Written by:  Joel Herrera, Fair Marketing Fair Strategist.   See Spanish version here »

Organic placement on search engines consists of a set of various techniques called (SEO) Search Engine Optimization. Such techniques can help to achieve top rankings on Google, Yahoo & Bing.

The main objective is that when someone types in a search query that relates to your business, products or services on any of the major Search Engines that query returns results with your site appearing on the top choices. The end result of this process should be: top placement, an increase in traffic to your web page & an increase in potential clients.

These days, the majority of businesses promote themselves online through web marketing techniques, as such, the implementation of a good (SEO) Search Engine Optimization marketing campaign could be the best investment for your business.

Next you will find a few tips on what to look for in an SEO web-marketing firm:

1. Credibility: It is very important to investigate and corroborate that the SEO company you are considering is credible. If they guarantee things such as placing you on the first page of Google, it is advisable to ask how they are planning to accomplish this. Nobody can guarantee such a thing. The only guarantee that an SEO web Marketing company can offer you is that the processes they implement and level of quality comply with general SEO standards.

by the major search engines, and it could end up hurting you and your web rankings in the long run.

2. Ethics: Serious web-marketing companies make you aware that you have to be prepared financially and emotionally, because results do not happen overnight. Natural SEO takes time and effort in order to achieve the desired results. It they tell you otherwise, they might be untruthful and it could be an indicator that they might be using techniques such as “Black Hat SEO”. Such techniques are prohibited by the Search Engines and you could be penalized indefinitely.
3. Case Studies: Before you make a final decision, we recommend you look at case studies from each of the companies in which you are interested. Find out what types of clients they have worked with and most importantly, what type of results they have achieved for them. This should give you a better idea of who are you dealing with and also if they can deliver the promised results.
4. Reporting: The best way to measure your ROI and the results of your campaign is through reporting. Such reports can come directly from Google Analytics and they should always come with a professional opinion from your web-marketing agency. This information can give you a clear idea on whether your dollars are being well spent.

There are plenty of good companies out there that can help you to gain a good online presence by utilizing SEO techniques, just don’t forget to do your homework first.