The search for the right SEO agency is important to the success of your online marketing strategy. This search can be difficult when you are not as well versed in SEO and don’t know what is important.
Do Your Homework
Before you start trying to find an SEO agency determine your needs. What is the goal? Make sure you have clear, defined goals on what you want from your SEO efforts. These goals will need to be communicated to prospective agencies to determine if they are a right fit.
Three Types of SEO Strategies
SEO is defined by three types – on page, technical and off page. Knowing the difference in these will help you find the right partner.
On Page
This refers to the strategy for optimizing content on web pages. Such as the HTML, content, and images. The goal is to make the page relevant to both the user and the search engine.
On page SEO involves the optimization of the following key elements of a web page:
Title tags
Meta descriptions
URL structure
Headings
Content
Image alt tags
Site architecture
Internal linking
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the optimization of various technical elements of your website. Such as speed, mobile-friendliness, website architecture, security and structured data. These are important ranking factors and involve a comprehensive technical background. You don’t have to know how to do these, but it is an important consideration in find the right agency partner.
Off Page SEO
Backlinking is the most common definition. The focus of this strategy is to optimize your website’s reputation online. Each time a site links back to your site it is considered a positive vote for your content and site. It is important that the sites that link back have a good reputation. Kind of like how you don’t want to get caught hanging out in the wrong neighborhood. An off page strategy will look at your current reputation scores and work with you to find ways to improve.
Finding the SEO Agency
Now it is time to find the right agency. Most SEO agencies will have a dedicated page on their website that lists all of their services and rates them with stars or ratings. This is a great way to see what the company can do for you, and how much they charge. The best search engine optimization firms offer a variety of services. Such as:
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
PPC (Pay Per Click) Marketing
Link Building Services
Social Media Management
Web Design and Development Services
You will want to look a few key elements when evaluating your options. What is the agencies reputation? Do they have references? Are there examples they can share? Do they have expertise in the area of SEO that is most important to you? Reading testimonials and reviews are a good place to start. Many agencies will show their credentials on their website. Look for expertise in Google Analtyics (now GA4), HTML, CSS, etc.
Confirm the Credibility of the Agency
Ask some specific questions about the company. Make sure their approach to SEO is what you need. Ask how they plan to improve your site’s rankings. Always look for an agency that considers themselves white-hat and make decisions based on data. Ask for case studies or examples of their work.
Here are a few other questions to ask:
Can they blend their SEO strategies into your business goals?
What’s their methodology?
What is their past success rate?
What’s the cost per month of working with them?
Is their assistance ongoing, or a one-time thing?
What metrics do they track?
Most importantly, evaluate their communication style. It will be important for them to be able to communicate complicated concepts in an easy to understand way. Clear, responsive and open communication is key to the partnership.
Keep in mind SEO is a long game, any company that promises quick results or fast turnaround in performance should be avoided. It is a long-term process that requires ongoing effort and commitment. Be sure to choose an agency that is transparent, responsive, and dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.
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