Picking a SEO firm to help

We have been working our site with little help from an SEO over the past few years. We have grown significantly and would like to start to get help. Is it appropriate in this forum to ask about specific firms and the techniques they use?

Thanks

There are basic techniques we all use, but each case may call for different tactics.

We don't really critique competitors or firms here, but if you have a specific question about optimizing your site, we're here to help with suggestions and to share our experiences.

If you've "have been working our site with little help from an SEO over the past few years", then you're probably familiarized with what SEO is about and could do it yourself. Maybe you're only looking for someone to do the work for you only if you don't have the time for it - if this is the case, then you've choosen right IMHO.

I think this thread would get the best feedback within the SEO Professionals forum.

Any reputable firm will use on page and off page optimization.

As for firms...check our archives here. There are a lot of suggestions on how to choose a firm.

Really, a lot of it depends on your investment. There are lots of good and reputable SEO people out there that truly know what they are doing. Many people find us through forums like this as it is pretty easy to tell who knows what they are talking about (usually, hehehe).

In terms of your investment, if you need some basic improvement and a rock solid approach, focus on the on-page SEO side more, or at least first. There, you can get somebody to help you for a short period of time to do things for you that will benefit you for a very long time. That being said, if you are in a highly competitive industry, then simply sticking with on-page will not be enough. However, to be really effective at the off-page stuff, it will take a continued effort. You'd probably want to commit to six months or longer to really see that side take off, and the more time put into it, the better the results of course.

Good luck,
-Joe