Everybody wants to take advantage of search engine traffic because it is widely known that search engine traffic has much more value than other sources. The question is, how do you get visitors from search engines? There are only 3 answers to this question:
- You SEO optimize your website, rank higher, and get more traffic
- You buy search engine traffic through paid search advertising (think Google Ads)
- You hire an SEO company to do the work for you
Although our goal with this website is to give you tips and advice so you can SEO your website without further help, there are cases where hiring an experienced SEO firm is the best option.
Why hire an SEO company?
Hiring a good SEO company can give you several advantages beyond getting more visitors to your website. In particular, small businesses or enterprises can benefit from hiring an SEO:
- Save time, money, and resources - Use your time and resources wisely, let them deal with your business, and let the experts do SEO. To get results with SEO, you need to have a good knowledge of how search engines work, which can be gained through experience, education, and specialization.
- Understand your customers better - One of the good things about the Internet is that everything is measurable. Your SEO experts can give you a lot of information about your customers, their needs, and their behavior.
- Explore new markets - Search engines are not the only source of traffic. Internet Marketers can help you explore new markets and business opportunities.
- Internet Marketing Strategy - You need a complete Internet Marketing strategy that goes beyond Search marketing. A good SEO company will create your strategy and action plan so you don’t miss any business opportunities.
- Create a user-friendly website - One of the benefits of SEO is that it increases the usability of a website. A user-friendly website can generate more sales or potential customers.
What should you look for in a good and reliable SEO firm?
One of the dangers of an open worldwide market like the Internet is the presence of scammers, and the SEO industry is no exception. Unfortunately, when searching for an SEO consultancy company on the Internet, you will find many fake companies or ‘SEO’ experts who can harm your website more than good.
The following tips can help you find and hire a good and reliable SEO company:
Too-good-to-be-true promises - This is a general rule on the Internet. Something is probably fake when it is too good to be true. If a company promises first-page rankings on Google for very competitive keywords by purchasing many links or an SEO package, save money and stay away. You need a lot of time and effort to get high rankings, and it is not just about links.
Case studies or success stories - Everyone can claim to be an SEO. What distinguishes those who know SEO from scammers is their history and background. Ask your SEO company to give examples of their SEO work, including reports showing increased traffic from search engines. Look at the examples and do several Google searches on the particular website. Can you find them in the Search results in the spots they claim? When did they start work on the particular website, and how competitive is the niche?
Experience in the industry - As mentioned above, SEO is fast-changing. To cope with the changes and stay in sync with the latest developments, you need true experts with the necessary knowledge and experience. When did the company register? Where are they located? What is their experience? These are some of the questions you should ask them before deciding.
White hat practices – One of the problems faced by many companies who hire fake SEO companies is the fact that those companies are using black hat practices to achieve rankings. While the results may be encouraging initially, the websites are punished and disappear from the search results very soon. The SEO company needs to use only white hat methods, and more importantly, you should ask them to give you a report on what they will do on your website.
SEO is not just about SEO - As weird as this may sound, a reliable SEO company will not only deal with search marketing but will create a complete Internet Marketing plan, taking advantage of all possible markets available on the Internet today.
Who is behind the company? The nature of this business allows you to work with clients using the Internet without having to make on-site visits. This does not mean you shouldn’t know with whom you are talking. Who are the company's owners and employees? Is the company respected in the industry? How can you contact them?
Deliverables – What are the exact deliverables of their engagement? Will they provide you with monthly reports showing progress? Do they define a starting point, milestones, and specific goals in their agreement? When do they consider a campaign successful?
Your business can benefit from a trusted SEO firm
The point here is that you should hire a company with a vision about your internet presence. Paying someone to optimize your website without having any real gains (i.e., new customers, new leads, new sales, new contacts, etc.) is as good as nothing. A successful SEO campaign usually spans many months, and it is certainly not a one-time or static process.
The good news is that a reliable SEO company can open new horizons for your business or website; all you have to do is choose wisely.
