3rd Question:
Is there recourse that I have to recoup the losses I have suffered from this SEO company? Do you know of any litigation against SEO companies that have used unscrupulous techniques? How might I warn others to stay away from the company I used?
Robin:
Go to this page —
http://www.google.com/webmasters/seo.html
Look toward the bottom, where it tells you how to file a report against an SEO for deceptive or unfair business practices.
I wouldn’t post the SEO company’s name on forums, etc., because you wouldn’t want to be caught in a “defamation of character” lawsuit.
However, you may want to report the firm to this company, who puts out a report on SEO firms:
http://sherpastore.com/store/page.cfm/1759
Good luck to you, Dwight. I’ve been in your shoes, and it’s not a fun place to be. One of the domains of mine that was recently banned now has a PageRank of 7, so there IS hope. Hang in there! And, don’t give up. Google is too important to give up on. Follow their rules carefully, and remember to write content that is useful and valuable to BOTH your visitors and the search engines.
Sincerely,
Robin
Robin Nobles conducts live SEO workshops
(http://www.searchengineworkshops.com) in locations across North
America. She also teaches online SEO training
(http://www.onlinewebtraining.com). Localized SEO training is now
being offered through the Search Engine Academy.
(http://www.searchengineacademy.com) Sign up for SEO tips of the
day at mailto:seo-tip@aweber.com.
