SEO, or search engine optimization, is more important than ever. The search engines have made it a lot harder to rank your site, so to stay competitive you need to invest in an SEO firm. To decide if hiring an SEO company is right for you, ask yourself these questions: Do you have a business to build? How much do you want to spend?
What are you looking to achieve with SEO? Hiring the right consultant can turn that all around. They’ll help increase your traffic and conversion rates, free up your time to focus on more important things, like running your business. It’s important to know where to look before you start searching. Here are six things to look for when hiring an SEO consultant.
1. Know the Warning Signs
Before you even look for an SEO consultant, you need to know what to avoid. If you do your research beforehand, you’ll be able to spot the red flags of a bad consultant. Here are a few red flags to watch out for: Poor content: If a consultant’s website has no content at all, that’s a sign that they aren’t doing their job. You can get by without having any content on your website, but you won’t rank as high in search results.
2. Get References from Your Peers
If you’re struggling to make your brand stand out, the best place to start is with your peers. Who do you know that has hired an SEO expert? Ask them if they had any problems with their consultant. If they’ve had any negative experiences, it could be a sign that the consultant is not working for you. 3. Check for Reviews on the Web There are tons of SEO consultants out there.
If you have no idea who to trust, you can check online reviews for a good SEO consultant. You can find reviews on Google, Facebook, and other review sites.
3. Have Specific Goals (and KPIs) in Mind
When you hire an SEO consultant, you want them to help you reach your goals. If you don’t know what your goals are, then you’ll be at a loss when you sit down with your consultant. Before you even sit down with a consultant, you should be clear on what you want to achieve with your website. That way, you can be specific about what you need from the consultant.
Your goals will help to keep you on track during the process. 4. Find Out What They Can Do for You Your consultant should have a clear understanding of what they can do for you. It’s important that they show you that they can improve your traffic and conversion rates.
4. Ask for Samples
Before you sign any contract, make sure that you get samples from the consultant. If they won’t show you proof that they can help, it could be a red flag.
Research Their Team Before you decide to hire an SEO consultant, make sure that you know their team.
How many years have they been in business? Do they specialize in SEO or content marketing? Are they members of the local Chamber of Commerce? These are just a few questions to ask. If they don’t have enough experience in the industry, then you may want to look elsewhere.
Make Sure They’re Certified If you’re hiring a consultant, you want to make sure that they are certified. That way, you know that they’re qualified to work with you and your brand.
5. Look for Quality Communication
Skills If you’re going to be working with an SEO consultant, it’s important that they communicate well. It’s not enough that they’re an expert at SEO. You need someone who can effectively communicate with you. 6. Ask about Their Experience The last thing that you want is to hire someone that has no experience. If you hire an SEO consultant without any experience, it could be a disaster. It’s much better to hire an experienced consultant who knows what they’re doing than it is to hire a newbie.
