Tricks to Finding the Best SEO Agency for Your Company
The most effective way to feed organic traffic to your business website is with search engine optimization (SEO). However, for SEO to be successful, it helps to have the right agency in place to take care of all your website needs so that you can concentrate on dealing with the increase in customers that result from the efforts. But how do you determine what makes a good SEO partner? Let’s break it down for you with a list of guidelines.
Step 1- Set Goals
The first thing you should do before embarking on a search for the right SEO partner is to formulate your SEO plan. Within this plan should be clearly defined goals. These can range from increasing business revenue and brand awareness to reaching a specific number of targeted people and adding more sign-ups. Once you have defined your SEO goals, you have a framework to use when seeking an SEO agency to help you achieve them.
Step 2 – Beware of Lists
When you conduct online searches for the “best SEO agencies near me” keep in mind that those listed at the top of your search results may not be the best. Here’s why: some of these companies have paid to show up at the top of these “best SEO agencies lists,” so you may not see the best partner for your needs. It just means that when you start contacting potential SEO partners, be sure to ask for proof to verify any claims they make of successes for clients.
Step 3 – White Hat
Digital Authority Partners says that this is probably the most important factor you should place in your search for an SEO partner. The agency you choose must use white hat practices. White hat SEO involves the use of various techniques and tactics that are compliant with Google’s code of conduct and meet the standards of Google’s search engine requirements. White hat SEO is not manipulative nor unethical, as black hat SEO practices are.
Step 4 – Recommendations
If you are unsure of where to start your search for an SEO agency, the easiest thing to do is ask for recommendations. There are going to be people in your professional and personal circles who are using the services of an SEO partner. Ask them who they are using and how things are going with their digital marketing. You may gain some valuable insight into what to expect when you hire an agency and what the experience will be like throughout the process.
Step 5 – Testimonials
There is a chance that there is no one in your professional or personal circles using SEO services. If that is the case for you, you can conduct online searches for client testimonials. These are the same thing as reviews you would find for other services. Keep in mind that there are going to be testimonials that will fall at both ends of the spectrum. What you would be looking for is more insight that will assist you in making your final decision.
Step 6 – Budget
Your decision-making progress will depend a great deal on your budget. This means that to forge a strong partnership with an SEO agency, the company you choose has to work within your budget. Seek an SEO partner with transparent pricing. In other words, if they publish their rates online, it shows that they are willing to be open and honest and that there won’t be any hidden extra fees that suddenly appear.
Step 7 – Questions
The best way to find out anything is to ask questions. This also applies when you are seeking the assistance of an SEO agency. But what questions should you be asking? The best questions are those that help you weed out the contenders that don’t sound like a good match to your goals. Here is a short list of some of the best questions to ask:
How will you help me achieve my goals?
What SEO tactics do you plan to use to help me?
What is your plan of action if there is a problem?
What will you dedicate to my campaign?
Who will you assign to my campaign, and what are their qualifications?
Step 8 – The Decision
Once you have shortlisted your choices, you will have to weigh out the pros and cons of each SEO agency on your list. When you get to this point, you should have two or three choices. When you do decide which company to go with, ask about trial periods and how you can cancel their services if you are not seeing any measurable results in a determined time frame.
Step 9 – Watch Competitors
The idea behind SEO is to get your product/service the exposure it deserves online, which should eventually increase business revenues through sales. Although it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your competition to stay current on what they are doing, it also helps you to see if you are gaining any ground with your new SEO partner in place.
Step 10 – Reports
Finally, one of the key metrics to determine the success of SEO efforts is analytics. Your hired SEO partner should be able to provide you with regular reports showing what is and isn’t happening with your campaign. It is through these reports that campaigns experience correction to improve traction towards whatever goals you have chosen for your website.
Final Thoughts
There is a bit of science to SEO, but when you hire a professional agency to take on this task, you should see results in time. Finding the right SEO agency may take some effort, but the list above outlines simple steps to follow that will ensure the choice you make will be the best match for your overall online goals. You could go without SEO, but your business will suffer from a lack of exposure. And in today’s competitive digital world, you need to be on the same footing as your competition to keep your business operating well.
