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Last Updated on May 24, 2019 by Work In My Pajamas
Using SEO as part of your marketing strategy is expected these days, but that doesn’t mean you need to tackle it yourself. Depending on your situation, you may prefer to hire an SEO company to work on that aspect of your business.
But you may not know which one to hire, or why you should use SEO at all. Here are some tips to get you started.
In This Post:
What Is SEO?
In case you’re not familiar with the term, search engine optimization (SEO) is what you use to make sure people find your website when they do online searches.
Some of this is done behind the scenes. This involves setting up information on the technical side of your website so Google and other search engines know what you do and can index your site.
Another part of SEO is making sure your website uses the right keywords. These are the phrases that people type in when they’re looking for information, products, or services.
Updating your website to use those keywords is another way of helping people find you. It also boosts visibility to events or products you’re promoting.
This is one of the biggest advantages of SEO, but these updates also help build your authority and build trust.
Define Your SEO Goals
Before hiring anyone to help with SEO, you need to decide what you want to accomplish with it.
Simply saying you want more website traffic or more sign-ups isn’t specific enough. You need to specify your goals in measurable ways.
If you want to boost events, consider how many people you want to sign up. If you want to bring more people to your site, how many per week or month?
Knowing these details will clarify what kind of assistance you need.
Criteria for the SEO Company
In addition to knowing what you want for your business, you need to define what you’re looking for in the SEO company.
Some things to consider are:
- Location – do you need someone local, or can they be remote?
- Budget – how much are you able to spend?
- Results – does their prior work show they can help you reach your goals?
- Length of contract – how long will you commit to working with them?
Screen Companies
To get the full benefits of SEO, don’t go with the first SEO company you find. Meet with 3-5 prospects and ask questions that go back to what you want to achieve.
You should also ask about procedures for communication, analyzing results, and if they provide any guarantees. You want to get a feel for how professional they are, how well they communicate, and how easy they are to work with.
You should also keep an eye out for warning signs. Avoid any companies that:
- Promise instant results
- Have poor communication
- Use unethical methods
- Say their approach to SEO is proprietary
Choosing an SEO Company
After you’ve gathered all the information, it’s time to choose the right SEO company to hire. Evaluate everything you’ve learned about the different options, and go with the one that seems best suited to your desired results.
Then you can work with them to get those visitors or sign-ups you wanted and spend the rest of your time on the important work of running your business.
Interested in learning more about marketing techniques? Check out our blog for ideas.
