In this piece we’ll be talking about how to vet SEO companies in a number of ways, including their on page SEO skills, their off page SEO skills, and how to evaluate how reputable they are. Let’s get started!
First and Foremost - What is SEO?
Search engine optimisation is the process of getting your website to appear on the first page of search engines – such as Google and Bing – when someone searches for a keyword related to your business. This can be done (with or without the help of an SEO consultant) by creating content that contains keywords that are relevant to your business, having links from other websites point back to yours, and a number of other SEO tasks that are proven to improve your standings with search engines and improve your Google ranking, Bing ranking, or ranking on any other search engines that may be important to you.
It’s important to note that search engine optimisation is about competing with other businesses in your industry— and depending on what that industry is the SEO consultants providing your search engine optimisation services may even end up competing with businesses across industries, and even with big names like Amazon or Walmart. In cases like these you’ll need a highly-skilled SEO consultant providing your search engine optimisation services, and using strong SEO strategies in order to compete.
Other ServicesVIEW ALL CASE STUDIES
A reputable SEO company will employ metrics and KPI's.
KPI is short for ‘Key Performance Indicator’, and your KPI’s are the metrics that your SEO company should be using to track your progress. Every SEO campaign should have KPI’s assigned to it before it begins, because quite simply without them how can you identify what’s working, what isn’t working, and what you (or your partner SEO agency) are going to do about it?
Don’t forget however that having an agreed set of KPI’s in place is also in you’re best interest as a client. They are a way for your chosen SEO agency to show their results, but they’re also a way of holding them accountable – a yardstick against which the quality of their SEO services should be measured. With KPI’s in place you can independently measure your own success and evaluate the effectiveness of any changes you or your chosen search engine optimisation partner make. With that information in hand, you can make more informed decisions about how to proceed with future activities.
Why do I need Search Engine Optimisation?
There are several reasons why you need search engine optimisation, and why you may need to hire an SEO consultant:
Search engine optimisation is important for generating traffic to your site. If you don’t have a lot of organic visitors, it can be nearly impossible to get much exposure for your business. An experienced SEO consultant and good SEO services can help you stand out from the competition, and get you more traffic.
Your business needs Google in order to succeed. The search engine is the most popular online tool available, so it’s crucial that your website is optimised for it—and an experienced SEO consultant will know how to do this properly.
How do I find an SEO company near me?
If you’re looking for a top-quality SEO consultant, there are many resources available to you that can help. A good place to start is by reading reviews about different search engine optimisation companies online so that you can find out which ones have the best track records – be it with clients in your industry or with specific search engines. You might even choose to put the search engines to work yourself and look for an SEO consultant online – we have some tips about how to do that later on, don’t worry – or even ask friends or colleagues who have worked with an SEO consultant before for recommendations. These contacts should be able to tell you about the SEO consultant they teamed up with in the very least, but they may also be able to offer an informed opinion about any SEO consultant that you may be considering working with, and the SEO strategies they use.
You may also want to consider looking for a local digital marketing or SEO consultant because believe it or not search engine optimisation is part of digital marketing. What’s more, by focusing on looking for a local business you’re more likely to find an SEO consultant who can give you personal, face to face service – an SEO consultant that’s more than just a voice at the other end of the phone, that you can visit and talk to in person if you need to.
How do I know how to choose the best SEO consultants near me?
It’s important to find an SEO consultant with a good reputation so that they can help you achieve your goals. A track record of success is also important because you will want an SEO consultant who has experience working with clients and delivering success.
There are a few things you should look at when choosing an SEO consultant. A good SEO consultant will have a record of success, and it’s always best to choose someone who has been ranked top 10 in the search engine results page (SERP) rankings for their area of expertise. Here at the top full-service digital marketing agency Manchester has to offer we’re proud to say we’ve achieved that, and good SEO is one of the things that helped us do so.
When you’re evaluating the skills of an SEO consultant the first thing you should do is have a look at their website and see how well it ranks. If the SEO consultant you’re looking at is not ranking as high as they should be on Google, then chances are they won’t be able to help you either!
The next thing we recommend checking out is their blog – where the same rule applies. Again, if your chosen SEO consultant can’t get their own blog to show up at the top of the search engine rankings, how are they going to do the same for you?
If all else fails, go ahead and check out some testimonials from clients who’ve dealt with the SEO consultant you’re looking at in the past. We suggest reading through these carefully before making any final decisions, and doing your due diligence as far as ensuring that what you read is genuine of course – but providing that the SEO consultant you’re looking at is a reputable and ethical provider of SEO services, this can be a great way to evaluate the SEO services they offer, and whether or not their SEO strategies can get you moving up through the search engine rankings.
Where can I learn more about Search Engines & Search Engine Optimisation?
As leading SEO consultants the Seek Social team know that SEO is a complex topic, and it’s changing all the time. It is therefore essential for anyone interested in providing SEO services – including the SEO consultant you’re looking at – to stay up to date regarding how search engines work, changes to the algorithms that govern them, SEO trends, and more.
We understand that not everyone wants to be an experienced SEO consultant like the experts on our team though – some people are just curious and thirsty for knowledge. Whatever your motivation may be though, if you’re looking for more information on SEO, then you can certainly find it online. Platforms such as Moz, Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, and yes, even the Seek Social blog are the place to come to for all the latest developments in the world of search engines, and digital marketing in general!
How the right SEO consultant impacts your business positively.
A good SEO consultant is focused on getting your site to rank higher, but this has a number of knock-on positives for your business. For one, a better performance on search engines means more traffic and more traffic means more leads and customers, which means more sales! More traffic and a better ranking also mean more brand awareness, again leading to even more leads and sales.