Today, there is a myriad of SEO agencies available, and many more are establishing their presence day by day. Choosing the one among them that can fulfill your goal is a daunting task. When you start looking for a good SEO agency, either through an online search or by recommendations, you will end up with a list of great firms that promise to provide you with exceptional service. You need to be careful of the traps laid ahead for you.
When it comes to deciding on an SEO agency to work with, you must think smart and in a logical way. You do not need to rush into the process; otherwise, you may end up signing with an agency that won’t meet your requirements or expectations. With our tips on how to pick a good SEO company, you can make your research and vetting process easier.
You can choose the best SEO company by following these three steps:
Look at the past performance:
With the Internet nowadays, it has become easy for SEO companies to brag about the services they provide. You should not fall for that. Look at their previous work to determine their proven results if you want to know exactly what they are doing at the surface level. The past performance reveals a lot about the SEO company you’re considering partnering with. You can look at their past performance by going through their portfolio, case studies, industry awards, and testimonials. Here is what more you can do to evaluate their past performance:
- Check References And Reviews: If you want to evaluate a specific SEO agency’s past work performance, look for reviews on platforms such as Google, Facebook, and others. You can also post queries on social media platforms and get feedback. Collecting references is another critical step in the vetting process. Make a record of all the websites that a particular SEO agency has previously worked on. Call and talk to some of the previous clients to confirm that the information shared with you is accurate. This due diligence is worth your time and effort.
- Dive deeper into their portfolio and case studies: Portfolios and case studies will help you understand the working approach of any SEO company, the type of results their clients have received, and how they incorporate other services such as social media marketing, web design, pay-per-click, and others.
If the portfolio is not readily available on the company’s website, you can ask for a sample of their past work. You can also ask for the recent case studies of those whose primary strategic goal is similar to yours. This way, you can have a look at real-life examples of how they work to produce the desired result for their clients.
- Research the company’s ethics: One of the most important factors to consider while choosing an SEO agency is its ethics. LinkedIn can be a good source to gather information about a company’s profile and the ethics it follows. Ethics and integrity are paramount when it comes to choosing a good SEO company. If the front-line employees do not have a grasp of the company’s spirit or are not committed to fulfilling the company’s vision, the company won’t be able to provide you with the best solution. It is ultimately the employees who will work to grow your business. If they take shortcuts to rank your website higher, your online reputation could be at risk. So make sure that the company follows a strong code of ethics.
You must have concrete proof of their past performance before going into a partnership. With verifiable proof, you can confidently go into consultation with that SEO agency.
2. Talk to past or current clients about their experience:
Verifiable proof with in-depth interviews of past or current clients of any specific organization will help you get insights into the client experience. Interviewing at least 3 to 5 previous or current clients will help you learn more about the agency’s strengths, weaknesses, strategies, and reporting processes. This way, you will have genuine information about any particular SEO company. Interviewing clients helps you narrow down the options you have.
3. Schedule a meeting with SEO companies:
After you follow the above-mentioned steps, your list of options becomes narrower. At this stage, after filtering out, you will end up with 3 to 4 potential companies to consider. Now is the time to schedule a meeting, either in person or virtually, with each of these agencies. Compile a list of questions before meeting agencies so that there should be little or no doubt left. It would be better if you compile questions with the help of your team members. This ensures that you have included all the questions, be they regarding pricing, return on investment (ROI), strategy, or reporting.
You can make the right decision by following these three simple steps. This will take your time and effort but will also save you from investing in the wrong firm. It’s not about picking the best SEO company; it’s all about finding an SEO partner that is best for your website and can help achieve your business goal.
What to avoid while choosing an SEO agency is as important as what to look for in an SEO agency. Everyone makes mistakes. Learning from others’ mistakes is better than making the same mistakes and learning. That is why we are going to tell you some common and big mistakes that most businesses make while choosing an SEO company so that you won’t make the same mistakes as others usually do. Let’s see what those mistakes are that you must avoid:
- Falling for ‘cheaper’ prices: While comparing the prices, if you find an agency offering ‘cheaper’ pricing than others, don’t go for that because, ultimately, you will get what you pay for. If you choose an SEO agency offering cheap prices just to reduce your SEO cost, remember that SEO done incorrectly can create long-lasting damage to your website and domain. Your years of hard work can go in vain if you choose the wrong SEO company for the sake of reducing your costs. So it is better to focus on how much you will get in return rather than focusing on how much you are paying. By considering your budget, check their SEO packages and expected deliverables for the said price. Also, compare the prices of multiple SEO agencies to see whether they are offering competitive rates or not. Choosing a low-cost option just to save a little money may not be in your best interest. So just shop around and invest in an SEO agency that can give you a personalized experience, such as Optimistic Technologies.
- Browsing only local SEO agencies: Working with a local agency is a bonus, but when you are trying to achieve any specific goal, location shouldn’t be your deciding factor. You might lose a great SEO partner if you only browse local agencies. You might have the best SEO agency near you, but it may happen that their specialties don’t match your business’s preferences or goals. Do not confine yourself only to your nearby location; otherwise, you won’t be able to achieve the result you want. For instance, if your competitor works with an experienced SEO agency several miles away and you partner with an inexperienced SEO agency, your competitor’s website will always rank on top of you. It means more leads, sales, and revenue for them and less for you.
When you find a good SEO agency far away from your location, they will always try to bridge the gap. You can have a video conference with them or request them to visit your office whenever you feel like it.
- Choosing a black-hat SEO agency: This is another mistake that most businesses make just to achieve immediate results. You should be aware that good SEO takes at least 3-6 months to produce the desired results. This can be frustrating, but you need to be patient. Even smart companies fall for black-hat SEO tactics, which are unethical. While black-hat SEO can rank your website higher quickly, you will also fall from the top at the same speed. Google may even ban your website, preventing people from finding your company through the world’s largest search engine. So, always choose established, white-hat SEO agencies. Most of the time, cheaper SEO services go hand in hand with black-hat SEO companies.
So these are the three major mistakes that even smart businesses make, but you must avoid them. If you are also looking for an SEO agency for your business growth, Optmistic Technologies is the best choice for you. It follows trustworthy, future-proof, white-hat SEO techniques and provides you with a personalized experience.
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