• Did the SEO company call or e-mail you out of the blue?
  Fact:  The vast majority of fraudulent SEO company contact website owners directly and there are many SEO websites including the search engines that warn about these type of SEO companies.  If somebody calls you and claims that they have analyzed your website and that they can help you, be extremely cautious.
   

• Be careful when SEO companies use high ranking websites as proof.
  Fact:  This is a scam that has gotten a few SEO companies in a lot of hot water, and yet they are still doing it.  I'm going to use my own retail website as an example since it is already highly optimized and ranks well. 
   
  A SEO company might offer me money if I were to claim to be their client.  I would simply add some useless encoding in the head section of my homepage with the SEO company's name, which would make it appear as if the SEO company did the actual work.  Then the SEO company would use my website as a reference and point out the code to their unsuspecting clients.  NEVER TRUST THE REFERRALS!!
   

• Does the website of the SEO company rank high in the Google results and for what keywords?
  Fact:  Google the company name and if it doesn't show up at the top, you know that there is a serious problem.  Many fraudulent SEO companies have been banned by the search engines and you need to do your own research.  Also, does the company rank high in the search engines?  If the SEO company doesn't rank well for SEO related searches, they are trying to rip you off.
   

• Many bad SEO companies claim that the search engines are conspiring against them.
  Fact:  If a SEO company claims that their website doesn't rank because the search engines are against SEO companies or that they are deliberately staying away from the search results, point out that other SEO companies rank high and hang up.  The SEO company has been most likely banned and will take your money and run.
   

• The SEO company promises to submit your site regularly to thousands of search engines.
  Fact:  This is a popular sales pitch among crummy SEO companies and please do not fall for this trick.  Most search engines share their database and there are only a handful that you will need to submit your site to.  Also, you only need to submit your site once and that's it.  For example, Google states in it's guidelines that automated and excessive submission will not work or be tolerated, so be very careful if your SEO company plans to use this strategy.
   

• Research the SEO company.
  Fact:  One way to know if a search engine optimization company or product is any good, is to do a Google search and add words like "problem" or "complaint" followed by the name.  Some SEO companies deliberately have others leave positive feedback about the company on their websites and if done correctly, they can also show up in the search results.  By adding words like "problem" or "complaint", you can research the company much better.
  Another tool is the website of the Better Business Bureau.  Most SEO companies will not sign up with the BBB, because of the crap they pull, but the BBB website still keeps tab of any incoming complaints.
   

• How will the SEO company optimize your website?
  Fact:  I left the best for last, since this is among the most important things you need to know.  Many SEO companies use techniques that are not only against the guidelines of the search engines, but can also get you punished.  If you google "website banned by search engines", you will findmany websites that have gotten in trouble due to the fraudulent techniques used be the SEO companies.  Make sure that you know exactly what SEO tools the companies will use and research them to make it's alright.

Important Message from Easywebsite101

Ranking high in the search engines is obviously something that most well run online businesses want to achieve, but can be very frustrating, time consuming, and expensive, especially when you end up signing up with one of the SEO scumbags.  Having been ripped off twice by SEO companies and almost banned by the search engines thanks to the techniques they were using , I know what it's like. 
That is why I decided to teach myself how to create and optimize websites and have been sharing my experiences with others.  Everything that I have shared with you here is covered in my manual and then some.  I'm going under the assumption that you are either a beginner who wants to start a successful website or a website owner who wants to optimized it.  In either case,  Easywebsite101 will work for you, because it is written by someone who started out like you.  If you are serious about starting your website or optimizing it for the search engines, then Easywebsite101 will be the best money you will ever spend.