If you own a business, then you’ve probably heard of search engine optimization or SEO. Whether you use the term yourself or not, chances are good that you have at least one or two questions about what it entails, especially if you’re looking to hire an SEO company to handle it for you. Take this quick survey to discover the answers to five common questions about how do I choose the best SEO company? Read on to learn more about choosing the right provider for your needs and requirements.
5 Reasons SEO Can Drive Traffic To Your Site
Traffic is THE most important elements of a successful website. Search engine optimization companies are increasingly being relied upon by small and large businesses to get traffic flowing their way. This can be especially true for businesses that have already established themselves but need a new boost to stay relevant in today’s Internet economy. Fortunately, there are several ways that a business can work with an SEO company to achieve greater success online than ever before:
- SEO Can Reduce Your Overhead SEO provides direct access to traffic from search engines like Google and Bing. Google Ads or Yahoo! Sponsored Search also generate similar results; however, these often cost thousands of dollars per month. The best SEO company should offer competitive rates so you aren't spending more on your marketing efforts than you would on your actual product.
- SEO Provides A Great Return On Investment With an increased number of visitors, sales increase as well. The ROI potential of any marketing investment can only be calculated after it has been done. As such, choosing the best SEO company will largely depend on how much time and money you want to spend upfront versus what your desired outcome is. For example, if you want to invest $10,000 now with no additional investments required over the next year then going through an expensive agency may be worth it. If instead, you want a cheaper route that requires less time commitment then hiring someone part-time or independently may be better suited for your needs.
- SEO Has An Immediate Return On Investment It takes about 6 months for an advertising campaign to kick into high gear. In contrast, it takes about 3 months for a properly executed SEO campaign to show measurable results.
- SEO Gives You Better Control Of Your Online Presence Today's consumers shop primarily online which means they look at reviews and ratings before making any purchasing decisions. No matter how many people are searching for your company or product name, they won't find you if you're not ranked on page one of Google's search results page (SERP).
- Small Businesses Have Access To The Same Tools Larger Companies Do When running a local business using online marketing tools can provide huge benefits over traditional offline marketing techniques. SEO enables you to create targeted ads, based on keywords, content, location, and other factors. These can help you reach the exact customer base you are looking for while also lowering your costs.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool for growing your business by getting your site in front of more people. It also helps you improve your site so it shows up higher in search results and generates more leads. In other words, if you want more website traffic and more qualified leads, search engine optimization can be one of the most valuable tools at your disposal. But with any tool, using it poorly or incorrectly will get you nowhere fast. How do you know what’s good vs. bad when it comes to SEO? It depends on what kind of business you have—and whether or not an SEO company is right for it! And how do you make sure they aren't selling snake oil?
What are the costs involved in getting on page 1 of Google?
Getting on page 1 of Google is every website owner’s dream. However, most people don’t realize that it can also be an expensive process. Once you set up your website with hosting and a domain name, you will have already spent anywhere from $150-$600 for annual costs alone. This doesn’t include any advertising costs or other SEO services you may use to increase your page rank further. With so many businesses trying for these top spots, competition can get steep, and weeding out low-quality businesses becomes very important in making sure you aren’t overpaying for super results.
What are some aspects of good SEO?
Anytime you hire a search engine optimization (SEO) company, you must have certain expectations. That way, when they do good work, you know to reward them. And if they don’t do good work, you can fire them for not meeting your expectations. Ideally, some of these criteria will be included in their initial proposal; that way, you both agree on what good looks like. If there are criteria not included in their proposal (and contract), ask for them! Here are some basic factors any reasonable SEO company should have:
- Ability to speak with you about how and why they're going to perform various tasks so that you understand what is being done and why.
- Clear understanding of your business objectives and/or goals. You want an SEO company that understands the basics behind what makes Google rank sites high or low. A reasonable SEO company should be able to outline a plan for achieving those goals based on your industry, competition level, current rankings, etc.
- Proven results - Your prospective SEO company's recent results might not align with yours because all businesses operate differently; however, showing that they've achieved success in similar industries is essential.
What can you do if you aren’t comfortable with technical content or have no knowledge of coding/website development?
You can delegate as much or as little of your website/blog design and content creation as you would like. In most cases, it’s important that your site represents your brand identity and creates a positive experience for your users. Although there are companies out there offering services to do these tasks for you, many of them lack expertise in business development and can result in a disjointed user experience. It might be worth it for you to seek out a designer or developer who is familiar with what clients in your space need from their websites.
Is it worth doing good search engine optimization to get traffic, or should I just focus on growing my email list instead?
If you already have a list of subscribers, and all you need is traffic, then focusing on search engine optimization may not be worth it. If you’re trying to grow your audience though, organic search (and social media) should be part of your strategy. Here are some considerations that will help you make an informed decision about how and when to use SEO:
- What are your goals? Is your goal to build a brand, or drive immediate sales?
- How much do you know about SEO?
- Who will be managing your campaign? There’s no shortage of companies offering this service.
- Do you want someone who specializes in e-commerce for fashion brands, or do you want someone who does more holistic campaigns for small businesses in various industries?
The right person will be able to answer these questions. Ask around: Your peers in the industry might have used a great company before, or they can recommend someone they know and trust. It’s also important to think about what kind of budget you have: Are you looking for something affordable, but without low-quality work? Or are you willing to spend top dollar if it means getting higher rankings faster? As with any purchase, it pays to do your research first so you don’t end up wasting time and money on a bad investment. You may need to reach out to three or four different companies before you find one that understands your needs and wants the same things as you.
Are there any other tips for getting free website traffic?
Find a website similar to yours in topic and audience. Email them about putting a link on their site back to your website for free. If you get enough of these links, your site will show up as a top search result. Don’t spam other websites though; ask nicely, explain that you’re starting, and most people will be happy to help you out by linking back for free.