As your business is growing there are many responsibilities that you cannot handle alone. You need to leverage the best SEO techniques to survive and expand your services in the market. An SEO agency can help you with this by bringing organic leads, niche authority, and higher rankings.
However, onboarding an SEO agency can be confusing, as it involves complicated steps, paperwork, and research. This beginner-friendly guide explores the simple steps involved in hiring an SEO agency.
Research and Evaluate Credibility
Every SEO company markets itself as the best in the market. Their websites are designed beautifully with catchy quotes to confuse you. However, it is important to stay mindful and evaluate their credibility. Most agencies hire entry-level SEO professionals who do not have the relevant skills. To see if the SEO agency is the right fit, you can check client testimonials and reviews. This shows that their services offer actual strategies and not just surface-level quick fixes.
Compare Niche Expertise
Experience can set an agency apart as they can help you with relevant issues in your SEO. You must check past case studies to see which projects they worked on in the past. The search engines are constantly updating their algorithms. Amidst these changes, an SEO agency must stay equipped with changing market trends that can impact your industry.
For example, a jewellery business in South Africa selling original diamonds must hire the best SEO agency Cape Town, with relevant experience. This can help in offering the best SEO strategies as per the diamond industry.
Understand Their Process and Utility Kit
Understanding the process an SEO agency follows to achieve results is very important. This can give you clarity to set achievable goals and realistic timelines. Additionally, this can give you insights into which tools they use for market analysis, analytical insights and website performance. If these tools are relevant to your business or you use them regularly, it can be smooth hiring.
Get on a Discovery Call
The discovery call is like a window that allows you to see details of the SEO agency. When you submit your details to SEO agencies, they schedule a call. This can allow you to learn about one another and see which services are relevant to your goals. You must ask relevant questions during these calls. Some of the most important questions are as follows:
- Have they worked on a project like yours before?
- Are there any additional costs involved in the contract?
- What process do they follow, and how long does it take to see tangible results?
- What are the qualifications or expertise of the team working on your project?
Final Contract
Once you are sure that an SEO agency is the right match, it’s time to check your budget. If the prices are a little higher but offer good results, you can hire them. Draft a final contract with clear goals, retainer timelines, and monthly costs. You must also signify any final terms and conditions involved with the services you are using.
Important Tip
Some agencies follow tactics that are unethical as per search engine guidelines. You can identify red flags such as miscommunication, lack of flexibility, secrecy, and fake guarantees of NO.1 rankings. We hope you benefit from this article and use these guides while hiring an SEO agency for your business.
