You’ve realized that in order to grow, you’re going to need help from someone who knows what they are doing, and can save you time and money with their experience.
With so many options to choose from, finding the right SEO company can be tough. We’ve put together some tips and pointers on what to watch out for and what to look for when speaking with a SEO company.
Things to Watch Out for:
Packages: One size does not fit all. If a SEO company offers a package of services, take time to consider which services your industry and business really needs. Otherwise, you’re spending money that might be better used towards other digital strategy efforts.
Black Hat Tactics: These can include unrelated keywords, keyword stuffing, spam blogs, duplicate content, hidden links and text, as well as tiny text. Basically any tactics that are deceptive to users and search engines should be avoided.
Guarantees: Unless the company is Google, everyone else is doing their best to anticipate what search engines will consider when deciding which website should rank higher than another. If a SEO company is telling you that they can guarantee you the #1 spot in search results, be wary.
What to Look for:
Case Studies & Examples: Any reputable SEO company should have case studies available, or at least example websites that they have optimized. Ask questions about how they are converting the traffic that comes to the site and how much they were able to not only increase traffic, but also increase on-site conversions.
Custom Strategy: Look for a company that takes the time to understand the unique needs of your industry and your business. Rarely can a SEO and marketing plan for one company work exactly for another, so make sure they are taking into account your specific requirements.
Transparent Communication: Ideally, they have a project management system and a dedicated account manager assigned to your account, but if you are speaking with a freelancer or looking to hire someone internally, ask them how they plan to provide updates.
Tools to Help You Assess Your SEO
It helps to have a general understanding of where your site is now before speaking with a SEO company, so you have a basic overview of terms, as well as your current rankings and performance.
Track Site Performance & How Users are finding you:Google Analytics & Google Webmaster
Check Site Speed & Performance: Pingdom
