The SEO Agency Hiring Guide For Sales And Marketing Directors
There are many reasons why marketing directors for companies would want to hire an SEO agency. SEO agencies have teams of professionals who know every nook in a cranny in the game and it also saves your company a ton of money. SEO is a huge (very important investment for your company) and your competitors are most likely doing the same thing. But SEO is all about standing out against your competitors.
So how do you get your business to stand out from your competitors? That’s where the help of an SEO agency comes in. The right SEO agency will do all the research to determine what your competitors are doing and then build a successful SEO strategy based upon the research they are doing, Notice the keyword in the last sentence: the right SEO agency. Because SEO has become so important for a company’s success there are tons of SEO agencies out there. So how do you find the right one to work with? We have the ultimate hiring guide you need to guide you in the right direction.
Clearly Define Your Goals
Imagine you go into a car dealership to search for a new car. When you go into the dealership, you have no clue what you want you just know you want a new car. Well, like any good salesperson would do they will try to sell you the most expensive car on the lot. The same can be done with SEO. If you begin your search with no goals defined it’s easy for an agency to sell you something you don’t need. However, it’s not uncommon for companies to be unsure of what they need, and this is when a digital marketing analysis comes in. The right agency will work with you to define your goals while they remain ethical and develop a solution that fits your budget.
Do Research
One of the advantages of the internet is all the information that is available. Wondering what it’s like to work with an SEO agency? Look at their reviews! Most SEO agencies have reviews on their website from clients, or they may have googled reviews. If an SEO agency has no reviews to be found, this may be a red flag unless you know from word of mouth about the agency.
If you want to know more about the results they deliver and the work they have done in the past…do not be afraid to ask! Any good SEO agency will provide you with results or case studies they have done. Another red flag is if the agency doesn’t have any results they can show. Or if they promise extraordinary results in a short amount of time like overnight. Unfortunately, it’s very uncommon for SEO results to be produced overnight.
You might also want to ask about the types of clients they have worked with in the past. SEO companies are experts in what they do and they can adapt to any industry but you might be surprised to know they have worked with clients similar to your business. You can ask about what they did for that client and you might find it was very successful and can help your business.
Find an Agency that Keeps Track of Your Data
When you work with an SEO company, you will want to know how successful their work is. You’ll want to track all phone calls, contact forms, site visits, click-through rates and more of the results that have come from their SEO efforts. The right SEO company will have the tools and knowledge that keeps track of this data and then send you a consistent report (usually monthly) based on their progress.
Define Your Budget
Remember that SEO is an investment for your business, but you should never invest in a service you can’t afford. Set a price range that fits your budget and tries not to steer too far from it. Most SEO agencies have package deals and price ranges that you can see early on, but if not, you are always welcome to ask about the price. If there are packages you can choose from, compare them with your goal and determine if they will get you to your goal or not. If you find your business needing other marketing services like social media, email marketing, etc., always keep in mind that there are full-service agencies out there that can not only handle your SEO but social media and other marketing tools. Making the agency your one-stop shop can save your business a lot of money.
Schedule Your Consultation
The very last step is scheduling a consultation. A consultation should always be done so you can learn more about the agency and they can learn more about what you are looking for. They may even have options for your business that you may not otherwise know about, so if you’re interested in an agency, do not hesitate to ask for a consultation.
When its time for your consultation, take advantage of the opportunity to get to know the SEO company. This is the time to ask questions or express any concerns you may have. Keep in mind that SEO services are a long-term investment, so you will most likely be working with this SEO company for a couple of months at a minimum. It is important to feel comfortable with the agency and have a relationship built on trust. Do you trust what they are telling you during this consultation? Do you understand what they are explaining? How do they feel about the work they do- are they passionate? Are they overselling their services or are they trying to meet your budget while building a strategy to attain your goals? This is the time to ask questions before you jump into the commitment.
Interested in working with an SEO company? Joseph Studios is a full-service marketing agency that has a team of SEO experts. If you are looking to increase your web visibility, do not hesitate to contact our strategy experts.
