Important Questions to Consider Before Hiring/Firing an SEO Company
Most online searchers don’t go beyond the first page of results. Hiring an SEO company to increase your online visibility can be a smart investment, especially if the company’s efforts boost engagement, interaction, and revenue. However, not all SEO companies are created equal. Before hiring a reputed SEO company in San Diego or rethinking your relationship with an existing company, consider asking the following key questions.
How Long Will It Take to Improve My Google Ranking?
Stay away from agencies that promise results within a very specific time period. Realistically, it will take a reputable SEO agency some time to research your business and traffic patterns to get an idea of what kind of results they’ll be able to provide for you.
What Is Your Typical Backlink Strategy?
Backlinks from outside sources pointing back your site are important because Google considers them a sign of authority. Ask a potential agency about what they normally do to build backlinks. If you’re working with an existing agency, ask them for backlink profiles so you can verify links are coming from relevant and trusted sources.
Do You Pay Attention to On-Site Optimization?
If visitors don’t have a good experience on your webpages, your SEO strategies leave a lot to be desired. Ask the SEO agency about their approach to assessing your current on-page performance and how they typically go about improving things. The agency staff should be telling you about things like Google Analytics reports that can show every type of interaction on a website.
What Kind of Local SEO Tactics Do You Normally Use?
Half of all consumers who find info about a local business on their smartphones will visit that business within 24 hours, which is why you’ll want an SEO company that knows all about local SEO. With an agency you’re currently working with, ask them if they’ve:
• Submitted your business to Google My Business and local directories specific to your niche or industry
• Optimized your title tags for your local market
• Made sure your business’ NAP (name, address, phone number) info is correct and consistent wherever it appears online
How Will You Show Progress?
Make a list of your top keywords so you can track your results when you start working with an SEO agency. As for progress, ask about the kind of reports they typically provide to show results on keyword performance, website engagement, social media interactions, and other particulars. Preferably, the reports should be detailed yet easy to understand.
How Often Do You Adjust Keyword Strategies?
Keyword research should be an ongoing effort for a reliable SEO agency because search volumes can easily change within a short period. It helps to have SEO professionals who actively keep an eye on keyword trends so appropriate adjustments can be made.
What Do You Do About Blogs and Social Media?
SEO isn’t relegated to your website. The content within blogs and on various social platforms is just as important. Even so, you don’t want a company that’s solely going to optimize your existing blog and social content. They should also be looking at whether or not the content presented is in line with what matters most to your intended audience.
How Much Time Will You Spend Understanding My Business?
A good SEO agency doesn’t necessarily need to have a ton of experience with clients in your industry. However, your SEO team should still be willing to take the time to understand your business, which includes paying attention to such things as:
• Specific problems you are solving for customers with what you offer
• Who the competitors within your target market are
• What types of customers normally buy and/or use your products and services
• Available customer data
• Current level of visibility online
• Your goals with online marketing
Finally, ask for references for any agency you’re considering working with. Reputable SEO companies won’t have an issue showing you some of the results they’ve produced for satisfied clients, which can give you a better idea of what they may be able to do for you. If you’re already working with an agency, periodically take time to ask questions to get a feel for what they’re doing for you and how they’re doing it.
If you’re looking for a reliable San Diego search engine optimization agency, choose Saba SEO. We are a leading SEO agency with over ten years of experience in digital marketing. Over the last decade, we have designed effective and budget-friendly SEO strategies for a wide variety of businesses all around the globe. Our experts can analyze your business and use a variety of tactics to increase your online ranking and boost your conversion rates. To talk to one of our SEO experts, call us at 858-951-1717 today.