This week alone I have received 5 emails, 2 letters and 3 phone calls from various businesses promising to get me to the top of the Google listings. With prices ranging from a rather off-putting £200+ a month, to a more tempting £50 a month, it's tough to know who are the experts and who are the all-promising, zero-producing scammers. From £30 a month you may just be tempted to sign up to one of their deals - but please don't without knowing all the facts.
1. Anyone who says they can guarantee to get you to the top of the listings without even knowing what you business does, is probably worth being suspicious of.
2. Just because the letter or email comes addressed to your name of business, doesn’t mean that they have research into you specific situation - they probably just bought a data list from somewhere.
3. Those companies who are good at this type of thing do not need to be sending out emails and letters to get business - if they are worth their money they will get enough customers through referrals.
4. If you are going to use a company off the Internet, without recommendation, try to contact one of the businesses they have testimonials from. If they are a genuine testimonial, they won't mind you contacting them.
5. If you are happy with a business' credentials, make sure you get in writing how much you are going to pay, what you are going to get and also how you can get out of any contracts you enter into.
Generally, the best way to know exactly what you're getting is to go with someone who has been recommended by someone you trust who has perhaps used them themselves.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask via our web help and advice page.
Thanks for reading, don't have nightmares ;o)