Reciprocal Linking Whilst somewhat frowned upon, and generally thought to not be as valuable as one-way linking (see below) for search engine optimization, a relevant reciprocal linking campaign can be an important traffic generating tool. swap links with sites in a related, but non-competing, business to your own. It isn't really a good idea to link to competitors; although visitors will be interested in your product, there is a good chance you will lose them to your competitor, especially if their website or product is better or looks better than your own. Not a desirable outcome. For example, a web hosting site could link to a site that sells scripts and programs; visitors to one will more than likely use other, but sites are not in direct competition. You can also swap links with web directories that require a reciprocal link.

One-Way Linking Considered best form of link for SEO purposes, this can also be a good source of traffic. There are a number of ways of getting one-way links. The easiest is submission to free web directories (see above). Another good source is by writing articles relevant to your site or industry, putting a resource box at bottom, then posting article on directories such as GoArticles, or by sumbitting to ezines. Webmasters and ezine publishers are always in need of fresh content, and will publish your article for free. The hardest way of getting one-way inbound links is by having websites voluntarily link to you. The only way to do this is by providing a valuable tool, service or resource that other webmasters will want to direct their visitors to

6. Get pricing information. Is SEO contract for hourly, monthly or annual services? Get prices from a few other firms as well, but be aware that scope of services may vary greatly from firm to firm. Insist that firm you're interested in explain why it charges more for services, if that's case.

7. Ask about reporting. How many keywords will firm handle? How many pages? Find out whether you'll be able to access latest data about your project. How often is it provided? What's included? Some firms just send a ranking report. What other details can you expect in terms of overall strategy, next steps, web site traffic and conversions?

8. Determine firm's ethical standards. What are firm's practices when it comes to ethical standards and practices? How far will they go? How do they view doorway pages, cloaking and keyword stuffing?

9. Know your objectives. You need to have some idea of what you want to accomplish when selecting an SEO firm. Do you simply want to promote your brand? Do you want to increase visitors and push traffic to retailers? Do you want to improve online sales? Which categories of products will matter most in your campaign?

10. Come up with a budget. You can submit your web site pages (not optimized) for free or through services that cost well below $100. Optimizing is another matter--It's going to cost money. Have some flexibility--the level of service and firm's expertise will determine whether you pay hundreds of dollars or well over a $1,000 a month.