Considering the large amount of spam and shady companies existing on the web, it can be very difficult to find the right SEO agency for your needs. After all, SEO is a long-term investment and even has the power to make or break your online presence, so you have to do your due diligence prior to making any key decisions. Below are five critical issues to be considered when using SEO services:
Reasonable Offers
If their offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Find an agency that gives you a realistic projection of potential results. SEO is an ongoing process, and it ridiculous for any agency to make guarantees or promises, considering that search algorithms change every now and then. If you do encounter a company that makes such guarantees, walk away.
Industry Experience
Before taking any SEO agency seriously, it’s good to know how many years they’ve been in the business. If anything, the total amount of time they’ve spent in SEO and the range of client types they have worked with, reveal their level of experience.
Case Studies
Not only do good SEO companies have case studies ready for your review but they are also proud and excited to show them to you. The case studies should put their work to fore, providing particular examples of their performance and allowing you to validate their skills and expertise. In short, case studies give you peek into the results you might get based on the results they have given to their past or existing clients.
Standard Certifications
There is no such thing as an ‘SEO certification,” but several legitimate agencies do hold standard certifications for Analytics and PPC. Search engine biggies like Google and Yahoo have their own PPC certifications as well, and if agencies have these certifications, it means they have proven their expertise in these search engines’ ad platforms.
White Hat vs.
Finally, make it a point to ask your prospective agency about the strategies they use and let them explain them to you carefully in terms you understand. If their strategies feel manipulative or unethical, be wary. If your SEO company uses black hat strategies, you might end up with a banned website! Good agencies will answer your questions without any fuss and give you all the details you need to know about their strategy.
While SEO is usually an intimidating a daunting subject if you are not yet familiar with it, you should arm yourself with at least some essential knowledge and be smart in selecting an SEO agency. If possible, make a list of the best SEO companies you’ve researched and compare them before making your final choice.