Is your website buried in search results? Do you suspect your competitors are getting all the organic traffic? Figuring out how to pick an seo company is like finding a trustworthy mechanic for your business’s online engine. So, you might be wondering what steps to take and what questions you should even ask. It’s time to explore how to pick an SEO company that’s the right fit for you.
Why Search Engine Optimization Matters
Organic search is still a massive source of website traffic. That’s probably not news, though, right? However, visibility matters, since click-through rate tends to be highest for the top organic search results. After all, consumers often look to the internet for even small purchases. So, being easily found can really boost leads. A strong online presence enables potential customers to find information. Increased visibility leads to higher rankings in search engine results pages, so you’re more likely to get noticed. Higher rankings through SEO can translate to multiple wins.
What to Look for in an SEO Service
First, clarify what an SEO Company even does. SEO firms enhance a website’s SEO by providing things such as on-page optimization and link building. Some firms even offer local SEO and technical SEO. You’ll want to choose the proper SEO services since the goal of SEO strategies is to closely align with Google’s guidelines. It’s important to note that Google holds over 90% of the search engine market share. That means that those practices should improve the site’s ranking on that search engine. Also, before partnering with any agency, understand what you’re trying to achieve. What are your business goals? Increased website traffic? Enhanced keyword rankings? Getting clear can boost conversions and save some resources, as well.
Keep in mind the potential cost of hiring a digital marketing service. These projects, on average, can range from $10,000 – $49,999, according to Clutch. Hourly consulting can range from $50 to $150. However, that cost depends on the scope of work that’s needed. The cost should influence whether to pick the potential service provider.
Key Requirements: How To Pick an SEO Company
Asking the right questions can make or break your success.
Consider the factors below when evaluating different SEO partners.
- Verify transparency of initiative.
- Know which SEO initiatives they will actually execute.
- Assess whether you’re a good fit based on pricing and contract.
- Evaluate the team’s level of experience.
- Make sure the metrics and reporting match your expectations.
Evaluating a SEO company’s expertise requires some research. Don’t just take everything at face value. Let’s explore some criteria you might apply as you research and evaluate potential vendors.
Transparency Matters
Plenty of businesses are hurt by bad experiences with SEO companies. Many business owners write checks to their service provider. But many also admit that they don’t know what their vendors are doing. No one outside Google has a magic formula to rank. The algorithm and search features are always changing. Also, there’s more than one way to get solid SEO wins. What’s the solution? Make sure the potential SEO partner tells you exactly what they plan to do each month.
Understanding Types of SEO
It may help to think about SEO as multiple sub-disciplines. In other words, there isn’t just one “SEO.”
Keep the following in mind during your research:
- Local SEO: Optimize for a specific geographic area.
- National SEO: Reach a wider audience, so there’s more competition.
- E-commerce SEO: Optimize online stores.
How can you choose a service provider that knows your type of business? Be sure to get case studies for local, national/international, and e-commerce campaigns. Ask the potential firm if their expertise matches your business model.
Tools and Resources
A robust SEO plan may involve using multiple software packages. Ask the potential SEO firm what tools they will use. You should be concerned if they only mention a few basic tools. What you really want to see are companies using a number of more sophisticated tools to do a thorough job.
Assessing Potential Initiatives
Be sure to ask the potential agency about specific, tangible SEO tactics. The agency’s knowledge is critical to winning. In general, companies talk about “on-page” (efforts done on your website) and “off-page” (efforts done outside your website). You want to ensure that their strategy includes on-page, off-page and technical SEO. If so, your plan has a much higher chance of success.
Working with Your Resources
An effective SEO plan has many moving parts. But maybe your team has an ace content creator who wants to write blog posts. See how open the agency is to incorporating your own team’s skills. SEO is about finding opportunities given a finite budget and timeline. Good vendors could use that expert blog writer and use their extra time to do technical tasks. This kind of flexibility helps to maximize return on your investment.
Client Experience Matters
How can you truly know an SEO agency can do a solid job? Well, what do other people think? Get on the phone, because you want real, unfiltered opinions. Ask to talk to a couple of the potential provider’s customers.
Here are some specific questions to consider asking them.
- How long have you worked with the potential vendor?
- What were your goals? Have they been achieved?
- How fast do they respond to your questions?
- What could they do better?
- Would you recommend them and why?
Red flag alert. If the agency refuses to give you a list, that should tell you something.
Digging into the Details to Get Good SEO
Before you work with someone, be ready to dig into what metrics the SEO service uses. The best ones will offer the following:
- Rankings
- Traffic
- Conversions
You simply have to track how you rank in search for your target terms. Rankings show progress towards your objectives. However, rankings don’t equal traffic. So, also dig into numbers around demographics and which pages people view. However, the ultimate tracking metric is being able to track actual conversions and see what marketing avenues drove the conversion. A well-rounded company will provide data for tracking progress and keep open communication. Be prepared to set some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) so that all stakeholders know what’s considered success.
Some examples include:
- Improved search visibility.
- Increased organic traffic.
- More qualified leads.
- Higher conversion rates.
Without all that data, how do you really know?
Staying Up to Date with Industry News
Make it a point to stay abreast of current trends in the industry. You can do this by reading the Google Search Central Blog, for instance. However, in general, do not get SEO advice from an article that’s a few years old. Keep that in mind, too, when assessing a potential firm’s current knowledge.
Conclusion
Picking the right partner for search engine optimization has its challenges. The key thing is that when thinking through how to pick an SEO company, get ready to embrace research. By weighing key areas, assessing vendors thoroughly, and knowing what metrics to look for, you have a far higher chance of success.
