By Ryan Boog
Google released a set of recommendations to consider when hiring someone to manage your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. So we combined that with additional tips on SEO and the hiring process.
They should be interested in the well-being of your business.
You will probably have to pay for this since you will be using an SEO expert’s time.
A good SEO expert will offer you the best option for optimal improvement at a reasonable cost.
Related Content:Why Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?
You want to find a company that prides themselves on being a cut above the rest. There's definitely a line in the sand between companies that conduct SEO the right way and companies who stick to promising impossible ranking results. You want to make sure they're on the good side, doing work with integrity. A good way to get to the bottom of this is to see what they say in response to "How does your agency stand out from other SEO agencies?"
Make sure the business has a legit location. SEO agencies can have fake business fronts and hide behind a website. You don't want that.
You should be able to talk directly with the SEO expert that will be working with you. This way you can connect with the SEO expert and decide if you like them, not just the company. Some SEO agencies will talk with you and then assign you an SEO expert later, once you've signed the contract. Make sure you know who they are before signing!
SEO is complicated. If you can find a company who explains SEO to you in relatively simple, straightforward terms, you can be pretty sure that they'll be good to work with. Two things to request of them: regular reports (monthly, quarterly, whatever), and phone time to ask questions or just check in. If they're handling your SEO, you want to be able to talk to them about it.
Your SEO company should have an extensive report for you every month. Weekly reports would be redundant and quarterly reports would be ridiculous. These reports should cover more than keywords. It should be cover the analytics and performance of your site.
I'd be wary of anyone who hands you a list of 50 keywords and says, "I've got these nailed! Piece of cake!" A great SEO agency will be upfront with you about potential challenges, but also positive and excited about the potential they do see for success.
Any company that promises results should be able to show you case studies to prove they've actually achieved the results they promise.
That is a load of baloney. As an SEO expert, I would never say that to any clients of mine. With Google’s paid ads and neglect of organic traffic nowadays, it is harder than ever to make a site #1 on Google. Any honest SEO company will educate you on what to expect.
You deserve to see an SEO audit of your site to see where your site is strong, and where it could use some help BEFORE you sign anything. It is easy for someone to pick keywords and stick them into a site.
Let's take keywords, for example, they are a big part of SEO. What matters is the thought process behind why these keywords were picked. You need to approve these keywords. Do they properly represent your services? An SEO audit will get you and your SEO company on the same page. Hoist also has a custom SEO audit app. Please contact us if you would like an SEO audit, however, our extensive audits are not complimentary.
We can't believe other SEO companies do this. We never make a client sign for a set amount of months. You should stay with an SEO company for at least 4 to 6 months, just because it takes a while to see SEO results. But, we would never make a business stay with us if things aren't working. Let's be honest--if things aren't going well, you don't want to work with us; and we probably don't want to work with you either. 😉
Frees up your time and worry You won’t need to worry about finding time to market and optimize your site. Hiring an SEO/digital marketing agency lets you focus on what you do best, your job.
Abide by Google’s best SEO practices A reputable SEO agency will make sure your marketing, SEO tactics, and website follow Googles recommendations for a great user experience.
Gain more traffic to your site A proper SEO strategy should bring more users to your site over time.
Grow your brand presence More traffic and a higher ranking mean your brand’s presence will grow online.
Increase conversion rates Experts will be able to identify ways to improve the conversion process on your site. So, along with more traffic, you will get more conversions.
A wise return of investment It can be hard for business owners and marketing managers to spend money on things that are new to them. But, SEO almost always has a great ROI for the client. Especially if you choose an agency that truly cares about your success.
Avoid Google penalties SEO specialists will know when new Google updates are coming/have been rolled out. They are a fantastic security blanket for your website.
Get a full team of specialists to support your site A proper SEO company is usually a full-service digital marketing company. That means your business/marketing strategy will have professional content marketing, SEO, paid ads, social media management, email marketing, etc.
Learn more about your site performance and audience through data Specialists can track and gather a large amount of data from your site.
Stay up to date with changing, competitive web trends The web is a constantly changing medium. Employing an SEO agency ensures you stay on top of your competition and current trends.
Realistic goals A proper agency will determine realistic goals for your investment. This way you feel comfortable and are aware of your process.
Learn about SEO and digital marketing The company should teach you about terms and strategies (if you are interested). Then, you have a basic understanding of what’s going on.
Serving your online customers a good experience Part of increasing your rank or traffic is to have a site that offers a fantastic user experience. Experts will help you all the way from design to copy on the website. Sometimes these differences are night and day.
Wondering about hiring an SEO expert?
