Imagine this scenario, if you dare. Early one Monday morning you wake up, check Google, and your site has vanished from the search engine results pages. Panic ensues. You call your SEO firm and get voice mail. For three days. Finally they call back with a few excuses and apologies, but no real solution.
Yes, sites can be penalized by the engines. And if the cause was something your SEO firm did, don’t assume they will know what it was or even what they have to do to get you “un” penalized. Even worse, the pressure to perform can sometimes lead to SEOs/SEMs trying tactics that really should be avoided – a little research on your part may alert you to the underlying cause for the penalty.
In my experience most SEOs/SEMs are terrific and professional, but as with any field, there are others that aren’t – maybe you unwittingly hired one of them. Take a deep breath and consider …

