SEO agencies are a dime a dozen, but finding a good SEO agency is a bit more tricky. In 2020, we are expecting to see a continued increase in Google searches, as well as an increase in e-commerce buying. These two factors point to the continued value SEO plays in a company’s marketing plan.
Regardless of industry, SEO can be a major component of lead generation and sale figures, in fact, a majority of marketers believe SEO to a more effective strategy compared to PPC. To put the value of good organic strategy into perspective, let’s examine consumer internet behavior — on page one of Google results, the first three organic results account for nearly 70 percent of all clicks pertaining to that query. So it’s really (almost) true, if you’re not first, you’re last. Google’s search algorithm uses over 200 different factors to numerically rank pages for keywords and phrases. If your SEO agency isn’t full of experienced experts, you’re going to struggle to see campaign traffic, or even worse — position ranking drops.
So we’ve identified five questions to ask before hiring an SEO agency to help you sort through the crowd, and find a team that truly knows their meta descriptions and title tags.
Question #1: Can you guarantee that our site will rank #1 for a core keyword?
This is a trick question, and if an agency tells you yes, MAJOR RED FLAG. Ranking in the top three organic search results requires a good strategy, hard work, and some luck. There is no way an agency can guarantee a top position ranking for your keywords, they are just telling you what you want to hear. This dishonest behavior makes you question what to believe and what you can’t. Are these reports accurate? Did they actually do XYZ work this month? If trust isn’t at the heart of your relationship with your agency, you’re not going to have a good experience, regardless of SEO rankings.
Question #2: How do you approach technical, on-page, and off-page SEO?
An SEO campaign strategy requires extensive planning in three phases, all of which play critical roles in how Google weighs ranking factors. By asking this question, you’re hoping to hear that the agency individually designs their SEO strategies into the sectors of technical, backlinking, and content. There are agencies that may do one or two SEO aspects well, but all three are necessary to best optimize your company’s success and organic traffic. Did you know over 55 percent of website pages lack a SINGLE backlink? If your site was able to have just one backlink for half of your webpages, you’re going to see significant ranking growth. Combine that with technical optimization and keyword-driven content, your SEO campaigns will begin to elevate your company’s success.
Question #3: How close do you keep a pulse on Google’s best practices?
SEO is all about catering to what Google deems proper protocol. For example, Google rewards content that directly and extensively answers a user’s query. Therefore, the content your SEO agency recommends you make, or builds themselves, should seek to answer the question page visitors are looking to solve. Every year, the Google search engine undergoes over 500 algorithm updates — tweaking and tightening different aspects in an effort to provide the best user experience. These updates can change how Google values and determines a page’s SEO ranking. Therefore, you’re going to want your agency to always know what Google is unrolling, and if tomorrow they say HTTPS is no longer the way to go, you’re going to want to adapt — quickly.
Question #4: How will you report, and what will they show me?
Transparency is key. You need to know what you’re paying for, and if it’s worth it. A good SEO agency is willing to send you weekly comprehensive reports regarding the status of your campaign — from rankings to implemented optimizations, you should have knowledge of every aspect, even if you don’t want all that information.
Question #5: What do you know about my industry and how will you adapt a strategy to fit this audience?
This question might be the determining factor if you decide to sign with an agency or not. Ultimately, SEO experts need to be adept in how to engage with audiences from multiple industries because, at the end of the day, a campaign’s success is determined by the ability to connect and motivate a target audience. This requires extensive research in consumer language, habits, and needs. Furthermore, it calls for your SEO agency to be willing to learn from you and how to best leverage your experience within the specific industry. If you don’t have faith that the agency can adequately resonate with your target market, it might be best to look at other competitors.
Looking for a Do-It-All SEO Agency?
At Venta Marketing, we are helping businesses meet their goals head-on. As leaders in the digital marketing industry, we know the ins-and-outs of how to run successful SEO campaigns. Contact us if you are curious about how we can help you grow!