Previously I talked about the misconceptions of SEO. This week I would like to give you some pointers on what to look for in an SEO company and how to choose the right one.
Referrals are a great place to start. However, even with referrals from a business colleague, there are still some questions to ask before you’re ready to take the next step.
It’s an unfortunate truth that some SEO companies use manipulative and non-compliant techniques to produce quick results for their clients. This type of SEO is damaging and many are unaware that it can result in your website being penalised or, in some cases, completely removed from search (Google).
Reversing the damage takes a lot of time and money.
Avoid choosing an SEO company that is in it for all the wrong reasons with these simple guidelines.
These ten tips will help to give you an indication of the company’s knowledge, their credibility and how they operate in a very complex and changing space.
Firstly, check the credentials of the SEO company you choose
There are some very straightforward facts to get straight before you venture any further with an SEO company. But, no matter how straightforward they are, people often forget to ask them. Here’s what you need to check first:
- Do they have a physical address?
- Are they easily contactable and happy to answer your questions?
- Ask them for references and who their clients are
- Ask for examples of successful results in search (Google)
- How long they have been doing SEO and who will be working on your website?
Business sizes and budgets
A good SEO company should have a number of different price points for businesses of all sizes. They should be able to effectively optimise your website according to your budget.
Website audits
An SEO company should address the way it can improve the visibility of your site in search. This should ideally start with an audit of your site to address any underlying problems.
Website Optimisation
Targeted keywords are an integral part of on-page optimisation. Your SEO Company should work with you to analyse and optimise your pages, understand the nature of your business and suggest alternative keywords through keyword research.
Link Strategy
Any effective SEO company will understand the importance placed on a link strategy. For this reason, they should be able to perform an analysis on your site’s backlinks and offer to improve it.
Customer Service
We’re all impatient when it comes to business, so make sure your SEO Company is available for discussion. A company’s response time to your enquiries is a good indication of how well they value their clients as well as how well they operate as a company.
Time is important to us all
Your SEO Company should be able to get on and do the job for you without having to ask for continual guidance from you. The relationship should be collaborative but, when it comes to doing the job, they should have the knowledge and expertise to do what you are paying them for.
Pricing and Comparisons
Your SEO Company should be priced competitively and you should always compare the value of their SEO services with the price you are paying. This means cheap is almost never good.
Communication
This is one of the more important aspects of any prospective SEO company and, indeed, anyone you deal with in business. Make sure they communicate well and they speak a language you can understand. Remember, they are working for you and you have a right to ask questions.
Value
Compare the price and value of SEO with that of traditional advertising (for example Adwords, print or TV and radio). With SEO, it is very easy to see your ROI from the data on your website.
Reporting
A good SEO company should provide regular reports so you can see how your website is performing. The data will show whether your SEO Company is doing precisely what you are paying for.
As you can see, there are a lot of things to look out for when choosing the right SEO company for your business. A good SEO company is crucial to the success of your website’s performance in search.
By using these guidelines above, you will be a good start to making your website perform as it should.
Here at HPE, we value each and every client we work for – big or small.
We adhere to a number of key guidelines when ensuring our clients are getting the best possible results from our SEO strategies.
Above all, we treat each client with individualism, tailoring their strategies to suit their business and budgets.
If you’re looking for an SEO company who will put you first, communicate efficiently and bring you excellent results, give us a call today. We’d love to get to know you.
