An online presence is a must for any company these days, whether it is a startup aiming to gain more visibility or an established business. Because of the advantages of a well-ranking website, nearly every business is attempting to maintain an online presence. This makes the digital space more competitive than ever.
Hiring the best seo agency for improving your website’s ranking to increase the online visibility of your company can be a tough task. You have to invest a lot of faith in the particular SEO agency, and since the results are not achieved overnight, a lot of deliberation is required.
There is also an apprehension that the investment in the SEO agency might not get you the return on investment that you expected. This may be due to a number of reasons, from the SEO agency failing to deliver the goal promised or the traffic and engagement generated is not converting well.
This article aims to provide some tips on how to choose an SEO company that will result in a positive experience.
Past Experience of the Agency
Most websites for agencies offering SEO services will usually have testimonials from clients on their website. However, you should note that these testimonials are likely ones hand-picked by the agency, and will be biased, showing only their most successful cases. It might be a lot of effort to do so, but conduct a background check if you want to pick an effective SEO agency.
A background check would involve trying to contact at least three firms that the SEO agency has worked with, ideally in the recent times. Algorithms used by search engines fluctuate constantly, and an agency which was successful in getting good rankings for relevant keywords three years ago may not be able to do so today.
Gauging the rankings of their previous clients, especially the average ones, can help get a perspective on the agency’s effectiveness. Contacting their previous clients personally can also help you understand how the agency works with their clients.
Look for an Goal Oriented SEO Agency
When you hire a SEO agency, you need to set specific goals to be met. It is usually a good idea to set realistic, measurable goals when contacting the agency. The purpose for hiring the agency needs to be specific, such as boosting leads, increasing exposure or gaining more conversions.
Setting tangible goals such as a specific number of unique visitors each month can help the SEO agency understand your goal as well as help pick the right agency to meet your goals. The testimonials of the previous clients, and their current ranking for keywords, can always help determine if the SEO agency can meet their goals.
The ranking of the SEO agency’s website itself can help reveal information about the agency’s success at increasing exposure. However, know that that often isn’t the best representation of the company’s effectiveness. At this point, it may also be a good idea to explore the other aspects of the agency that you plan to hire. If it is a completely SEO focussed agency that has still survived, it is a good indicator that they are meeting the set goals and expectations.
However, if it is an agency that provides a variety of digital services, there is a possibility that the SEO work is not always successful, and has been compensated for by the revenue generated by the agency’s other sectors such as hosting or graphic designing.
Your Budget and Their Payment Terms
The amount quoted by the SEO agency for particular SEO work can also reveal a lot about how well prioritized and customized the work done for you is going to be. A fixed payment usually means that the agency uses a textbook approach for your SEO work. It may work for you, or it may not. It is always a good idea to fix a budget, and try to speak with the one actually generating the SEO content.
There is also the chance that you’re being sold more than what you need. This is when companies will usually hire salespeople to sell you extra packages which may not contribute towards your current goals at all. Or worse, they could be exaggerating the amount of work going into achieving the results that you want, and hence quoting inflated prices.
Try not to get sold on extravagant sales pitches, and always try to talk to the individual or team which will be actually working on your SEO content. That way, you will get a fair idea of the work being put into your website, and make it easier to get a reasonable figure for investment.
Communication And Transparency
The effort the SEO agency puts into understanding your goals and communicating their process and methods to you can speak volumes about the agency’s commitment and passion, which in turn reflects on the effort put in their work and the returns you get on your investment.
Some SEO companies may try to protect specific practices, as the market can be very competitive. However, most methods are usually common, and can be discussed freely with the clients. If a SEO agency is promising results with a top secret method, it can be considered a red flag. There is no one magical recipe that will suddenly make your website rank on Google’s first page.
To get a fair understanding of the agency’s understanding and legitimacy, it may be a good idea to schedule a meeting between your firm’s representatives and the agency’s representatives. The communication and transparency between the two parties can go a long way in assuring a positive experience for both the SEO agency and company.
Choosing the Best SEO Agency is Now Easy With Our Tips
The above tips aim to help you pick a good SEO agency to help generate more organic traffic. However, it is always a good idea to never put all your eggs in one basket. Always refrain from letting one company handle you website, host it, provide AdWords services and other digital services. It could technically be convenient, but trying to extract yourself from the agency after that, for any reason, can be a nightmarish process that is best avoided. The key thing to remember is to communicate your goals well and never forego a background check.