Search engine optimization is the practice of optimizing your website, so it ranks high in the popular search engines. While it may sound simple, there is a lot that goes into it. Some website owners choose to perform their search engine optimization while others choose to hire search engine marketing agencies to take care of this vital task for them. Since the job is such an important one and hiring someone to do it for you does take money from your budget, it is crucial to fact check any company that you are considering using to optimize your website. Continue reading this helpful article to learn about what the things you should look for to ensure the firm you choose or may already be working with is doing a good job for you.
What proof does the agency have to show you? A good one should be able to demonstrate you what practices they are using to help SEO efforts. Sure, they could tell you how they helped this site or that site, but your focus should be on how they can help your site. Not only that, but they should be able to share with you information such as an SEO audit that they have done for your site, any content they have optimized for your site, and an analysis of your site’s profile. While it may take several weeks to see significant results, you should ask for specifics from the company working on your site.
What techniques has the company shared with you? A reputable service will be able to share with you exactly what they are doing to help get your site ranked highly in the search engines. You have every right to ask the company what they are doing, and if you get answers that you are not happy with, this could be a sign that you need to investigate further.
What has the company asked you for? If they haven’t asked you for anything, this should serve as a warning sign that they may not be doing what you expect them to be. Any optimization to your site will require help from you, the owner of the site. Some of the information that you may be asked for is your target keywords, access to your social media accounts, and any information about your past work or audits. If the agency does not have information from you, they are unable to perform long-term optimization efforts to your website. A reputable company will ask for your information so they can learn as much as possible and optimize your site the proper way.
It is extremely important that you get your self-familiar with these sales tactics. If the person who is selling you the service only talks about your website on-page. Run! On page is important but it will not help you get to the top rankings.
How much have your rankings improved? If you have found that your rankings fall, pay close attention. Now, don’t go crazy obsessing over them, but if you do see them decline steadily, the SEO efforts may not be the right ones for your site. Talk to the agency to find out what they are doing and why your site is falling the ranking order. If they are not sure or their answer seems fishy, this may be a red flag.
Are you seeing a drop in your traffic? To be honest, it could be related to the SEO efforts of the company working on your site, or it could be due to something unrelated. However, you do want to ask questions. Some of the things you should find out about are if there were any changes to the algorithm. Also, you should learn what changes have been made to your site in recent days. If the decline is due to the SEO practices, find out what those working on your site are planning to do to make up for the drop in traffic. You should get a clear and concise answer if the agency is a good one with a solid reputation.
What keywords are ranking your site? It is important that the right keywords are helping your site rank and if they aren’t, take heed. Do you know your target keywords? You should. Also, you should be aware which of them are bringing traffic your way. If you find that the organic keywords have been significantly changed, this could be a problem. You want people to visit your site because they want to be there and not because they were led there with unrelated keywords.
As you can see, there are many red flags that can warn you of a SEM agency that is not doing what you are paying them to do. Use the information that has been shared here to help you find and work with the best SEO company that you can find. By doing so, you will be able to watch your ranking rise and your traffic increase. Anything other than this should give you reason enough to question the efforts or lack of effort that is being made.
