Time and time again, I come across these firms that make promises to drive traffic and leads; you just pay $600 to $6000 per month for the next year! They take care of everything for you; you just set the budget based on how much business you want. So when you don’t get the numbers, do they give you your money back? No!

The pushy phone book sales rep comes in, and makes promises and offers you can’t resist. Before you jump, read what I have learned about this offer:

1. They make a bad imitation of your website, or provide some template website that is often not representative of your company in look or content.
2. They use Ad Words to drive traffic to your site and your competitor’s sites.
3. They put No Follow Links for your web page to prevent you from naturally being found online! This is just wrong!!! They are hurting companies natural listing so their customers can only be found the paid way through them! It may be brilliant for them, but they are doing this and not telling the customers. Would you buy if you knew this?
4. They do not deliver on the conversions/calls as promised.
5. They are overpriced

Customers have come to me after signing up this Yo-Yo of a company and it did not work. We have had to start from scratch with their website rankings. I have not heard one good thing from anyone who has worked with them. They promised to set up a unique phone number to track calls from the website, and the phone number was never set up! They promised all these calls and new business, but it didn’t happen. And when the company does not deliver, too bad, you are in a contract. So you, the customer, still have to pay even though you don’t get what was promised.

Too many companies are taking advantage of the Internet Age, making everything sound like magic and that you have to have some type of PHD in SEO. Well, I am here to tell you it is not magic! It is time consuming, and there is a lot to learn, like with any industry. Basic Marketing rules still apply, just on a different plane. Yes the Paradigm has shifted and the playing field is leveling out!

SEO that worked 3 years ago does not work today, but the same marketing rules still apply! If you make a good website and give people what they want, it will work. If no matter what you do, you build a website for your customers…it will work. Give them something great!

Invest in your Website like you would an employee or new product line. Know what you are trying to accomplish and always keep your customers’ interests in mind. If you use a company, work with someone that is a good fit for you, and make them prove what they are doing. In God We Trust, All Others Bring Data! The more you know the better investment choices you can make.