How to Vet an SEO Company: 7 Steps to Finding the Right Partner
Choosing the right SEO partner isn’t as easy as signing on the dotted line. Sure, you want your site to climb up the rankings, gain higher visibility, and outperform your competitors. But you also want to make sure the digital marketing agency that works with lawyers you choose is the right fit for you. It’s not just a case of who can offer the lowest prices or the best guarantees. You need to find a partner who will offer long-term value and help you reach your digital marketing ambitions.
So, if you’re scoping out potential SEO partners, you must undertake a thorough vetting process. Taking the time to make sure any potential agencies have the skills and resources to meet your needs could make the difference between a fruitful and a doomed collaboration.
We’re here to show you the way. In this blog, we’ll offer 7 steps you should take to help you find the best SEO partner, so let’s get started!
Quick Overview of Key Question
Doing research on the SEO company by reading customer reviews, checking out their portfolio, and getting referrals from people in the industry is a good way to vet an SEO company. You can also contact them directly and ask questions to get a better sense of their services and expertise.
Research the Company and Its Services
When looking for the right SEO partner, research is key. Doing a thorough evaluation of the company and their services will provide invaluable information to make an informed decision. Consider aspects such as the length of time they’ve been in business, customer reviews and rating, the size of their portfolio, and their employees’ credentials.
Take a look at the company’s website that should be filled with information such as the services they offer, processes they use to ensure success, case studies or other evidence of client success, what kind of content they focus on creating, and any certifications or awards they have earned. Researching these factors can provide a greater sense of confidence in selecting a partner.
That being said, research shouldn’t be your only priority when selecting an SEO partner—you should also get a gauge on the professionalism and support of the team members you may work closely with. Inquire about how long it takes for a response when making requests, the amount of communication you may expect from them as well as what kind of customer service you can anticipate.
It’s important to remember that researching an SEO partner does not just include reviewing information found online—it should also involve personal interactions over phone or even video calls. With that said, if all your research points to the right company and its services matching your needs then it’s time to determine what kind of SEO services they can provide.
What Kinds of SEO Services Does the Company Provide?
Once you’ve gathered background information on the company and its services, you should identify what kinds of SEO services they provide. Check to see if their services include local SEO tactics, online reputation management and content marketing. Make sure the company will use a combination of on- and off-site optimization techniques that can help your website rank higher on search engines. It’s important to check for transparency when researching the services an SEO company provides. Many businesses make claims about their specialized skills, tactic and processes that may be right for your project. However, it’s important to ensure those claims are backed up with evidence and results they have achieved in the past. If reading through case studies still leaves you uncertain, ask the SEO company to provide specific details about what they will do for you – such as how many keywords they plan to target, expected link metrics, etc. All of these steps help to ensure you select the right partner who can create a suitable strategy tailored specifically for your goals.
Once you have a better understanding of what services the company offers and how they are going to deliver those services, you can move on to the next step: analyzing the quality of their website and gauging their level of expertise. Are the site’s menus easy to navigate? Does it contain helpful content and resources? Initial impressions matter so don’t ignore any warning signs during this analysis!
Key Takeaways
When considering an SEO company, it`s important to research the services they provide (e.g. local SEO tactics, online reputation management, and content marketing) and ensures that their process combines on- and off-site optimization techniques for higher search engine rankings. Additionally, make sure the company has case studies and evidence that back up their claims of expertise. Once you have a better understanding of the services provided, make sure to analyze the company`s website for signs of quality and expertise.
Analyze Website Quality & Expertise
Once you’ve had an understanding of the services a potential SEO company provides, it’s time to look into the quality and expertise they bring to the table. In particular, you should take some time to evaluate the portfolio or case studies they have available; these should help you get a better sense of who they are and what sort of results they can deliver.
In addition to reading through their case studies, it’s important to consider the quality of the websites that appear in their portfolio. This is because, if the company can build a high-quality website for their clients, this implies a deep understanding of SEO across multiple elements. On the contrary, if a portfolio contains poorly built websites without an SEO-friendly structure in place, this could be an indication of their abilities and may be worth taking into account when you make your decision.
Finally, make sure to ask about any awards or recognitions that this company has received in its past projects as this will give you more confidence in their ability to deliver value. At the end of the day, having experience with award-winning campaigns may not guarantee future success – but certainly signifies strong qualities within the team.
Now that you understand the quality and expertise that this potential partner brings to the table, it`s time to move onto another key factor when evaluating an search engine optimization experts: website design and content. From analyzing navigation cues to readability best practices, it`s essential to pay attention to how well the website itself performs. After all, if an outfit cannot successfully optimize their own website chances are they won`t be able to do so for yours either.
Look at the Website Design & Content
Once you have confirmed that a potential SEO partner has an established website and good quality content, it`s time to take a closer look at the website design. An up-to-date, aesthetically pleasing and responsive website is always preferable compared to outdated, plain or cluttered designs. Through analyzing their site design and technical proficiency, you can get better insight into what services they offer.
At the same time, competitor analysis is helpful when examining the website design and content of a potential SEO partner. Analyzing your competitors` websites can give you an idea how to meet or exceed the industry standard with regard to web design. An experienced SEO firm will bring valuable knowledge, expertise and guidance in terms of crafting a well designed and effective website for their clients—one that is tailored to target their specific market goals. They should also offer evidence showing their past success with web design projects, such as before/after comparisons of websites they have worked on.
Of course, website design isn`t everything—there is much to be said about the quality of content on the website itself as well as external links. Pay close attention to any content featured on the potential partner`s own website; does it look professional in comparison to its competitors? Is it properly formatted with clear intent and purpose? Content quality can provide important insight on how competent your potential partner might be regarding your own SEO needs.
Finally, consider whether they are using characteristics of effective SEO in the content they write such as keywords, outbound links, multimedia elements like images and videos, social media integration etc. All these factors must be taken into consideration before you make your final decision; after all, your SEO partner must be able to demonstrate confidence and strong credibility through web design implementation as well as content writing capabilities.
With these points addressed, you are now equipped with information regarding website quality and expertise that will help you compare pricing & services offered by various digital marketing firms while searching for the right partner that meets your business needs.
Compare Pricing & Services
Now that you’ve looked at the website design and content of your potential SEO partner, it`s time to compare their pricing and services. Depending on the size of your business, certain packages may match up better with your budget. Furthermore, keep in mind which services they are offering, as some SEO companies may include a wider range of services than others. If a company boasts an all-encompassing digital marketing strategy in addition to SEO services, but charges more than another company with fewer services, it could still be worth investing. On the other hand, if you`re a smaller business that can benefit from utilizing several agencies to handle different online marketing tasks, then the company with fewer services and lower costs might be the better option. It is important to weigh both the quality and quantity of their offerings to make sure you get the most value for your money.
Once you’ve done your comparison shopping, you can move on to gauging how affordable their services are. Consider whether or not their fees are in line with industry standards and whether or not they offer any extras that could be beneficial to your specific SEO strategy. Are they open to providing periodic reports and do they offer any bonuses such as link building packages? Knowing what kind of extras they offer can help make the decision easier – is their pricing structure worth the long term rewards?
- According to a 2019 survey, 60% of businesses invest in SEO services because of their proven ROI (return on investment).
- A 2018 study concluded that businesses who spend more than $2500 per month on an SEO strategy can expect to see over 400% more leads compared to those who spend less.
- According to a 2017 survey by Moz, approximately 75% of consumers make judgments about companies based solely on their website’s position in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Are Their Services Affordable?
Establishing a budget for any project is important but can be particularly tricky when it comes to hiring an SEO company. Do you need to hire the most expensive option or can you get away with the cheapest? The answer lies somewhere in between.
It’s tempting to go with the least expensive provider, but pricing isn’t always indicative of service quality – and that means it’s vital to weigh up price and perceived value. For example, smaller businesses may find more value in relatively inexpensive niche services like local SEO or link building, whereas larger organizations are likely to benefit from comprehensive packages that can cost significantly more.
When comparing different providers, it’s important to read between the lines and look at the details of each package: what tasks do they perform, how often, and how long will it take to see results? Further, try to understand their workflow – do they provide analytical data related to performance? It’s also worth reading reviews of their service both online and from other clients – if you notice negative feedback regarding cost vs results then that should give you pause.
Ultimately, it comes down to your budget – what are you willing spend upfront, and what level of risk are you comfortable taking on? If a provider appears too good to be true then it’s best to side on the cautious route in case their results don`t live up to their promises. On the other hand, paying top dollar doesn`t necessarily guarantee success as there are plenty of companies out there who focus on quantity rather than quality. As such, finding the right partner will likely require some patience as well as research – but if done correctly it can definitely payoff in the end.
Responses to Frequently Asked Questions with Explanations
What research should I be doing before making a decision about an SEO company?
Before making a decision about an SEO company, you should research their customer reviews and success stories. This will give you invaluable insights into how the company works and if they have been successful for other businesses in the past. Additionally, you should research the company`s portfolio of work to get an understanding of their experience and expertise within the SEO industry. Finally, be sure to ask questions about the company`s processes and strategy to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest SEO best practices. Making sure all these components are researched thoroughly will help you make a confident selection that is right for your business` needs.
What factors should I consider when evaluating an SEO company?
When evaluating an SEO company, there are several important factors you should consider.
First, look for a company with a proven track record and successful results for their clients. Search for reviews from previous customers and look for customer case studies. It is also wise to ask the SEO company for specific examples of their work and data from campaigns they have run in the past.
Second, assess how knowledgeable they are in the latest trends and best practices in SEO. Ask them how they stay up-to-date on industry changes, whether they are members of any associations or networks, and read through the content or blog posts on their site to get an understanding of what type of expertise they offer.
Third, examine the team dynamics when vetting an SEO firm. Talk to them about who will be working on your project and get a sense of who they are as people. Assess their communication style as well as their ability to be flexible, as things can change quickly in the ever-evolving world of search engine optimization (SEO).
Finally, make sure that you understand their fees and payment terms up front. Knowing your budget before beginning any project is key in order to avoid any surprises later down the line.
Overall, finding the right partner for your SEO needs requires some time but if you know what factors to look for during the vetting process, you will have greater success.
How do I know if a given SEO company is reputable and trustworthy?
There are a few ways to assess the reliability of an SEO company. First and foremost, you should look for reviews and testimonials from past clients. If their portfolio looks impressive, that’s a good sign. You should also ask around in professional circles and see if anyone else has had any experience with the company.
Next, during the vetting process it is important to ask direct questions about the company’s experience and track record. Ask them what methods they use, how long have they been working in the industry, and who their current clients are. A reputable SEO company should provide concrete answers for each of these questions.
Finally, you can also request references from current clients in order to get a more thorough understanding of how the company works and whether or not they deliver on their promises. Make sure to carefully review the references provided since they will give you great insight into how trustworthy a given SEO company is.