QUOTE(Randy @ Apr 2 2009, 12:15 PM)
There's no way to tell other than to gauge reputation by collecting references and/or trying someone out and seeing the effects of their work.
Are you likely to get burned? Yes you are. Most likely by someone who sells you a package of XX one-way links that are really nothing but crappy directory links. They'll do that even if you explicitly forbid directory links btw.
When you find a good link builder who isn't too expensive or too busy to take on your projects you should hang onto them like they've worth their weight in gold. Because they are!
But, how then are you to get links?
If not through directory, mini sites, or through reciprocal link exchange how do you get links without answering "build good content and the links will come"
Most webmasters who are aware of SEO value, know the value of a link, so they won't link to you unless you give them a link back.
Instead of trying to work so hard for a few one way links, I prefer to look for some good reciprocal links from sites with real value/content whose link directory actually show up on G.
Really, the only ways to get one way links is to build your mini site network of 100 sites or so, or buy links, even article writing, I think, is time wasting as most people who use your articles delete the author footer, and your link is gone. So, instead of wasting time writing again, use it to find valuable link exchanges. Or,
Jump from SEO to SEO company who own mini networks (most do), and negotiate a one time pay/price per link you get, you only pay for what you like, not G sees. If you don't like a specific site from which you are getting a link, they can remove it as it is their site, then go to the next SEO company and do the same. Costly, and time consuming, but effective as long as they keep the site running. If they decide to stop paying for the site's domain or hosting, you lose money.
There are thousands of articles about link building, and none of them mention the simple reality that most webmasters want a link if you want a link from them. Most talk about creating good content or link bating, but prefer to avoid telling a simple truth which is use reciprocal links if you want to build links fast, and of course, you will get the poster who says "reciprocals don't work", "reciprocals are a waste of time", "reciprocals will get you banned", and neither are true. Reciprocals do work, maybe they don't have the same value of a one way link, and I say maybe because only G knows, but still reciprocals do work, and you don't get banned unless you like playing ridiculous and add 10,000 links in a single page which I did once, btw, and did not get banned, but the site is gone now so, no way to tell if these days, it would still rank in GYM.
from the 
, should I be looking for specialist link building services or general SEO, and am I likely to get burned?
