A number of SEOs offer helpful services for owners of vacation rental websites, which ranges from providing advice on the website architecture and assisting to discover necessary directories to what website can one submit. However, some unethical SEOs have provided the website industry a blemish via overly aggressive efforts of marketing and attempts to manipulate results of the search engine.
Although Google claims not to have any relationships with SEOs and may not provide recommendations, Google offerals several tips, which may help one distinguish between a lucrative SEO to improve a website and another which will just enhance chances of getting dropped from results of a search engine altogether. I will summarize it below with applying to vacation rental industry:

• It’s advisable to be wary of any SEO firms, which send emails out of nowhere.
  It’s important to reserve the exact skepticism for email that’s unsolicited about search engines, as one would do for “miracle” diet pills or even requests to assist in the transfer of funds from any deposed dictator.
  Before you agree on any help for your rental site that came from Internet, make sure the company exists.
• Not one service can assure a top ranking on Google search.
  It’s vital to take precaution of SEOs, which claim to assure rankings, advertise any “priority submit” to the Google service, or even allege any “exclusive relationship” with the Google service. There isn’t a priority submit for the Google service. The sole way in submitting a website to the Google service directly is via the Add URL page or even via the program Google Sitemaps, and one can achieve this him/ herself at absolutely no cost.
  There’s no guaranteed ranking from Google that you can buy for your vacation home website for anyone.
• Be cautious if any company maintains secrets or refuse to explain clearly its intentions.
  If something remains unclear, inquire about explanations. If any SEO causes misleading or deceptive content on someone’s behalf—like “throwaway” domains or doorway pages—the website can be entirely removed from the index of Google. Eventually, the individual is responsible for actions of companies employed, so it’s optimal to ensure one has knowledge of how the companies can be of assistance.
  Be ware of something called “black hat” SEO – they can get your holiday home site penalized.
• One should never be responsible for linking to any SEO.
  Any SEO that talks about links that are “free-for-all”, link any popularity schemes, or submit a website to a multitude of search engines, should be avoided. Normally, these are useless exercises, which don’t have any effect on one’s ranking in chief search engine results—least likely in a way one would consider as a positive.
  Don’t pay for submission to multiple search engines. Don’t pay for service to be listed in thousand directories.
• Several SEO services attempt to sell an individual the ability of typing keywords into a browser address bar directly.
  Many proposals require PC users to make an installation of extra software, and not too many PC users achieve this. Such proposals can be evaluated with serious care and even be skeptical about self-reported quantity of PC users that have downloaded applications required.
  Great rule of the SEO game – don’t get involved in something that seems to be so good to be true or something that is very complicated.
• Choose an SEO company carefully.
  Before choosing an SEO company, make sure that you conduct research on the industry. You can simply conduct your research on Google.com. Another way to find out further information is to search for articles and news bulletins that have appeared in the press. Although Google doesn’t voice their opinion on SEO companies specifically, there are companies on the Internet pose as SEO services; however, their own business practices and behavior are questionable.
  Be very cautious before choosing an SEO company for your vacation rental business.
• It’s important to know where the money goes.
  Make sure you ask the SEO company that you decide to work with which of their fees go toward temporary advertising and permanent inclusion. Many SEOs make bold promises about placing websites in the highest ranks within search engines. However, your website is actually placed in the advertising section, not in the search results. Google doesn’t sell higher rankings in search results. Many search engines combine pay-for-inclusion or pay-per-click results with their regular web search results. Another thing to be cautious about is when SEOs change their bid prices in order to create the impression that they have control over search engines. They may even give you the impression that they can place themselves in any slot they choose. The reason being, Goolgle’s ads are labeled clearly and completed separated from our search results.
  Do a good research first – there are a lot you can do for your vacation rental site without spending anything.
• Shop and compare for the right SEOs.
  Never hire an SEO company without verifying its references. Although they may be a good beginning, references are far from the entire story. One should inquire the duration of a company’s existence and the number of individuals employed full-time. If you should feel apprehensive or pressured, it’s good to go with a gut instinct and be on the safe side: don’t be afraid to hold off until a firm you can entrust in is found. It’s advisable to ask the SEO firm if it makes a report of every abuse of spam the firm discovers to Google with the use of a spam complaint website form at http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html. SEO firms that are ethical make a report of deceptive websites, which violate spam guidelines of Google.
  Save the bookmark!
• Ensure you are legally protected.
  For one’s own safety, one should certainly insist on a money-back guarantee that’s unconditional and complete. You shouldn’t fear any request of a refund if not satisfied for whatever reason, or if any action of a SEO creates a domain that must be removed from an index of a search engine. It’s wise to ensure a contract is in writing, which includes pricing. The written contract should require a SEO to remain within guidelines in recommendation of each PC search engine for website inclusion.

The Most Typical Abuses an Owner of a Website Most Likely Encounter.

A typical scam is a creation of any “shadow” domains, which funnel PC users to any website by the use of deceptive redirects. The shadow domains will usually be owned by a SEO that claims to work on the behalf of the client. However, if this relationship becomes tarnished, the SEO may direct a domain to another website, or a domain of a competitor. During this occurrence, the client pays to develop a site in competition fully by a SEO. Another illicit method is placing “doorway” pages full of keywords on the website of the client somewhere. The SEO makes a promise this will result in the page becoming more vital for further queries. This is undoubtedly false since any individual page is barely relevant for a vast range of various keywords. Even more insidious is the doorway pages that usually entail hidden links to other clients of SEOs as well. The doorway pages deplete the popularity of links of any website and direct it to a SEO and other clients that may comprise websites with content that’s illegal and unsavory.

Other Things to Look For with SEO Services.

Several warning signs appear for one to know he/ she is dealing with a SEO that’s questionable. By every mean necessary, don’t be afraid to turn away if a SEO does any of the following:

• Places links to other clients on any doorway page.
• Owns shadow domains.
• Does not make distinction between advertisements, which appear in any search result, and actual results for search.
• Provides to sell any keyword in PC’s address bar.
• Assures ranking, but just on long keyword, obscure phrases one can obtain anyway.
• Receives traffic from spyware, scumware, or false search engines.
• Had domains removed before from an index of Google or not listed on Google’s site.
• Operates with a number of aliases.

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) can be contacted if one feels deceived by the SEO in anyway. The FTC handles several complaints regarding unfair or deceptive practices of business. Visit http://www.ftc.gov, and click “File a Complaint Online”; or contact them by telephone at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Happy booking!