You’ve identified that your search engine rankings aren’t where they need to be. It’s a pretty common problem for businesses and why SEO services are so sought after. After all, snagging that top position on Google is important since 32% of clicks go there.
Nonetheless, as with most things throughout everyday life, not all SEO organizations are made equivalent. Remember, you’re talking about marketing experts, so they can all probably make themselves sound pretty great. But how do you know you’re getting the right agency for you?
Most SEO agencies have similar skills, but their approaches can differ. So, an agency that helps one business to grow may not necessarily have the same impact on yours. Here are a few inquiries you ought to pose prior to leaving all necessary signatures.
Am I involved in the process?
This is a pretty important question to ask, but the desired answer will be different for everyone. That’s because some people want to hire an agency and just let them do their thing.
Others want to be heavily involved in the process with monthly meetings to discuss performance and strategy.
There is nothing wrong with either, but it all comes down to personal preference. You should be looking for an agency that’s happy to work with your individual needs. They should be readily contactable when you need them, but they shouldn’t bother you with constant meeting requests if that’s not your thing.
What’s included in my monthly package?
This is a pretty standard question when hiring an SEO or marketing agency. What are you truly getting for your cash?
Every organization, large or small, has different business goals, and SEO activity should align with those. So, it’s fairly important that your agency can deliver what you want.
Having a particular month-to-month bundle likewise assists with lucidity. Both you and the agency know what’s required and what to expect.
But perhaps most importantly, you’re looking for an agency willing to tailor a package to suit you. That’s the only way you can expect to meet your clearly outlined business goals.
Might my monthly package can be changed from month to month?
You ought to likewise inquire as to whether the bundle can be changed from one month to another. We should utilize a furniture store for instance.
As the owner of a furniture store, you might have a monthly SEO package that gives you all the keyword research and competitor analysis you need, some on-page or Technical SEO fixes, and a set number of monthly blogs.
Everything might be going well, but you’ve decided to have a month-long sale soon and want to promote it like crazy. Leading up to your sale, is your agency able to pivot its attention to some PPC advertising and landing page creation? You would hope so, but that’s why it’s important to ask.
Who will be producing my content?
It might sound like an invasive question because you’re essentially asking about an agency’s staffing. However, if you’re paying good money for content marketing, you’re entitled to know who is writing your content. Why is this important?
Tragically, offices re-appropriate substance creation to the most minimal bidder. This often means your content is developed by someone overseas, and English may not be their first language. The results are sketchy at best and downright terrible at worst.
Written content, in particular, is designed to attract and engage your target audience. Therefore, you have a right to know that a professional is providing your content writing services.
According to the source, SEO can increase business value by up to 429%, so it's worth getting right.
What is your approach to keyword research?
Even though we touched on the importance of asking for details about search engine optimization techniques, there is one specific task that you should understand a little about; keyword research.
This is important because there are too many agencies that do not pay enough attention to this aspect of SEO. Ideally, you want the people doing your keyword research to really understand your business.
Think about how many keywords and search combinations are available. And keeping in mind that some might be approximately connected with your business, not every one of them is totally pertinent.
Many keyword metrics can be good, but they are completely irrelevant to your business. Remember, keyword research is about finding the words and search terms that are most likely to be used by your target audience.
You should make sure that your agency understands the different types of keyword intent described below:
Commercial Intent: This type of keyword indicates that the searcher strongly intends to take an action, such as buying, joining, or subscribing. They will usually include catchy words like "free," "cheap," or even "near me" searches.
Informational: Phrases like "how to" are more likely to be used in these search terms. This indicates that the user wants specific information that is not necessarily related to making the purchase.
Transactional: In simple words, transactional intent means that the user is not at the business level but has gone through the informational stage.
Essentially, they want product information. Topics are likely to include reviews and listings of products.
Navigational: These keywords are usually branded, meaning the user already knows your name. They have heard about your business and are trying to find you online.
What kind of strategies do you use?
From here you get an idea of how an SEO agency works. You can usually get a good feel for it by talking to them; however, beware of agency representatives who are really good sellers. ask for details.
Every agency has a style. Some are more focused on beating their competitors; Others have an approach that aims to fix many SEO problems before you even worry about adding new content.
When asking about strategy, you're really trying to determine if the agency knows what it's talking about.
Which technology do you use?
All SEO agencies use technology to get more and better information and make their life easier. Nothing wrong with that, but it's worth asking what tools and software they use.
To be honest, it doesn't matter what tool they use, as long as they are using something. This question is more designed to check the transparency of an agency.
Are they happy to share their procedures, or are they vague and aloof when questioned? Transparency indicates a level of credibility, while vague answers can be a warning sign.
Which deliverables do you report on?
Last, but certainly not least, is the measure of success. Ideally, you want your agency to generate monthly reports tailored to your business goals. They should give you data that means something to you.
Some common metrics include:
- number of impressions
- number of clicks
- search engine ranking position
- number of unique visitors
- Number and quality of backlinks
These are just a few, and some or all may apply to you. Ultimately, you're trying to get more website visits that turn into sales. Therefore, try to agree on a key set of deliverables and reporting metrics to monitor on a monthly basis.
Hiring an SEO agency means a lot to help you grow your business. But choosing the right agency can be the difference between real business growth and a lot of wasted money. Always do your research, and choose carefully.
Optimize your understanding
While this may sound like a lot of work, it is essential to make sure that the internet marketing agency you want to work with on the SEO of your business is transparent about how they are going to help you.
The right agency will demonstrate that they understand the needs of SEO in your industry and that they are willing to work with you to meet your needs and understand your vision.
Search Engine Optimization is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing. You cannot take the risk by working with a company that will take your money and not produces results.
That's why it's important to work with a team of marketing professionals who are not only experts in their work but are willing to go the extra mile to make sure you're getting what you need to help your business grow.
