How To Choose The Right SEO Agency For Your Business

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Choosing the right SEO services can be difficult, especially when you have several factors to consider: the size of your business, your company’s goals, and your overall budget for search engine optimization services. But to choose the best agency like SEO expert in Duluth, MN that will boost your website’s rank and drive more traffic to your website, you must consider some of these key factors. Here are some ways to choose the right SEO agency for your business.

SEO is changing rapidly

Any firm promising you top placement in search results may be overpromising, but so are some of those that say they can’t promise anything. According to Best Freelance SEO, an online marketing research and advisory company, marketing with social media is becoming more important every day as these new tools continue to mature. And marketing with new search tools like Google+ Local and Bing Places will continue to grow in importance as well. The bottom line is that hiring a search engine optimization (SEO) firm is not just about hiring a tech support firm—it’s about finding a team or person you can partner with throughout your growth. 

The best time to start an SEO campaign is at the beginning of a new website build

Ask yourself why you’re creating a new website. If you have an old one that you’re migrating content and URL structure to, does it make sense to start fresh with an SEO strategy? It might be easier on both your wallet and timeline to hire an expert in migration optimization. If you’re starting from scratch, use Webmaster Tools as a quick check-up on how well prepared your site is for Google Search; in most cases, a single audit can identify common errors that may be causing problems on-page. Then look at competitors’ URLs (via SEMrush or another tool) and see how long they’ve been indexed – if they’re outranking you despite being indexed later than yours, there’s something more fundamental about their campaign that may need changing

Evaluate What You Need From an Agency

A great way to make sure you hire a good search engine optimization (SEO) agency is by understanding what you need from an agency before hiring one. While it’s true that there are agencies that will provide an array of services and work on multiple projects, if all you want is help making sure people can find your website, then having someone else design or develop new functionality isn’t necessary. Instead, look for a company with experience in search engine optimization and content writing; they’ll be able to do more with less overhead. In short, don’t waste time interviewing an entire shop unless you want their full range of services.

Talk to Industry Experts Before You Hire An Agency

It’s tough to sort through all of SEO jargon, and it can be difficult to decide if an agency is a good fit for you. Check with other small businesses in your industry, as well as some larger companies that have managed their own websites and marketing strategies. These people will tell you what they liked about working with a certain company and what worked (or didn’t work) for them during their SEO campaign. They might also share some horror stories about incompetent agencies, which will help you avoid those bad experiences from day one.

Test Different Agencies

Before you hire a company, try testing a few different agencies with a small project first. This way, you’ll get a better idea of what to expect in terms of work quality and cost. Even if you don’t ultimately go with one of these companies, it’s still useful information that can help you decide which firms you should interview in depth when it comes time to make your final decision. Having such an understanding of their services means that you’ll also be less likely to be surprised by any hidden fees or charges. If possible, plan on creating your content before starting any kind of campaign so that you can gauge how well each company works with your specific goals and needs.

Ask to See Previous Campaigns

A good way to start vetting potential agencies is by asking them for a list of their clients and then getting in touch with those clients yourself. If they’re reluctant or refuse, it’s probably best to walk away. Also, don’t just look at names, research companies thoroughly. You want an established company that’s active in its industry, not someone that set up shop six months ago with little experience.

Beware of Number One Ranking Guarantees

How do you know that a top-ranking search result is getting traffic? Most sites go months and even years without reporting any traffic. It takes time, hard work, and consistency. If an SEO company offers you a guarantee of a top ranking, be sceptical; no one can offer you that kind of guarantee. Always ask what their terms are before signing on with an SEO company. You should never sign a contract with an SEO company before reading it in full and making sure there aren’t any hidden clauses or non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). If you have trouble understanding all of the legal jargon, don’t be afraid to seek help from an attorney or your local Small Business Administration office.

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