When Should You Hire an SEO Company?
An SEO (search engine optimization) professional is someone who works to increase website rankings in search engines and raise website engagement from users. Deciding to hire an SEO professional to audit and work on your site is an important decision for your business. According to Google, some of the useful services that an SEO agency can provide include:
- Reviewing your site content and structure
- Technical advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript
- Content development
- Management of online business development campaigns
- Keyword research
- Expertise in specific markets and geographies
- SEO training
Before you hire an SEO company, it is a good idea to get a general idea of how search engines work and the basics of SEO. Google has compiled a few helpful articles and resources to help you learn more:
Questions to Ask Your SEO Company
When you are planning to hire a digital marketing company for SEO, it is a good idea to do your homework and ask them some informed questions. Too often, SEO professionals hide behind a wall of technical jargon designed to keep you in the dark about exactly what they’re doing. A reputable, experienced SEO company should be able to give answers to the following questions (suggested by Google) and prove to you that they have the knowledge and experience to get results.
- Can you show me examples of your previous work and share some success stories?
- Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
- Do you offer any online marketing services or advice to complement your organic search business?
- What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?
- What’s your experience in my industry?
- What’s your experience in my country/city?
- What’s your experience developing international sites?
- What are your most important SEO techniques?
- How long have you been in business?
- How can I expect to communicate with you? Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?
A good SEO company should be able to give you concise and understandable answers to all of these questions.
SEO Company Red Flags to Avoid
When it comes to SEO agencies, there are a few red flags you should look out for.
- Beware of SEO agencies that make guarantees about rankings, claim to have a “special relationship” with Google, and say they offer “priority submissions” to Google. None of these claims have any basis in legitimate SEO procedure.
- You should also be careful of companies that are vague and unclear about what they intend to do with your SEO campaign. If they are not being transparent about the work they are doing, it is likely they are using “black hat” techniques which can lead to your site being removed from Google’s index, which will hurt your business’ visibility.
- Lastly, you should understand where your money is going. A good SEO agency will be able to provide a breakdown of what your money is going toward and how they are spending time improving your website and boosting your SEO campaign. If you are paying an SEO company and are unsure of exactly what you are getting in return, it might be a good time to reconsider your options.
Picking the right SEO company can lead to a long, successful relationship that will help your business grow. That is why it is important to do your homework and ask the right questions at the start.
Have questions about SEO? Contact JSMT Media for a free consultation.
