There’s a lot of type about SEO or Search Engine Optimization nowadays. There are studies and researches done to show how much positive impact it can have on businesses. And of course, as a business owner, you see the benefits and would like to enjoy these as well. When deciding to hire a professional, you need to remember that there are always two sides on a coin.
When done properly, SEO can help increase your profit. However, working with the wrong people can have disastrous results. Here are some tips on finding the best consultant.
Avoid Marketing Traps
You’ve probably received an email or two from companies offering their services to help improve your website. These usually have a friendly tone and encourage you to hire their company. Although, this might be very tempting, it may benefit you to stay away from these consulting firms.
Research…Research…Research
The first thing you need to know is how it works. When looking for a consultant, it is important that you understand the basics of optimizing techniques. Below are two of the common factors in SEO.
- Keywords – A person uses a search engine to find what they need. So if they were looking for a bed, that’s the keyword they would use. Search engines would then recommend companies that have this on their website. Key word count and placement play a huge role in getting top ranking.
- Link Exchange – When choosing the best results to offer, search engines do a link analysis. They check relevant links and use that for ranking as well.
There are a lot of SEO consultants to choose from. You want to find the one who can help your business grow. Check websites for what services they offer and look at their customer ratings. You want to hire one that has a good success rate. Although testimonials are great, you may want to check how well their other customers are ranking online.
You can also ask friends or associates who have worked with consultants below and see if they have any recommendations.
Pre Hire Interview
Meet and talk to different experts before hiring one. Let them go through a “job interview” so they can impress you with their experience and game plan. Ask a lot of questions to see how they can address your current challenges with your online sales. They can make or break you, so it is very important to know what kind of strategies they will be using. Below are some points you may want to cover:
- Campaign Analysis – To ensure that your investment in SEO is a success, an analysis of how effective the strategies are will be invaluable. Check if they are able to provide this to you during your contract term.
- Length of Contract – Successful and confident companies offer a shorter contract term to get ROI on your SEO venture. You want to hire experts who can deliver results faster.
- Client List – While researching online will tell you how many clients the company has worked with, it is still important to ask this personally. What you’re looking for is a company that has long term and repeat customers.
- Link Building Strategies – Ask about what strategy they will be using to improve your rating. Check if they utilize white hat, grey hat or black hat strategies. Beware of experts who use black hat as this will have a negative impact on your company.
- Keyword Strategy – Ask what keyword/s they intend to use to improve your ranking. In addition, clarify how and which parts of your site they will use these keyword/s at.
- SEO Company Ranking – Since you will be using their services to improve your ranking on search engine results, ask about their own ranking. You want to work with a company who can walk the talk. If their strategies are effective, then these should reflect in their own company’s website.
- ROI Projection – The reason you’re investing in SEO is to boost your business’ profits. Don’t hesitate to ask about when you can expect an ROI from this marketing strategy.
- Support – As a client, you will of course have questions about the marketing strategies they will be utilizing. Ask about what kind or support you will be receiving from them. Will you be getting a dedicated manager you can contact for any concern you may have?
