We can’t overlook the importance of SEO which has brought revolutionary waves into the realm of marketing. Undoubtedly, it is not child’s play, thus it is always recommended to leave it to professionals. But, the market is bombarded with SEO companies, and choosing out of the heap is a tough nut to crack.
Well, this is why we have brought forward this guide that will make it easier for you to choose an SEO agency that will bring the success that you have dreamt of.
Before picking an SEO firm, it is important to know what SEO is. Precisely speaking:
“Seo stands for Search engine optimization, which means enhancing the holistic popularity of your business by promoting your website on targeted search engines.”
Needless to say, the traditional market has largely been replaced by digital marketing, and all businesses need an online presence through websites to strive and thrive in this highly competitive world. And, professional SEO services help your website attain a rank on the first page of SERPs. Better the rank, the more the popularity and higher the traffic.
A few major reasons to incorporate SEO in your marketing strategy are:
Now, you know what advantages SEO offers and why it is the need of the hour for flourishing businesses. But, who can do the best SEO? Well, there might be no one name for this, but we can certainly name the traits that you should take into consideration when choosing a company to do SEO for your business or website. You can also checkout the reasons Should You Hire an SEO Agency Without Any Case Studies.
Any agency that has mastered the art of SEO, will have a predetermined process and methodology that ensures the success of every project they work on. And, knowing their secret spices should be the foremost element that you take into consideration.
Make sure you keep a tab on what major or common strategies they incorporate into their way of working. For instance, how considerate of the current trends, and how dynamically they handle the effects of changes in search algorithms while curating their advertising campaign for a project.
One effective way to check their modernity is what vocabulary they choose to define the technicalities of digital marketing. If they throw too many outdated words, they might not be able to deal with the current and relevant SEO techniques.
It’s better to take a look at their catalog of previous work, to understand how efficiently they manage their work.
One size doesn’t fit all, nor “one strategy”! No matter what SEO company you choose, having a clear picture of their level of customization is crucial. They may all have the same lexicon, but what only the best agency will possess is the best understanding of your goals and business.
No matter how proficient they are, find out how willing they are to tailor and customize their plan according to the needs of your business metrics.
To be sure, see how many questions they ask you about your requirements and expectations, instead of just telling you how great they are.
You are paying for it, hence you have every right to ask for previous clients, case studies, references, and reviews, from the SEO agency you are planning to hire.
Their history and track record will speak for their success. Make sure you check for factors that have affected their performance in their previous projects, such as scaling, hiring, turnover rates, and shifts in focus.
Also, check what they think about their clients and what efforts they made to make their partnership last for the long term. Moreover, do not miss asking about their thoughts on challenges they face, such as failure of PPC or SEO engagements, slow results, and adverse effects of updates.
Transparency is vital for a successful relationship, and this can only be done through frequent reporting. Even, checking the reporting pattern of the SEO company before you start with them, will give you an edge.
Enquire about the metrics and tools they use to generate the progress report, for example, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, Google Search Console, SEMRush, and Moz. You can try your hands on these tools and check if the report you are getting is authentic and accurate.
Some other important report metrics are- the number of backlinks, search engine rankings, keyword count, and improvements in organic traffic.
Your money and time should be equally important to the SEO firm you have chosen. If you are investing your money, energy, and time, the company should provide value for money and keep you satisfied.
SEO companies will vary on these two costs. Some may expect 10 hours of work on your end every week, while others may expect 2 hours per month.
The number of hours they work has nothing to do with the results, it is all about how committed they are to meet your expectations.
Not every agency is perfect for every business. Being a client, it is vital to remain open about your expectations, goals, needs, and desires. And, go for the company that values your dreams as you do or even more. Most importantly, do not settle for less, and make sure the company you are selecting ticks all of your boxes, and you can sleep peacefully, knowing that your business is in the right hands.