Are you stressed about hiring an SEO agency?
We understand the stress, then!
Hiring SEO company is always a very intimidating experience because a lot is at stake, and your company’s SEO success depends on the company you hire. The choice of the company can break or make your content marketing.
So, it is very important to be very careful as well as very particular when doing your research for the right candidate.
What questions should you ask when hiring an SEO marketing company, and what should you look for in a potential candidate?
We are going to answer all your burning questions in this small guide to hiring an SEO agency for your company’s SEO needs.
Without further ado, let’s dive in:
7 Questions to Ask When Hiring SEO Company
Keep in mind: It is crucial to ask questions.
And…
It is even more crucial to ask the right questions.
How will asking questions when hiring an SEO agency help you?
When you ask questions, you will get to know more about an SEO agency. You will be able to understand how the SEO agency works and this will make it easier for you to decide if they are the best fit for your company’s marketing requirements or not.
Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at some really important questions that you must ask the representative who deals with you when hiring an SEO agency to make sure they are the right fit:
- Do they use any specific strategies? Ask them if they use any specific strategies, what those strategies are, and which strategies they will use when working on your website.
- Do they specialize in a certain field or work? Ask them if they have any specializations. You must find out if they like to work on certain areas such as email marketing, PPC, or social media or if they offer a package that includes a little bit of everything.
- What is their experience and do they have any certifications? Find out what their experience level is and what they have worked on before. Ask them about their certifications (if they have any). For example, if they have any certificates from Google or Meta just to estimate their level of expertise.
- What payment options do they offer and what is their level of flexibility? Make sure to ask them about their payment method, schedules, and if they offer any room for negotiation and flexibility.
- What does their track record look like? Ask them how long they have been working in this line of work and how their experience has been with their clients so far. This will give you a good estimate of the project timelines.
- What are their requirements? Find out what information they will need from your side in order to perform SEO for your website properly.
- What is their preferred style of communication? Find out about their style of communication, preferred mode, frequency, as well as availability for any questions about an ongoing project.
How to Find a Good SEO Consultant?
Finding a proficient SEO consultant is pivotal for optimizing your online presence and enhancing visibility in search engine results.
While the process is not that difficult, looking for the right qualities and services is very important.
Start by delving into online platforms, where you can scrutinize consultants’ portfolios, client testimonials, and industry reputation. Seek recommendations from colleagues or peers who have previously collaborated with SEO experts.
During the selection process, prioritize consultants who demonstrate a deep understanding of your business niche and possess a solid grasp of current SEO techniques. By conducting thorough research and interviews, you can identify the right consultant who can propel your digital marketing efforts to new heights.
That was just a bird’s eye view of how to go about this.
Let’s take a look at how to find a good SEO consultant in more detail:
Take a Look at What They Need From You to Get Started
You should always inquire what the SEO consultant will need from you to get started when hiring an SEO agency.
Why?
When you ask them for details, it will give you an opportunity to see if they will ask you whether you have already done any search engine optimization for your website.
If they ask you the question, then it is a good sign.
If they don’t, then it is a major red flag, and you need to step back.
The reason why this is important is because it shows whether an SEO agency is going to ask you for money again for search engine optimization that you have already done on your website.
What questions should the SEO company ask you?
Look for the following questions:
- Have you created a content plan for your website?
- Do you have any SEO reports for your website?
- Have you ever done an SEO audit before?
- Have you applied any link building strategies?
If they ask you these questions, then you are good to move forward.
Another important thing that SEO companies will ask from you is access to your website’s Google Search Console as well as Google Analytics. This is a good sign too because these tools are the best according to industry standards. Moreover the information from these tools will help the SEO company to assess the state of your website before they start working on it.
In a nutshell, when you are hiring an SEO agency and they display genuine interest in the optimization you have already done for your website, it shows that they are efficient, and will probably do a good job.
Gauge Their Grip on Industry Knowledge
It needs a deep understanding of the SEO and marketing industry’s history to make wise decisions when it comes to SEO. So, it is better to just assume that you are not working on a one-time SEO assignment when you hire dedicated SEO services. Instead of doing that, you should count on an SEO agency to keep improving your company’s website.
When you approach it this way, it’s easy to see why you require an SEO expert who keeps up with industry developments. Ranking algorithms are always changing as well as the world around them. Hiring an SEO agency that is aware of important details from earlier updates will, therefore, enable them to comprehend the development of the market better.
As a result, you will benefit from this information for the SEO needs of your company.
Ask Them to Do an Audit of Your Website
Before the SEO company you wish to hire actually starts working on your firm’s website, ask them to perform an SEO audit of your website. As a result, they will give you a prioritized list of tasks that they think should be performed to optimize your website.
What things should you look for in the SEO audit report to make an informed decision about hiring SEO expert services?
These are the factors you should look for in the audit:
- Does the audit give you confidence that you will be able to work with the SEO company as well as learn from it?
- Did the SEO company take the time to walk you through the audit and explain the logic behind the changes they have suggested in their audit?
- When doing the audit, did the SEO company create a list of the changes they want to do, including the expected result of those changes as well as their level of difficulty? As a rule of thumb, the tasks that are easy as well as have the biggest impact should be on top of the priority list.
- Did the SEO company account for the way real audiences will understand your website in the search engine result pages as well as react to it? Keeping that in mind, it will be ideal for you to curate your site’s google listings to be appealing for your target audience, and not just for the search engines such as Bing and Google.
This audit will give you a good estimate of how the company thinks and what it will be like working with them when hiring an SEO agency.
Ask Them for the Right Details
You can never ask for too many details when hiring an SEO agency. It is important to have everything on the table when deciding on an SEO consulting service.
Before you make the final call, you must make sure that the SEO firm can successfully meet your SEO requirements as well as that you have a clear understanding of what they do that will impact your website.
Ask them for details about their approach to developing an effective SEO strategy, staying up to date with the latest SEO trends, studying the Google algorithm changes, their previous successful projects as well as their achievements, the metrics they use to measure the success of SEO, their handling of penalties and/or sudden drops in rankings, and their link building strategy.
Moreover, you should also ask for details about their quality assurance, the relevance of backlinks, the process for integrating SEO with other content marketing strategies, service cancellation, contract termination, multiple contract options, and custom packages. It is also important to know if an SEO company informs its clients about technical site changes.
Your website will undergo structural and code-level modifications as part of an SEO overhaul. You could wind up with a complete makeover because everything is subject to change, including the navigation and visual design. It’s a positive sign when hiring an SEO agency if the specialists are open and honest about the main elements of your website. Black hat SEO and penalties can be avoided by working with an SEO agency that is transparent about its processes.
If you’re kept in the dark about your website, you may later face issues from dishonest SEO, which could negatively impact both your business and website.
Even though you don’t have to become an SEO expert, you should be conscious of the effects that technical SEO has on your website’s user experience. When your SEO specialists approach their task with an air of education, you may absorb their justifications for changes and continue to feel optimistic about your progress.
Look at the Tools an SEO Agency for Campaigns
SEO firms employ tools to assess your site’s health, your backlinking strategy, the performance of your competition, and more as they develop a plan. The instruments that your SEO agency chooses can affect how well your approach works as a whole.
It’s also advantageous when the SEO company has its own software, though you may readily research the well-known SEO tools available on the market, such as Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush. It demonstrates that they are reputable experts who approach SEO from a unique perspective.
For example, here, at Globex Outreach, we use several well-known SEO tools to test your site’s current condition. Based on the current condition of your website, we come up with a content strategy to take your business to new heights.
Consider the Time the Company Takes Before Your Website Starts to Rank
SEO is a long-term strategy.
It is not an overnight endeavor and requires both hard work and patience.
Therefore, when you hire SEO services, it is unrealistic for you to anticipate immediate results from an SEO strategy, but how long does it take to begin ranking for keywords? You need to know that. Every business handles SEO at a different speed depending on its workforce, resources, and time commitments.
As we have already said SEO strategies are a continuous work in progress. Changes are implemented, tracked, and then the cycle is repeated. While long-term business growth is one of SEO’s main goals, you can still gauge an SEO expert’s speed by their response.
An approximate timeline for the launch of your campaign should be provided by the marketing SEO expert you are speaking with. Because search engines are always changing, they shouldn’t be able to pinpoint a precise date for any particular marketing target, but they can approximate it based on other campaigns they’ve worked on that are comparable to yours. So, keep this in mind when hiring a SEO marketing company.
Hiring an SEO Marketing Company vs Developing an In-House SEO Team
Choosing between hiring an SEO agency and creating an in-house team depends on various factors such as budget, expertise, and the specific needs of the business.
Here are some considerations for both options:
Hiring an SEO agency
Expertise and Experience
SEO agencies typically have a team of specialists with diverse skills and experience in various aspects of SEO, including keyword research, content optimization, technical SEO, and link building.
Resources
Agencies often have access to advanced tools, technologies, and industry insights that may not be feasible for an in-house team due to budget constraints.
Scalability
Agencies can scale their services according to your needs, whether you require a comprehensive SEO strategy or specific campaigns for certain periods.
Cost-Effectiveness
While upfront costs may seem higher, especially for premium agencies, outsourcing SEO can be cost-effective in the long run when considering the overhead costs associated with hiring and maintaining an in-house team.
External Perspective
Agencies bring an outside perspective to your SEO strategy, which can be valuable in identifying blind spots and discovering new opportunities.
Developing an In-House Team:
Full Control
Having an in-house team means you have direct control over their activities, priorities, and workflows. This can be advantageous for businesses with specific brand guidelines or unique requirements.
Alignment with Company Culture
In-house teams are integrated into the company culture and can have a deeper understanding of the brand’s values, goals, and target audience, which may lead to more cohesive SEO strategies.
Immediate Communication
With an in-house team, communication is often more direct and immediate, facilitating quick decision-making and adjustments to the SEO strategy as needed.
Long-Term Investment
Investing in building an in-house team can yield long-term benefits as team members accumulate knowledge about the business and its industry, leading to more tailored and effective SEO efforts over time.
Confidentiality and Security
Keeping SEO efforts in-house may offer better control over sensitive data and strategies, reducing the risk of leaks or security breaches.
Ultimately, the choice between hiring an SEO agency and an in-house team depends on your specific circumstances, including budget, desired level of control, and the complexity of your SEO needs. Some businesses may benefit from a hybrid approach, combining the strengths of both options to achieve their SEO objectives effectively.
A Hypothetical Case Study of a Company to Illustrate the Difference
We have created a hypothetical case study to show you the difference between hiring an SEO agency and establishing an in-house team.
Let’s dive in:
Example Scenario
ABC Corp, a mid-sized e-commerce company, is looking to enhance its online visibility and increase sales through improved SEO strategies. They have two options: hiring an SEO agency or building an in-house team.
Option 1: Hiring an SEO Agency
ABC Corp decides to hire XYZ Digital, a reputable SEO agency known for its expertise in e-commerce SEO. XYZ Digital conducts a thorough analysis of ABC Corp’s website, competitors, and industry trends. They devise a comprehensive SEO strategy, including keyword optimization, content creation, technical fixes, and link-building campaigns.
XYZ Digital assigns a dedicated account manager and a team of SEO specialists to execute the strategy. They provide regular progress reports, conduct performance analyses, and adjust the strategy as needed based on the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates.
Example Benefits the Company Will Get if It Hires an SEO Company
- ABC Corp gains access to XYZ Digital’s specialized expertise and cutting-edge SEO tools.
- The agency’s external perspective helps identify untapped opportunities and address weaknesses in ABC Corp’s current SEO efforts.
- Scalability: ABC Corp can adjust the scope of services provided by XYZ Digital based on their evolving needs and budget.
Option 2: Building an In-House Team
Alternatively, ABC Corp decides to establish an in-house SEO team. They hire an experienced SEO manager, along with content writers, web developers, and link-building specialists.
The in-house team conducts an in-depth analysis of ABC Corp’s website and industry landscape. They collaborate closely with other departments to align SEO strategies with marketing initiatives and business goals.
The team implements on-page optimizations, creates high-quality content, improves website speed and performance, and builds relationships with authoritative websites for backlink acquisition.
Example Benefits the Company Will Get if It Builds an In-House Team
- Full Control: ABC Corp has direct oversight of the SEO team’s activities and can tailor strategies to suit their specific brand identity and objectives.
- Alignment with Company Culture: The in-house team understands ABC Corp’s values and goals intimately, fostering synergy with other departments and promoting a unified brand message.
- Long-Term Investment: Over time, the in-house team accumulates knowledge about ABC Corp’s industry and customer base, allowing for more nuanced and effective SEO strategies.
In short, while both options have their merits, ABC Corp must weigh factors such as budget, expertise, and long-term objectives to determine whether it should hire dedicated SEO services or build an in-house team.
At the end of the day, whatever is the best fit for your needs matters.
Hire SEO Services and Let Them Do the Work
If your company’s website is in dire need of search engine optimization, you need to get started on it ASAP!
When working on SEO, you will have to do a lot of work. You need to perform meticulous keyword research to identify relevant terms, followed by the optimization of individual pages through strategic placement of these keywords in meta titles, descriptions, headings, and content. Creating high-quality, valuable content is crucial, fostering both user engagement and search engine recognition.
Technical aspects, such as site speed, mobile-friendliness, and a well-organized structure, backlink building from reputable sources, optimizing for local search, including Google My Business and NAP consistency, and regular monitoring of performance metrics and staying abreast of industry updates are some of the other steps you need to take.
So, instead of spending all your time on SEO, it’s better to spend some time hiring an SEO agency and let them do the work. This way you can focus on other more important things for your business.
Globex Outreach can help you take your company’s Search engine optimization to new heights. We have a team of SEO experts with years of experience who can not only improve your SEO but also push you to the top of search engine result pages.
What are you waiting for?
Get in touch with us, and our experts will give you the consultation and services you are looking for.
Hiring SEO Expert Services Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my business needs to hire SEO consultants?
You should consider hiring an SEO agency if you’re facing challenges with your online visibility. If your website isn’t ranking well on search engine results pages (SERPs), it indicates that your target audience may not be finding you easily. Plus, if you’re struggling to generate organic traffic despite having a functional website, it could signify that your current SEO efforts are inadequate.
How much does it cost to hire an SEO agency?
The cost of hiring an SEO agency can vary significantly depending on various factors, including the agency’s experience, reputation, and expertise, the scope of services required, the competitiveness of your industry, and the size and complexity of your website. It’s important to discuss pricing upfront with potential SEO agencies and ensure that it aligns with your business goals and expectations.
What services do SEO agencies typically offer?
SEO agencies offer a comprehensive range of services aimed at improving your website’s visibility and driving organic traffic. These services often include thorough keyword research to identify relevant search terms, on-page optimization to optimize website elements such as titles, meta descriptions, and headings, as well as technical SEO audits to identify and fix website issues that may affect search engine crawling and indexing.
How long does it take to see results from SEO efforts?
The timeline for seeing results from SEO efforts can vary depending on various factors, including the competitiveness of your industry, the quality and relevance of your website content, the effectiveness of the SEO strategies implemented, and the consistency of your efforts. It’s essential to set realistic expectations and understand that SEO is not a quick fix but rather a continuous process of optimizing your website.
How can I measure the success of SEO efforts?
Measuring the success of SEO efforts involves tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect the performance and effectiveness of your website’s organic search visibility and traffic. Some common KPIs for measuring SEO success include organic traffic growth, keyword rankings for target search terms, conversion rates for organic traffic, backlink profile improvements, and overall website visibility on search engines.
How can I ensure that the SEO agency I hire will follow ethical practices?
Ensuring that the SEO agency you hire follows ethical practices is crucial for maintaining your website’s reputation and long-term success. To verify the ethical standards of an SEO agency, start by asking about their approach to search engine optimization and whether they adhere to industry best practices and guidelines set forth by search engines like Google.
Wrapping It Up
And there you have your guide that you must follow when you hire SEO consultants.
The website for your business may look fantastic and have lots of multimedia flair. However, the site will not work properly if it can’t reliably draw in targeted visitors and turn them into buyers, which could hurt sales. Whether you want to hire dedicated SEO services or hire a consultant directly, or both, now might be the right time to bring on a search engine optimization (SEO) specialist. An educated, seasoned SEO specialist looks over your website, finds out about your objectives and target audience, and suggests ways to raise search engine ranks and page views.
When hiring an SEO agency, their experts will suggest some strategies, including rewriting the HTML title tags in order to improve structural issues as well as getting high quality links from credible websites. This will help search engines crawl and index your content.
You just need to make sure that these strategies are implemented properly and you are able to get the most out of them.
