Making the right decision when choosing your next SEO firm has major consequences for your business and your bank account. The difference between a boom in organic traffic and a decrease in Google rankings comes down to choosing between a good and bad SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, specialist. But with the right SEO partnership, businesses in any sector can increase sales and decrease their advertising budget -- all while improving user experience. Before locking into a contract with a new SEO firm, here are 5 tips every entrepreneur should consider.
1. SEO is not magic so avoid anyone who talks about it abstractly.
SEO, the process of optimizing your website to drive organic traffic, is difficult, which also means that it's often misunderstood. People who maintain that they have special insight into Google’s algorithms, or who play up the mystique surrounding SEO, are, usually, lying. Rather, good SEO requires a deep understanding of how search engines work, attention to detail, and constant modifications since Google’s algorithms change almost weekly.
Additionally, shortcuts like buying links, keyword stuffing, and cloaking can lead search engines to demote your website. These techniques are called Black Hat SEO because they violate search engines’ rules. Once Google’s bots discover that you’re using these tools, they’ll demote your site in their rankings, which will decrease organic traffic. SEO specialists who claim to have special knowledge could be using Black Hat SEO practices, for which you will ultimately pay a high price.
2. Be specific about your goals and find a firm that can meet them.
Whatever you do, do not hire an SEO firm with the vague goal of "increasing organic traffic.'’ For starters, there are many different kinds of organic traffic, meaning that increasing traffic does not automatically translate to increased revenue. Ranking first on Google for Italian men’s shoes does not do your CBD business any good, for instance.
To avoid ambiguity, you and your team should outline exactly what you’re hoping to accomplish with SEO. Are you looking to boost product sales by ranking for certain keywords? Are you struggling to reduce your website’s bounce rate or increase your conversion rate? If you’re looking to increase ad revenue, would you prefer to have a wide audience or a smaller audience that spends more time, on average, on your site? Are you looking for help building a social media following, creating sponsored content, or other services that go beyond SEO?
3. Don’t just go by a Google search for 'best SEO' lists. Instead, go by word of mouth.
Why shouldn’t you choose a Search Engine Optimization company based on how well they rank on search engines? The best SEO specialists are too busy optimizing websites for their customers to waste time on their own websites.
The best firms typically have a lot of long-term customers who have referred members of their professional circle to the same service. Only companies that need new clients will bother to rank for “best SEO company in Austin,” for example. This applies to other keywords, too, like “Best SEO services” and “best SEO tools.”
4. Find an SEO firm with metrics that work for you.
Once you’ve outlined your goals and narrowed down your options to a few companies, it’s time to make sure that you and the company that you choose to work with have a clear method of charting your progress once you get started. In other words, what is the end goal of ranking for specifical keywords?
Before you choose your next SEO firm, it’s crucial that you and your consultant are on the same page when it comes to Key Performance Indicators or KPIs. KPIs are metrics that can apply to virtually any aspect of a business and can mean a host of different things within SEO itself. For example, a company with a new product will have different objectives than an older company with an established clientele.
5. Choose an SEO firm that communicates effectively.
Though you should have access to the tools they’re using to measure your KPIs -- SEMRush, Google Search Console, Google Analytics-- most likely, you don’t have time to spend the time to analyze all that data. For this reason, you need an SEO specialist team that works for you in terms of communication and fostering trust.
Keep in mind that SEO is a process so you could be working with this firm for years to come. Even if you only plan on working with an outside company temporarily, meeting your organic website traffic goals takes time, patience, and a constructive working relationship.
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