Thinking about hiring a professional for optimization services?
Looking to propel your website positioning with a defined program?
Having a hard time sifting the professionals from the pretenders?
Think you have found someone that is capable of performing as you expect?

Remember to ask any potential provider of optimization or search strategies the following 20 questions, and, based on their ability to answer to your satisfaction, you will find the choices clearer:

1. Is your paid search solution full-service? If yes (as should be), define “full-service.”
2. What technology supports your full-service solution? How often is it updated?
3. Does your technology have direct API integration with the top engines?
4. Do you use API data or referral data for reporting purposes?
5. Is the technical support team separate from my account team? Is support 24/7?
6. Who will manage my account on a daily basis?
7. Is the account manager responsible for bid, keyword, copy, page content, article and landing page management, or do separate teams manage these efforts?
8. What is your methodology for search campaigns, including bid management strategy?
9. What resources does my account manager have? Will I be able to approve site values?
10. Do the account managers have vertical expertise? Which verticals?
11. What is the typical launch time?
12. How do you optimize my campaign once launched? How often?
13. What metrics do you use to define success? If different than current SE standards, why and how are base metrics established?
14. What is the typical account manager’s background? How many other clients do simultaneously they serve?
15. Is your search team certified by the top engines?
16. What is your relationship with the top search engines?
17. How has your company shown leadership in the search marketing space? Any industry awards?
18. Will I have the opportunity to contact other clients, for networking or referrals?
19. How will you align my search campaigns with other online marketing efforts?
20. What other digital marketing solutions do you offer?

These are simple questions that any real SEO professional is happy to answer in detail (more than likely, they will be excited to be working with a client that actually understands the science!), and that will confound and embarrass those who have only postured themselves as having expertise in optimization.

Pay close attention to the answers to questions 2, 3, 15, and 16: these answers are crucial to the success of your campaign, as this proves the degree of professional interaction with the search engines, unlike those who think simple tweaking of Titles, Keywords, and webpage structure is what it takes to “get you on the first page.” This is especially more emphasized in light of Google having dramtaically de-valuing simple META in order to re-focus on Content, Relevancy, and website structure compliance ("Perfect Page Model"). Real and professional SEO involves much more than than the obvious basic META, although it is an element of properly preparing a website for advanced methods to be applied.

IMPORTANT Steer clear from promises of “first page” results, or guaranteed positioning!
Not only is it ridiculous to suggest with certainty such results based on the fluid nature of the WWW itself, it is completely unethical and a sure sign that this “provider” is neither professional nor capable of any optimization whatsoever! Usually these claims are made by those using automated reports and “Black Hat” methods to place initially, but result in site penalties imposed by the SE’s.

Optimization and Search strategies are an investment in the dynamic world of client-generated trends and information supply, and every capitalized effort must be precisely planned to generate minimally predictable results. They are never guaranteed, nor are they convertible (yesterday’s results do not assure tomorrow’s).

Choose your partners with discernment, as they will directly influence whether or not you achieve the poetential results that should be predicatble.

More ..