You’re looking to up your business game and capture some new leads, but you are having trouble. You’ve probably heard of SEO, and you know how daunting it can become after a while.
Perhaps, you’ve even got an SEO agency which you are working with already. Yet, the results are somewhat underwhelming.
In any case, we’ve got a solution. In this article, we will take a look at how to choose the right SEO agency for you in 2023. And by doing it right – you do not need to worry about the possibility of making a wrong decision.
Keep reading to discover the journey towards selecting an SEO agency without hassle, stress, or worry.
What Does an SEO Agency Do?
For those who are new to SEO agencies, let’s take a look at what they usually do.
You probably know that web marketing is the primary source for leads nowadays, as it is highly convenient and allows for very-intricate targeting of potential customers.
Sounds great, right? So here’s what an SEO agency can do, but is not limited to doing:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Keyword and market research
- Web content creation
- Social media advertising and management
- Pay per click ads
- Conversion rate optimization
These are just some examples, and each SEO agency has its own set of services that they can provide. But a quality agency should at least have these 6 in their repertoire.
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Underwhelming SEO Agency – Blatant Signs
And to satisfy those who are already being served by an SEO agency, but not well. Let’s take a look at some blatant signs of an agency, which just screams, “REPLACE ME.”
Lack of Honesty and Transparency
In the digital world, when communication is distant and untimely. It is essential to be responsible, honest, and transparent. To the misfortune of many, most SEO agencies are not.
- Are you receiving clear reports on all SEO activities?
- Are you able to communicate with the manager over the phone or video stream?
- To what degree are you able to communicate your ideas for transparent decision making?
- Is the agency walking with you on this journey, or just taking a ride in the back seat?
If you can’t answer these questions off the top of your head, or if they have a negative connotation to them, that’s a good sign that your current SEO agency is abysmal.
No Plan = No Structure
A reputable and capable SEO agency should have a plan of action. Pulling SEO activities out of the book of cookie-cut decisions is not an excellent way to tailor to your customers.
Getting links, improving speeds, and acquiring leads is easy. However, the method by which this is done should be impeccable.
- Is your agency clear on how they will establish your brand authority?
- How will they improve the customer experience, which will help them become clients over time?
- How does the current SEO fit the big picture, the end goal of the business?
- How will they keep you on the first page of search engines?
- How consistent is their work, and how proactive are they at capturing lucrative keywords?
- Does the agency have metrics that they are tracking, and allowing you to examine at any time?
Once again, these questions should be easy to answer. If they are not – something is wrong.
They Simply Don’t Get You
An SEO agency is not a function of your business – it is often “The Business.” The service should extend beyond executing optimizing activities, and they should genuinely become your friend.
An SEO agency that doesn’t see the vision and cannot relate to the brand is an agency not worth working with.
The understanding and relationship to your brand can be directly recognized in all of the work that they produce.
Take a look through their work, and ask yourself:
- Does the content describe the topic authentically and definitively?
- Does the content provide relevant and interesting information?
- Does the content establish an original point of data?
- Does the title captivate and engage the customer?
- Can this content be seen outside of the realm of this website?
- Does the content try to manipulate the customer?
Having a brief understanding of the premise for these questions can help set your decision on switching SEO agencies in stone. Don’t let money be a barrier to finding a better SEO agency.
Lose some money now, instead of losing all of it later.
Why Should I Hire an SEO Agency?
Now back to those who do not have an SEO agency. Let’s take a look at why you should hire the services of an SEO agency in 2023.
We (ROI Amplified) can vouch for these benefits, as a full-service digital marketing agency.
Decreased SEO Costs
By outsourcing all of your digital marketing, you do not need to invest in expensive SEO tools.
An agency has access to all of the necessary tools and gadgets, which help them execute SEO, CRO, PPC, Social Ads, Technical SEO, and Content Creation without any trouble.
Outsourced Help = Experienced Help
The premise of outsourcing is based on two faculties: you want to save time, or you want somebody who knows how to do it better, do it for you.
An SEO agency does both. They are updated with the best SEO strategies and algorithm changes. By knowing this, they can provide the best service in a timely fashion.
Selective Focus
Once again, delegating tasks saves time and removes unnecessary distractions. By having more time and a fresh mind – you can contribute your energy to things that matter most to you.
Short-term and long-term goals need careful consideration and effort. Both of which you can execute and achieve with a stress-free SEO agency.
A New Perspective
Having new people of varying skill sets, all working together to grow your brand, can help you acquire new ideas. By communicating and discussing, you can find a new angle to a problem that you simply couldn’t have seen otherwise.
What to Look for When Selecting an SEO Agency?
Now that you understand some of the benefits of having an SEO agency work with you. Let’s take a look at what you should look for in an SEO agency during the selection process.
Experienced Agencies = Capable of Providing Results
SEO is not easy. It requires the capacity of a good writer, the psychology of a capable thinker, and the technical knowledge of an expert. Things that are not easily found on the curbside.
An SEO agency becomes experienced over time – find an agency that has a successful track record online and by word-of-mouth.
Also, it’s recommended to find an agency that has a team of people, not just one do-it-all:
- Point of contact (Account Associate)
- Market/Keyword researcher (Analytical Editor)
- Copy editing and review (Editors)
- Subject expertise and research (Writers)
- Custom graphic and art production (Graphic Designers)
- Reporting and metric tracking (SEO Analyst)
- Web development (Web Devs)
A company that has been in the business for over five years and has not had any team expansion – is probably a bad company. They are not willing to take the risk to expand, so you shouldn’t either.
Not to mention that some companies provide SEO as a semi-function of their agency model. Look out for SEO-first agencies, which specialize in SEO, and provide other additional-services, only if needed.
Having a clear vision of the inner core of an agency is very important. SEO should be at the heart of their work, not somewhere else.
Possess Necessary Resources for Function
An SEO agency without a full-team is not an agency. As mentioned earlier – having a hierarchy of employees helps spread the work through a funnel of peer-review and perfection.
Executing an entire SEO campaign is rather difficult by one or two people, and should be avoided at all costs.
Having a reliable team to develop content regularly is critical to your success. Having an individual writer miss out on deadlines can decrease the flow and magnitude of your compounding SEO.
For example, Google News has a website bonus, which consists of selected websites that update their content pages or add two new pages per week.
Getting on the board helps you become the shining star in the puddle of mud, which is so prevalent in the space of news websites and publishing houses.
Trackable Goals and Metrics
The most capable SEO agencies stress the importance of numbers and analytics. Business is a game of numbers. You must define, measure, and report results to deliver customized solutions to problems.
Having a verbose approach to KPIs at the beginning of a campaign secures its success in the future.
Have an SEO agency show the reporting process with a previous client, get to know what they provide and how they treat their clients.
Don’t be a side-piece in their business; become an important piece of the entire mechanism.
Customized Solutions
An SEO agency that has a one-size-fits-all solution should be avoided at all costs. Keyword research, writing tone, and quality is imperative to your success.
Both of which must be tailored on a customized mode of thought. Everything has to relate and point back to you – your business is the point of origin, not spread.
Having a network of connected and customized SEO solutions helps your business spread its wings online, creating powerful and long-lasting roots to reach.
Not to mention that a customized solution is flexible. It provides room for improvement and any necessary strategy changes on the road. You don’t have to stop or speed up – you can go a steady pace, and observe all of the changes.
How to Analyze a Potential SEO Agency
Now that you know what to look out for, you can begin to analyze your potential SEO agency.
Their Website
Now that you found an SEO agency – go through their website. Look through all of the pages, read some of the content, look for errors.
Ask yourself:
- Are they consistent in service description?
- Are the pages funneling to a certain call to action?
- Are the descriptions pertinent to their standards?
- Is the blog original and thought-unique?
- Do they practice their practices?
Their Presence
Having a real-world reference can go a long way. But sometimes that’s impossible.
In this case, research the company online. Search them up, check their reviews, and social media channels. Reviews can be faked, but that’s easy to tell usually.
Glassdoor is a great source for reviews, as they come from the inside. Employees share their experience with the company, which can be a great indicator of their character.
Ask yourself:
- Are the reviews similar to the testimonials?
- Do the reviews seem over-descriptive and fake?
- How are the employees treated?
Their Examples
And finally, contact the agency, ask for some case studies and examples. If they refuse, send them off on their merry way.
If they do provide some documentation, go through it. Analyze and see if it is uninspired or lacks depth.
Ask yourself:
- Does the sample live up to their standards?
- Does it include metrics and KPIs?
- How definitive is their reporting? Does it include logs?
- What was the goal, and was it achieved?
An SEO Agency You Can Trust
Alright. Now that we have covered everything about selecting an SEO agency in 2023 – you are well on your way to finding the right team for you.
ROI Amplified (us) provide SEO-first + additional marketing services, which are highly effective and definitively reported. If you are interested, get in touch with us.
Good luck with your search and successful business growth.
