Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re familiar with Google’s search algorithm. It is the engine behind millions of searches every day. And that’s not even counting the billions of queries Google receives annually.

Google’s search engine uses over 200 ranking factors to rank web pages. That’s more than enough to make an SEO company’s budget go up in smoke. However, the company’s search technology is not for sale, so you can’t pay them to place your website on the first page of their search engine.

A good SEO can’t do it all, but they can provide you with a few tips and tricks that can help you climb the search rankings. They may even be able to boost your sales. Depending on your industry, you can expect to pay between $0.50 and $12 per click.

Some SEOs claim to be able to tweak your website’s algorithm in real time, so you should check out their references. They should also be able to provide you with an explanation of the changes they’ve made to your site. This is a good sign that they’ve been around the block a few times.

The best way to find an SEO worth their salt is to ask around. Look for referrals from past clients, and be careful. You don’t want to get stuck with a shady SEO. A small business may not even know they’re being ripped off.

The true test of an SEO is to find out if they are willing to give you an honest appraisal of what they can do for you. If they aren’t, you’ll be left with a lot of wasted time and money.