Your online presence determines how easy you are to find and what kind of authority you radiate among people just hearing about your business for the first time. In other words, it’s a vital process for the future and growth of any business. While DIY SEO is possible, hiring professionals will always deliver better and more consistent results. Still, how do you find the right agency to outsource your SEO to? Here are a few tips to help you out.
- Learn more about SEO
Before you can even start looking for an SEO agency, you must learn a few things about SEO. What is SEO, and how does it work?
You see when looking for specialists, you need to know what to ask and what to expect. If you have no clue about SEO, you won’t understand what they’re supposed to do. You risk feeling dissatisfied even when they underperform or overvalue their services and feel they’re doing a great job when they’re just wasting your money.
The most important thing you need to know about SEO is that it doesn’t directly impact your sales. While your revenue will grow due to your SEO (more traffic, more authority, and higher conversions), the role of your SEO team is to help you rank better. As long as you rank well, they’ve done their job.
Imagine a scenario where your SEO team does an exceptional job, and you rank first. However, your products are inferior, and your prices are ridiculously high. Chances are that some people may be too lazy to research and buy from you, but what about those who click on second or third results? These people are not that rare; upon seeing the difference in cost/offer, they will choose not to become clients. This won’t be the fault of your SEO team, but if you don’t understand the field, it might feel like it.
Lastly, you only have the time to develop some basic understanding of the field. They’re the experts, and you should follow their lead.
- Ask for their previous experience
Once you do your research on chicago seo consultants in your vicinity, you might want to start reaching out. When you do, you must have a list of questions and requirements. These must be established in advance instead of just coming up with things as you go.
First, you have to ask them how long they’re in business. Let’s be real; the SEO landscape has evolved so much that you don’t care about their performance five or ten years ago. The fact that they’re still in business will testify to their ability to adapt to algorithm changes. According to specialists behind a renowned Minneapolis SEO agency, this is the most important trait in the field.
Next, you want to inquire about their specific experience. Have they worked with businesses similar to yours? Do they have experience with your particular industry? Even your business model may require some changes and adjustments. For instance, a SaaS business may require a slightly different SEO methodology. While this is not a hard requirement, it’s an important bonus you shouldn’t lose sight of.
Remember that, like with any other kind of outsourcing, you need someone who’s the right fit for your specific business.
- Check their price and scalability
The next thing you need to consider are the issues of price and scalability.
First, you want to know how much they will charge for the service. The biggest problem with this is that you don’t have a reference point if you have no idea how SEO works. They can give you the number, and you’ll measure it against an arbitrary number in your head or your marketing budget. This is why a starting point should be shopping around and looking for a reference.
Next, be very careful when assessing value for money (don’t just fixate on the price without figuring out what you’re getting for it). You see, just because you’ve agreed on something with an SEO agency, this doesn’t mean that the package is the same as the one you would be offered at the other agency.
Lastly, what if you want to expand in the future? Would they be able to handle an increased workload? What if you decided to move from a local to a global market? Could they make you competitive even against such odds? The bottom line is that you need to think about the future, and the best way to future-proof your business is to find partners who offer scalability.
- Agree on reporting and metrics
How will you know if the agency you’ve hired will deliver on their end of the bargain? What is their end of the bargain, to begin with? After you’ve done your research and know realistic SEO goals, ask the team how quickly and by which methods they intend to achieve them. That way, for example, you can help maid agency to grow their business online.
The thing is that SEO is a long-term project, which is why you need to set some checkpoints in terms of milestones and regular inspections. Sure, you can’t get to the No.1 SERPs in a day, but if there are no results six months in, is there a point in continuing at the same pace? So, agree on the frequency and format of reporting.
Next, you want to establish clear lines of communication. Agree on how you will communicate and who will be your liaison in the company in question. As a client, you’re entitled to their time and feedback whenever needed.
Lastly, you need to stay in touch and closely monitor the performance of your online presence. Sure, they’re specialists; you should trust them, but blind trust is not always great. Download some plug-ins yourself and check how your pages are doing occasionally.
Wrap up
The biggest problem with outsourcing is the paradox that you’re not familiar enough to do it on your own, yet you’re expected to discern which of these specialists are the most proficient. Still, where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Just do your research, shop around, and ask the right questions. The rest should fall in place on its own.