Gasp! Blasphemy! Shock! This, coming from a search engine optimization agency that provides this very same service? Well, okay, hear us out…
Search engine optimization is one of those things that seems “simple”. Like exercise and weight loss, you can learn what you need to do in a few days or weeks. You’ve probably experienced “SEO agencies” from India offering you amazing services for super cheap. On the other hand, you may have had a bad experience with an SEO agency within the country promising you amazing 1st page results while providing you with nothing after charging you a few grand.
You see, anyone can quickly read up on SEO basics and claim to be an SEO “guru”, “expert”, or “ninja” (you get the idea). These so-called professional companies can be setup overnight and are ready to victimize business owners within days.
That’s why I think search engine optimization is one of the biggest flukes of the 21st century but don’t get us wrong: in this day and age, it’s necessary to have your website achieve top rankings in the search engines. Thousands of people look up reviews of service providers on a daily basis. Online marketing is simply another form of marketing; lose out on this and you are probably losing out on tons of revenue for your business. At the same time, anyone who has read about search engine optimization can claim to bring you amazing results. It’s not just the clients who are targeted; reputable SEO agencies also have to prove their worth while competing with these so-called SEO professionals.
So what can you do to make sure you’re getting a quality SEO agency or consultant that will get the job done? Follow these tips:
1. Ask for case studies. An established consultant or agency won’t hesitate to provide you with case studies. These case studies may seem boring but they should show that the agency/consultant has the necessary experience to provide you with results.
2. Do they guarantee results? This is a tricky one! When you’re spending hundreds of dollars on something like this, you want guarantees in place. Sadly, this is how some gimmicky agencies dupe their clients. Search engines like Google are not controlled by SEO agencies so how can they guarantee you results? Worse yet, these agencies may get you to the top of the search results for a few days or weeks using “black hat” techniques; inevitably, your site will incur a heinous penalty from the search engine gods, which may take months or a year to rehabilitate. Sure, you want proof of work but don’t opt for these “guarantees”.
3. Ask for references. Just like you would ask for references from any other service provider, why not ask for them from the SEO agency/consultant you’re about to hire? Don’t be shy. This could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in the future.
4. Ask for recommendations! This is a bit different than references. References are previous customers you can actually talk to and ask questions. Recommendations are positive testimonials that have been garnered by previous clients. Sometimes companies have LinkedIn pages with recommendations already in place. Make sure the SEO agency/consultant provides you with a legit source of recommendations.
5. How good are they with returning your calls/emails. Ask tons of questions, call, email! Remember, you’re the potential client and this new SEO agency/consultant needs to satisfy your business needs. If they can’t call or email you back within 48 hours, they may be more careless once they’ve acquired you as a client.
Remember: researching SEO agencies can seem pretty time consuming and confusing but go with your gut instinct. SEO doesn’t have to be a “fluke” just because you have hired a negligent SEO agency in the past. You want to do business with people who will care about your business, not just your money.