SEO Secrets – Smells Like Snake Oil

There are a lot of businesses out there clamoring to get a piece of the search engine optimization pie simply because they want to dominate their market and push past the competition.  One of the most cunning but short lived tactics used to take advantage of that desperation is that of the “SEO secrets”.

Search engine optimization agencies understand that the majority of businesses that want to get involved in SEO to improve their rank and listing don’t really know much about the actual optimization process or how the search algorithm works.  Because of this general ignorance (not to use it in a derogatory sense) many individuals and business owners go ahead with an innocent nod as they get pitched by SEO agencies.

They start promising the stars, such as guaranteed #1 listings.  They never get very specific with what they offer, and they don’t typically talk about when that #1 listing will come.  If pressed, they may actually spit out that the listing will come quickly.  These shady SEO agencies will regularly talk about SEO secrets and that they use techniques that most companies don’t know about – ways to get guaranteed success quickly.

The fact is, the SEO secrets they’re talking about don’t exist.  There are some standard practices for search optimization that just about everyone employs.  The other side of the coin puts you into black hat SEO tactics that aren’t necessary “illegal” but they’re also not a secret.  They’re frowned on by the primary search engines, generally because of their effectiveness at the expense of value.

Some seedy SEO agencies may completely lie about the effectiveness of their techniques and simply take your money and run with it.  Others will actually do the work for you under the guise that you’re getting top of the line SEO secrets when in reality what they are using are questionable black hat and gray hat techniques that could potentially do harm to your marketing and your presence online.

Once you’ve paid money in, there’s no way for you to get it back.  They may talk about guaranteed listings but they’re elusive about the time.  Many even place terms and conditions in their TOS stating that no results can be guaranteed or that no results can be guaranteed to remain.  For a company sporting top of the line SEO secrets, that all sounds pretty vague and sketchy – and it should.

There are hundreds of thousands (probably millions at this point) of SEO agencies spouting that they know the secret to  better optimization.  The fact is, most of these SEO agencies are run by people out of their home with little to no formal education and no real experience in SEO.  They just bought an “optimization book for dummies” and they’re trying to make a quick buck.

Avoid the temptation of “SEO secrets” and align yourself with a trusted agency that understand real SEO – a company that doesn’t need secrets and special tools because they know the most direct and obvious methods for search optimization.  The service with a trusted company may cost you more up front, but the payoff in the long run is worth it.

To Your Success,
Joerg Weishaupt

P.s. Get more information on social media and marketing in my free primer "Building A Successful Marketing Strategy". Sign up for your free copy today.

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