There are a lot of different concerns a small business owner needs to stay on top of to ensure their enterprise is a success. In this modern era, one of those elements is their ability to get word of their business out to potential customers on the internet.
Optimizing your web presence for the benefit of search engine optimization is an important task all businesses must take in today’s world. The better your search results, the more business you can generate.
If you’re not a web expert, you might consider hiring a local SEO agency to help you with this kind of task. What do you need to keep an eye out for when hiring for SEO services? Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know.
Experience Matters
If there’s one qualification you’ll want to consider when hiring an SEO service to help with your business, it’s experience. There are many SEO companies out there but not all of these businesses will have the know-how to ensure that your business can really succeed.
When you’re scouting talent for your online presence, it’s best to look for companies who have been doing this kind of work for at least five years, if not more. This kind of longevity will indicate that the company isn’t just a flash in the pan — that they really know what they’re doing.
On top of that, the company will have years of experience doing the exact kind of work that you’re hiring them to do. They’ll have mastered the art of SEO and refined how they go about their work.
You can rest assured that they will have handled cases very similar to yours. They’ll know what practice to employ to ensure you get the results you require. They’ll also be aware of what pitfalls to avoid and how best to avoid potential complications.
Younger and less experienced SEO companies might fall into simple traps and struggle to get you the kind of results that you’re paying for. When looking for help, look for experience above all else.
Positive Reputation & Reviews
If someone else has had a stellar experience with their SEO campaign, there’s a better chance that you’ll have an excellent experience as well.
How can you be sure that the company you’re interested in will provide this kind of experience? You can easily look online to see reviews from previous clients.
Reviews are often left on Google but will frequently be left elsewhere as well. You’ll want to look for companies that have a large number of reviews as this indicates that they have served many clients.
As we mentioned, it will be beneficial to you if the dates of these reviews stretch back into the past. If all of the reviews are raving but from a very short window of time, they might not be trustworthy.
For most businesses, you’ll likely only see one-star or five-star reviews. Individuals who found the company middling likely won’t take the time to get online and leave feedback.
Even the most stellar SEO companies will have a disgruntled client every now and again, so you shouldn’t get concerned if there’s a one-star review spread through the mix.
However, if there is a large number of poor reviews it might be enough to get you to think twice about hiring this service for your business. You can look into this company to see an example of a local SEO business with plenty of great feedback.
Client Retention Rate
One thing you may have to ask about when speaking with an SEO service is their client retention rate. This might not be a number that the business just keeps public on their website.
However, any reputable SEO company should be happy to share its current retention rate with you. This can be a great thing to ask about because it should indicate to you, outside of reviews, how happy this company’s current clients are.
It might be helpful to phrase this ask in a specific way when you speak with a company representative. Being told a retention rate is a certain number might not give you the information you need.
What you’re really trying to determine is how long the average client retains the services of this company. They should then respond in months (or even years, if they tend to retain clients for a very long time!).
The longer this company holds onto clients, the better. This will give you an idea of just how happy their customers really are.
Ask About Results
It’s easy for any SEO company to claim that they offer quality service. They might claim they have the best local SEO strategy, but do they really? How can you know?
Any SEO business you think you might hire will need pack up their claims with proven results. Ask to see numbers that demonstrate how successful their existing campaigns have been.
If they can prove to you that they’ve been able to provide long-term positive results for clients, that should help reassure you that you’ll receive the same. If a company can’t prove their quality of work to you, it might be wise to look elsewhere.
Hiring a Local SEO Agency
If you’re trying to get the word out about your business, it’s important to look into the services of a local SEO agency.
A reputable business can help you to rise in the ranks and succeed. Finding the right company for you doesn’t have to be difficult, you just need to employ the above tips and tricks.
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