is to state that links will be placed within high profiles blogs and social media sites. While linking to other like-minded businesses is a good practice, the types of linking offered by black hat SEO firms are not the type one wants. Link farms are another taboo search engine practice. Search engines despise link farms as they tend to manipulate results in a manner they deem unethical. Participation in a link farm can be cause for a website to be sandboxed, or banned, from the major search engines.

Other Tell-Tale Signs

A few other tips to know one is working with a less than reputable firm or individual is claims of knowing insiders within the major search engines. The people who truly work within these companies are not going to be maintaining professional relationships with SEO businesses and individuals as it signals favoritism. Also, SEO firms claiming to have hundreds upon hundreds of clients and yet having only been in business for a short period of time should cause alarm bells to go off. Finally, if the firm or individual in question will not inform the web site owner of how the SEO money given will be spent, it would be a good idea to not work with them.

Conclusion

SEO schemers abound and will try to use every tactic at their disposal to convince businesses in need of SEO work that what they can offer will place the business in the number one spot on the major search engines. There simply is no SEO company or individual that can guarantee a number one position.