Each year as the business world better adapts to the new online way of working the new techie terms are becoming more familiar. Perhaps as little as 10 years ago the thought of an online reputation or social media marketing were terms that most people would have never heard of. But today, businesses large and small are working out their search engine optimization (SEO) strategies so that they can guarantee their spot in the future world of online businesses.
So, if you’re thinking about hiring an SEO firm, chances are that you’re doing all the basics that need to be done. You’ve gone online and did a Google search of all the SEO firms you could find that meet your criteria. The list you came up with is rather lengthy so your next step is to start an interview process and begin to narrow it down to a workable number. But now you’re faced with a difficult conundrum. As you talk with each one you’re finding that they all say pretty much the same thing. This is now a serious problem, as you don’t know how to distinguish between all the different choices you may have. But take note that your difficulty is not unique as explained by Joshua Steimle of Forbes Magazine,
SEO is surely the greatest con ever. Can anyone here tell me how every would-be Internet Marketer on the planet can promise every client to get them on the first page of Google natural search?
The goal of a good SEO firm is to boost your rankings so that your business name shows up in the first page of a search engine result. So, how can you determine which of these SEO companies will be able to deliver on their promises? Here are a few things you can look for.
Know Your Needs
The purpose of Search Engine Optimization is to improve your ranking in different search engines so as to attract new business. When it comes to SEO there are many different directions that a company may need to go. Some may be looking at removing a link from a website, managing your online reputation, PPC management, or content marketing among many other things. But before you can hire the right company you need to be absolutely clear what direction you’re expecting to take your company in.
If your focus is on sales growth there are some SEO companies that will help with that direction but if your goal is to build a chain of communication then you might choose another totally different company. When you know exactly what you expect to achieve from your SEO direction, then you’ll know which of the many businesses on your list to pursue. This point is explained by experts at Let’s Talk SEO,
You need to choose the one that you feel can improve your website’s ranking effectively. For this, you may have to seek the assistance of a search-engine optimization expert, who can suggest to you’re the most appropriate SEO methods.
The amount and the kind of traffic you will attract will depend on the technique you choose.
Consider Your Budget
When you set out to look for an SEO company, you will find all kinds of people promising to bring you to the top of the search page. We all know that everyone of these services won’t be able to deliver on their promise. For some the only way for them to get you on the top is with an advertisement. For this no real work has been included in such a task but they will charge you $50,000 just the same.
Before you begin anything, you need to determine exactly what is required to reach your goals and how much you are willing to spend. This move alone will probably eliminate many of the choices on your list. Keep in mind, however, that price should not be the sole deciding factor for your venture.
For those who are new to SEO it is important to understand that this is a service that is best done on an ongoing process. Finding the company that can get your site several pages higher in the ranking order can mean a lot to any business but it won’t be able to maintain that position if you don’t have someone in your corner that is actively working to keep it there. So keeping your budget flexible enough to pay a certain fee on a monthly basis is very important.
Check Their History
While many of these firms will offer customer testimonials, they are no guarantee that they reflect a true picture of the company’s real performance. Chances are they are a reflection of a few of their best clients and perhaps their only successes. Ask for the contact information of at least three different companies that you can talk to directly to find out their personal stories.
When you interview these referrals you’re not interested so much in their success stories but you want to know details like how long did it take before you saw results, what was the level of communication like, did they meet all of your expectations, and did they follow through on all of their promises.
The bottom line is that a company’s promise is only as good as their ability to deliver it. With hundreds of SEO companies out there all promising to deliver the same thing, you will need to be very skilled at sifting out those who may not be what they claim to be. There are many reasons why a specific SEO company may not be just right for you, but as SEO experts explained to INC.,
Whatever path you choose, make sure you’re reevaluating your search strategies every six-to-twelve months. Search engines continue to morph, shift, and become more sophisticated. If you want to be successful for the long haul, you’ll need to change to.
Most people do not fully realize that just like everything else in this business world, things will never stay the same. Just because you’re able to attain a level of success with the SEO path you choose, always be prepared to make adjustments as time goes on. This way you will be able to not only raise your rankings but stay at the top almost indefinitely.