Technology

7 Tips On How to Hire The Right SEO Agency

With everything going digital, business owners have no choice but to go with the flow. Not jumping on the bandwagon early can spell out thousands of dollars of losses in profit. Trends and fads present businesses with unique golden opportunities that have the potential to turn your startup business into the next global conglomerate.

One of the best online strategies for your company to take is to create a website of your own. Your website acts as your virtual shop and is the online version of your brick-and-mortar store. Some of the benefits of owning a website include:

  • Your brand looks more professional
  • You gain more leads through online traffic
  • You build Brand authority
  • You have a designated communication centre
  • You open a Mail-Order & eCommerce option
  • You can create a subscriber newsletter and farm your customer’s contact information
  • You can promote your brick and mortar store’s location

When you own a website, one of the biggest aspects you must invest in is Search Engine Optimization. SEO is the process of optimizing all of the aspects of a site so that it ranks well on Google. Appearing first on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is crucial to your online business’ success.

According to studies, up to 53% of Organic Search Clicks Go to the first link. This huge boost in online traffic can exponentially increase your sales. Additionally, this could also improve your brand reputation. When you’re always on top of the list, the public thinks that you’re the leading authoritative figure in the industry.

Here, we have listed down 7 tips on how to choose the right SEO Agency for your business. Good luck!

Choose a Local Agency

You want to keep information on your site as location-specific as possible. If you’re trying to rank in a specific city, location relevancy is important. There is no better way to do this than to work with a local agency.

Local SEO agencies know exactly how to rank for Search in your area. They have key insights into the location’s unique demographic. When you work with a non-local company – you are relying on second-hand information. Sometimes the data isn’t local at all!

You cannot expect a company on the other side of the country to give you results. They would have to put a ton of time into building the research – research that local agencies already have on hand.

When you are a business based in the capital, look for an SEO agency in London. When it comes to boosting local presence, work with a local company. You won’t get the same competitive edge anywhere else.

Look for an Agency with Years of Experience

SEO is an ever-changing field where companies open and close their doors every day. The competition is fierce. It takes a lot to build up fool-proof strategies and data-driven results. Not everyone can keep up with the changes in Google’s algorithm, how much more other SEO companies?

When it comes to getting the best service, work with an agency that has a couple of years under their belt. It proves several things:

1.           They know what they are doing.

Finding an experienced SEO agency means you don’t have to deal with the awkward learning curves. Any issue can be quickly actioned and resolved.

 

2.          They can adapt to the algorithm changes.

Google changes its algorithm 500-600 times without anyone noticing. It also has several major updates every year. In 2019 alone, there were 12 major updates. You know an SEO agency is legit when they can weather these changes without losing clients.

3.          They have better strategies all-around.

SEO fads come and go. Most companies are quick to discard old methods. But experienced agencies know the value in these strategies. It is a matter of knowing when to apply them. When you work with an experienced company – you are sure to have a wide range of strategies to use.

 Ask for Transparency

Work with an SEO agency that prioritises transparency. Ask for regular reports that outline their deliverables. It can be on a weekly or monthly basis.

Even if you don’t have any SEO expertise, you should always be in the loop. Be very wary of companies that don’t offer this as common courtesy. It makes you wonder what they are doing behind your back.

Consider Agencies with Niche Expertise

Work with agencies that have experience in the same industry. Tech and software? Interior design and home improvement? Food and drinks? Niche expertise can go a long way, especially if you want to boost your brand authority in the area. Work with an agency that can speak your language and get high quality leads.

Establish a Clear Budget

SEO agencies are bound by what you allow them to do. If you give them a limited budget, don’t expect top-tier strategies. Be realistic about it.

A couple of hundred dollars isn’t going to give you the number 1 spot on Search. A small company should set aside at least $1,000 for a small campaign in a local area.

Do you want to compete on a national scale? Increase the budget.

Do you want to apply SEO to your other services? Increase the budget.

Talk to your agency for a free quote.

Choosing the Right Strategy

SEO has white hate, grey hat, and black hat techniques. The colours mark how ethical and sustainable their methods are. White hat SEO follows Google’s terms and conditions to the letter. They use legitimate strategies to improve organic search.

Black hat SEO is the complete opposite. They not only go against Google’s recommendations – they outright break them. If you get caught using black hat techniques, Google can blacklist you from Search. And you don’t want that. Select the right strategies that comply with the terms and conditions while still getting high quality results.

Set an End-Goal

SEO strategies should be tailor-fit for your goals. Do you want to boost brand awareness? Improve brand authority? Generate leads? Talk to your SEO team. When you are clear about the end-goal and have realistic KPIs – you should see tangible results.

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