SEO is one of those things that is always changing. What works today might be completely ineffective 3 months from now, making it really difficult to know what you need to do to get consistent page 1 ranking.
There are so many self-proclaimed experts out there making it very hard to choose which one to hire. SEO definitely has its share of shady people in it, and that is something you have to be aware of. There are certain measures you can take to ensure you select a qualified person or company to work with. In this post, we will equip with the knowledge you need to make sure you make the right hire. That said, here are our top 3 methods for selecting a winner when picking a company to handle your search engine optimization marketing.
How to choose an SEO company
Top 3 Things to Check to Help You Pick a Winner
- Do they rank? Let’s be real here. If you are searching Google for an SEO company don’t waste your time talking to someone that is on page two or worst. Even if you made the connection via social media, you have to see proof that he or she can back it up. Seeing the ranks of a person or company is actual proof confirming that he or she can do the job. Ironically, people often overlook this when beginning their search. A good friend at Badger SEO Milwaukee pointed this out to use in a recent interview.
- References and reviews. When you are narrowing your search for an SEO company, be sure to dig deep into their reviews and request references from previous clients as well. One tip we have for this part of the search is to really dig in. SEO’s are notorious for gaming things, and it is not uncommon for SEO’s to work in cahoots to bolster reviews and make things look better than they might be. This is not to say that even if that happens an SEO cannot do the job, it just is a word of caution to take your time and check things out as thoroughly as you can. References from past or current clients are the best option, and ideally, you can get that type of confirmation.
- Stay away from guaranteed fast results. I know that sounds crazy, I get it! However, Google has become very proficient with detecting link building tactics that are not up to par. The truth of the matter is, that whenever you build a link of any kind it technically qualifies as black-hat SEO because the goal of link building (or should be anyways) is to build authority and power to your website, ultimately assisting your efforts to achieve top rankings. This “happens” to be against Google’s TOS, but every reputable website gets backlinks, even Google itself! Not to stray to far off topic here, just wanted to clarify that. SEO’s that promise really fast results are usually a red flag. I am not talking about ranking a YouTube video for an obscure search phrase or something, I am talking about taking your websites from the graveyard to the front page in days, especially if you are in a competitive SEO niche. The fact of the matter is that Google IS very picky about who ranks, and they pride themselves on delivering a great user experience for the searcher, and they don’t just shove websites to the top in record time. Not for anyone. If the niche is wide open and extremely uncompetitive, it is possible, but that is generally not the case. For example, if your target keyword search was “best all natural blue onion slicer” (that isn’t a thing, we think…) you could probably get fast rankings by optimizing a page for that keyword, but typically it takes more work than that. Ultimately, just know that good SEO takes time, links take time to really push power to a site, and anyone that promised the moon tomorrow is probably a little bit full of ____.
There are many other filters you could use to make sure you hire a qualified person or company. These 3 things will help put you on the fast track to selecting the right candidate.
In closing, SEO is a marketing strategy that, if done well, can lead to a massive amount of exposure and traffic to your website, and ultimately new clientele for your business. SEO usually requires a pretty substantial financial commitment, therefore following the steps outlined in this article will help ensure you connect with the right company and get the most bang for your buck.