If you're thinking about hiring an agency to do Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your small business website, get on it! Many of your competitors have websites that have been optimized and are showing up ahead of you in search results.
But don’t panic or make a rash decision.
You definitely want to do your research before you jump to hire SEO services for small business. The best time to start is now, but other great times to start SEO are when your business is considering a site redesign or planning to launch a new site. That way, you and your SEO agency can ensure that your site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the get-go.
If you aren’t planning any of these big moves any time soon, good SEO services can also help improve an existing site, and by investing now, even slowly, are going to have a positive effect on your small business.
To help you in your decision making process here are 12 questions to ask agencies you are thinking of hiring to partner with you in providing SEO services for your small business:
1. What SEO techniques do you use?
An SEO service should have a variety of integrated techniques that work together to optimize your website and your content to be found online by the right searchers. These should be long term strategies that focus on building your reputation and rankings on a strong foundation. If they have only one technique that has the feel of a magic trick, then ask to see behind the curtain. The techniques used should be clear, understandable and work well together over the long run.
2. How do you stay up to date with Google algorithm changes?
Any SEO agency has the responsibility to stay up to date on changes that will affect their clients’ websites. After all, that is one of the reasons you hire them! They should be familiar with updates such as Panda and Penguin as well as other changes that affect your website’s ranking. They should also be able to explain what the updates affected and why it matters to your website and to your small business overall.
3. Do you use Social Media Optimization?
Social Media isn’t just a way people connect with family and friends; it is something small businesses can’t ignore. Relationships-authentic relationships-are something that search engines are looking for and rating you on. Networking is still very important for small businesses, it has just moved into social media now. Make sure the agency you are considering has a social media component incorporated in the overall SEO strategy for your small business.
4. What is your link building strategy?
Make sure you ask this question up front and be clear on the answer. If you can’t understand what the strategy is, and they can’t explain it in basic terms so you can understand, be wary. An agency you are hiring should understand how to build quality links, especially after the recent Panda and Penguin updates. You want SEO services with strategies in place that go after long term results and real links.
Be careful and avoid SEO services that:
- Use any type of automated link building
- Submit your website to directories that have never been heard of
- Submit articles to link building farms
- Guest blog on blogs that are obscure and don’t send any referral traffic your way.
You want links that are valuable to your industry and are bringing referral traffic to your site. It is not about the quantity of links, but the quality!!
5. Do you use Content Marketing in your strategy?
All good SEO services for small business should use strategies that integrate with quality content on your website. Search engines are looking more and more at the quality of the content on your web pages and factor that into your ranking. It is not just about keyworded pages and alt tags and meta descriptions. Having a SEO service that also understands the value (necessity, really) of content marketing will be an investment in your small business’ future. Watch this quick video created by Google, explaining the importance of having relevant, quality content on your website.
6. How experienced are your content creators? Do you have examples?
Since being an expert in your field is one of the steps to increasing customers, having content that is relevant and shows your expertise is a must. SEO services for small business should include the option of having content creators who help create and mold your content to “show you off” so to speak. You don’t always have the time to write, so hiring content creators who understand who you are and create quality content that aligns with your goals is an investment since SEO and quality content go hand in hand.
7. How much will we be involved?
You want the answer to be “as much as you would like to be.” You want a partner with a SEO service that can bring the skills and expertise you don’t have, to pair with the experience and expertise you do have! You should have options such as: you write the content, but need the SEO service to provide you the keywords and optimize your web pages OR you give them an overall idea, they create the content, optimize it and you become part of the approval process. Whatever level of involvement you choose, make sure the work reflects your small business and your goals.
8. What tools do you use for SEO?
There are many great tools and resources out there for SEO, but some are to be trusted more than others. If a company uses tools that automatically produce content or automate link building a red flag should be waving. Look for a SEO service that uses tools to measure the competition, measure the potential of ideas and opportunities, track results, and discover targets and influencers. You want the tools to do the calculating, but the people to do the thinking! Read more about software that has been proven to be affective!
9. How do you measure results?
You may get a lot of numbers thrown out at you and some can look pretty impressive, or very dire. But you want a SEO service that understands which measurements are important. You should be looking at qualified traffic that comes in organically. This is important because it is not the amount of traffic, but the amount of traffic that is actually interested in becoming a customer and ultimately buying your product or service-so your business can keep its doors open and prosper. You may be getting a high traffic volume, but if that traffic isn’t converting into leads, then it’s like building a store on a freeway off ramp: you are seeing lots of traffic but is anyone stopping in to buy? Make sure the SEO agency you are hiring is not only measuring results, but measuring what really counts.
10. Will I get reports, and will I be able to read/understand them?
Speaking of numbers, you want to insure that you receive regular reports with the measurements that are important to your small business. Ask to see a sample and read one for yourself. If it looks like calculus, then something is wrong. You should be given reports that are clear and understandable, easy to read and come with live human interaction. The live human is a key part of SEO services for small business because they help translate what the numbers on the reports mean for your business, and what next steps and strategies need to be implemented to meet your small business goals.
11. How do you adapt to the needs of different clients and different industries?
If you feel like you are being squeezed into a cookie cutter strategy-RUN! You want a SEO agency that has a strong SEO foundation and strategy that works for your business, and that can implement SEO techniques affectively. But you also need a company who can adjust and tweak strategies to meet your individual company or industry needs. Find a company who listens to your needs and “gets” who you are. They will be a much better fit for you and you will be happier in the long run.
12. Can you back up your promises?
Lastly, don’t trust an agency with SEO services that promises your website will be #1 in Google search results. No company can guarantee that, nor should they! You want a company that understands the tortoise wins the race and the hare, well, he just throws a tantrum after all is said and done! Look for a SEO service who is not a pretender, who is transparent, and shares results their clients have had and they have had on their own websites. The proof is in the pudding!
As you navigate your small business through the internet marketing landscape, staying a step ahead of your competition is important. If you are at all competitive, then it is really important! Choosing the right SEO services for your small business should be an intentional part of your overall strategy. Asking the right questions up front, educating yourself about SEO services and what benefits there are for your small business is an investment worth investigating. Ready, Set, GO!
If you are looking for more information check out our Free Download filled with tasty SEO tips!
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