New media marketing specifically search engine marketing is the only form of marketing to grow during the recession.  Just in the past two years, search engine marketing has increased from $20 billion to $37 billion in 2009 and is expected to reach $60 billion by 2012.  It’s worth big bucks to be on the first page of Google, but how do you know what your paying for?  Here are five easy steps to verify you are with a legitimate SEO agency. continued from part 1

#4 Get reports. We provide clients with bi-weekly reports on current objectives as well as future action items. If your SEO agency can’t tell you in writing what they have been doing, then you can count on it being nothing. Reports should include past and current rankings, possible new objectives, and expectations. Remember, you are paying for professionalism and there are countless one-nighters out there to take your money. In this business YOU WILL get what you pay for.

#5 Don’t use link-building software. I know, this may be controversial and I welcome any comments about link-building software pro’s and con’s, but we only use organic search engine marketing techniques to generate traffic. The reason is simple. Just as there are thousands of here today gone tomorrow SEO companies, there are tens of thousands of software packages being sold to make it more simple. Personally, I have only seen a handful that work and eventually Google will find out.

Did you know you can be banned from Google? If you hire an SEO company that opereates in “black hat” tactics, you better be prepared for your site to become invisible. There is no way to cheat search engine marketing in the long term. It’s the same as traditional marketing: create a quality product that consumers want, provide a clear and concise message, be in business for the long haul. You don’t expect to be on the front page of the Wall Street Journal in a month, then don’t expect to be on the first page of Google until you have earned it.

author: John Millican