Search Engine Optimisation – The Myths

Clients often ask me if their site will be at number 1 on Google. It is a fair question and obviously something that every website wants to aspire to. The problem is though that ambitions can often be overly-inflated by false promises.

If you look for a search engine optimisation (SEO) specialist, you will find literally millions.

1% are absolute geniuses and use the latest techniques to get your site listed. I will put my hands up and say that they are cleverer than me and, as a result, cost more too – often the SEO will cost more than a website itself. These companies use “white-hat” techniques to get good search results. These are approved techniques that meet Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. By following them, all will be well.

Then there are the 1% who are “black-hat” companies. These use surreptitious, underhand methods to get your website listed highly. These will bring excellent results until Google spots what you have done and bans your site. It does happen – and not just to small sites, as BMW got banned from Google a couple of years back for using a “naughty” technique. Don’t think that because Google doesn’t list something as forbidden that they won’t ban it – it just isn’t worth the risk.

Finally, there are the 98% of search engine optimisation companies that are, frankly, not worth the money you pay them. They will make you a promise of being number 1 on Google or your money back. The trouble is, what for?

I would love to be number 1 for “website design” but the competition is massive. I could spend all day every day working on it, but never get any client work done. However, check out “simon brandon marketing” in Google and there I am at number 1.

Not much of an achievement is it when there are only 649,000 sites competing? That is where these companies make their promises. They get you to number 1 for something really vague.

I, on the other hand, will always be honest. I build well-structured sites that a) are search engine friendly and b) do not break any current or future guidelines from Google. I then tell clients what they should do to improve their rankings.

If you really want to spend money on a SEO company though, just type SEO into Google and pick the number 1 firm - there are 184 million sites listed, so whoever is top must be OK!