I had a good chat with a potential client yesterday who said they would prefer to stay with their current agnecy as they had performed well. Whilst I don't really believe their methodology and that it is very dated I thought they deserved a link on here as they have provided a service to a client who is very happy to continue using them. Well done to Search Quest

Search Quest

Sceptical about Search Engine Optimisation?

I'm a sales guy for a UK based Search Marketing Agency called Total Search Solutions and we specialise in Search Engine Optimisation, Paid Search Marketing, Social Media Optimisation and Affiliate Management.

Now all the spammy "Get Links to my site" is out of the way I'll carry on.

I want to build up a list of so called SEO agencies that people have used with the following outcome:

Paid up-front and not heard from them
Hard closing sales people
Over sold services
No.1 in google for all your keywords
Guarantees
Never there
Person that sold you the service has left or always off ill
Black Hat SEO (dodgey, spammy techniques)
That they have "Cracked the Google Algo"
Got you banned from Google

In-fact any service that you have paid for and received nothing for your investment within the SEO arena.

I intend to name and shame these people through my blog.

This will then be a perfect place for people to come to and have a rant about a service provider that hasn't delivered. I will then contact the provider of the "Great Ethical Service" and allow them the time and space on my blog to review what their previous client has said and give them a chance to try and redeem themselves in front of everyone.

I'm pretty sure that we will be able to draw up quite a long hitlist.

As a sales person for an SEO agency I come across people every day that are sceptical about SEO due to of having had an experience from this type of un-ethical or Black Hat agency. I will be calling these people again to see if they would join in the naming and shaming exercise. I have also heard very good things about agencies but I'll get to that bit in a second.

A perfect source for some information regards to the market place is:

Black Hat SEO
Matt Cutts - Google Engineer

Arm yourself full of information before accepting a contract with anyone that might call you, even me...

As for people that have had "Great Experiences" I would also like to hear from you especially if you have nothing but praise for the services that you paid for.

It is only fair that we have the Ying and Yang of the industry.

A couple of companies that have delivered superb services (views of people that I speak to) are:

Spannerworks
Big Mouth Media

I will also be placing huge amounts of SEO news, helful tips and links to tons of other blogs that will hopefully help you make the right decision in developing your business on-line.

Obviously the views that will be shared are not necessarily the views of Total Search Solutions

Let's see if we can make this space a better place to work within...

Regards


Joe Davis