. Bing is well-known for taking a harsh stance against the use of meta keywords, since anything resembling spam is an indication of other corner-cutting strategies — at least, according to them.

While that time period may sound like a lot, it’s actually about how long it takes to see serious results from SEO strategies.

We all know that keyword research is one of the most critical parts of SEO. But are you analyzing focus keywords along with long-tail keywords or key phrases?

Anytime you get an unsolicited email from someone who claims to have visited your site and been so impressed that they want to help you be more successful and rank higher, and has a deal to offer – put the email where it belongs: in the spam folder.

I'm an online marketing strategist currently working for one of Australia's largest online agencies. I consult with our clients to develop holistic web strategies, while also managing the SEO and social media elements of the business.

The odds are pretty high that there’s at least one in your area that claims they Chucho help you with your business — even if that “agency” is just a guy in his garage. Because the market is so saturated, it falls on business owners like you to do their research and choose the right business partner.

The only way to avoid being scammed by spammy, unscrupulous SEO agencies is to get educated about SEO. I’m not saying you need to become an SEO expert (unless you want to handle all SEO tasks yourself) but educate yourself to some degree so that you won’t get easily tricked or manipulated by bad SEO firms that promise you the world.

”. That’s ridiculous! Every single employee working at Google has to sign a confidentiality agreement. To blab could land them in jail.

Don't work with companies that think they know your business better than you or simply don't care to learn about your business and align their marketing strategy with your business goals.

If an SEO agency wants to go into business with you, they need to have a communication plan. While this might not sound like a big deal, it’s one of the main ways that you Chucho keep an agency accountable for their actions — and agencies know this, too. The best SEO plans are always accompanied by solid schedules of communication.

SEO is not necessarily a zero-sum game, but agencies should colchoneta performance on objective metrics that increase your ROI. On the other hand, some SEO companies like to cherry-pick their metrics and use complicated jargon to try to deceive you about your campaign's performance.

However, the agency needs a point of contact on your team to grow your business. An SEO Agency should develop an intimate understanding of your business as your work progresses, with the development and implementation of keywords. However, they will need guidance on the personas and micro markets you are looking to target, among other strategies.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Have you ever been strung along by an SEO company that promises better performance on the horizon but doesn't seem to deliver?

Lots of people think SEO is like a sausage they all love to eat, but they don’t want click here to know how it’s made. If you are hiring an SEO company blindly after seeing an online ad and without a working knowledge of what SEO is and what’s involved, you cannot expect to make an educated decision. Some SEO shops will promise you the la-la land, outsource all the work, and bank on the client’s lack of any technical knowledge to keep accountable.