With ever-increasing amounts of business shifting to the web, the importance of good SEO rises along with it. Local SEO, link building, usability … the list of factors to keep in mind can be endless.
If you are looking for an SEO service that will take this responsibility off your shoulders, here are a series of questions to ask any SEO company looking for your business…
1) How will you improve our SEO?
Saying that they can get a website to the first page, first result in Google is what virtually every SEO company will tell you. But do they actually know how to get the job done?
Companies like Onpoint internet marketing have well-organized systems in place that help them figure out exactly what their clients need to get their SEO results on track.
If the company that you are talking to cannot articulate a coherent plan to take your website to the top of the search page, move on to the next prospect.
2) Do you have references?
An SEO company saying they can improve your search results is one thing. Getting them to produce a list of clients that can vouch for their ability to get the job done is quite another.
Any company worth their salt will be able to produce references that will proof that they have delivered results in the past. First timers that have just gotten started might be an exception to this rule, so long as you are prepared to put up with subpar results in the beginning in the name of saving money.
Otherwise, be prepared to open up your wallet and invest in a quality SEO company if you want to hit first page, first result with a greater degree of certainty.
3) Are your tactics in line with what Google advises?
While Google does not publish its search algorithm for obvious reasons, they do communicate best practices for SEO’s on a fairly regular basis via their blog. While many SEO’s may try to convince you that it is essential to resort to creative tactics if you want to outfox the competition, it may end up getting you penalized in the end.
By committing to white hat SEO techniques such as targeting keywords that you can realistically rank for, a good SEO company can lift you up in the search rankings, all while keeping your site off Google’s naughty list.