I just recieved this in an email:

It seems like a reasonable, no risk offer. However, another email I received this week said

And another said:

Do you see a pattern here? I do. I see that many so called "SEO Experts" are getting their come-uppance for using unethical "black hat" SEO techniques. Long story short - crime doesn't pay  (... eventually.)  They promised that you'd be at the top of major search engines quickly (within days or weeks.) And they were right... up until the point where they were busted. Now they have been black listed and can't get on Google at all. And if you put your site in their hands, neither can you.

I don't have a problem with the fact that Google (and other major search engines) are finally cracking down on companies that use these unethical SEO techniques. The problem I have is that people who fell for their "put you in the top of major search engines quickly" schemes are now also suffering the wrath of Google. If you have a site that is now "Banned for Life" from major search engines then your website is in some serious doo doo, my friend. Enjoy the immediate SEO results you had, because they are now gone forever and your domain name is now "banned for life". For you, the only solution may be to start over with a new site and domain name.

The lesson: Legitimate search engine optimization (SEO) takes time. It may be months or even years to climb to the top of search engine results and constant effort must be made to keep you there. There is no (legitimate) short cut. Anyone who says they can put you at the top of major search engines in less than three months is probably using techniques that will get them banned, just like these so-called 'straight up marketers'.

Have you been banned? You can check here to see of your website has been banned by Google.

And if you are still looking for legitimate search engine optimization (SEO) for your website, there are legitimate companies who do excellent work and who follow the rules. You'll know them by the promises they make. Particularly, they will tell you that SEO is an ongoing process. Changes to your website  may only take a short time to make, but the responses by search engines will NOT happen in a matter of weeks. A more realistic expectation would be that major search engines will respond to your site in 3 or more months (brand new sites will take longer, even up to a year.)

Another misunderstood part of SEO is the promotion of your site through links, ads, articles, blogs and social networking, which NEVER STOPS.  That's correct... you NEVER STOP promoting your website, whether you do it yourself or pay  a company to do it for you, it goes on week after week after week. It doesn't have to be extensive (a couple of hours per week may suffice), but it must be consistent to work properly. You can do that work, or you can pay someone else to do it for you, but it needs to be kept up religiously to keep you climbing (and on top of) search engine results.

Sorry, but there's no quick and easy (legitimate) answer. But which would you rather have, false hope, or the cold hard truth?