How to Choose the Right SEO Agency for You

Do you know how to pick the right SEO agency for you?

Here’s a quick scenario to help you pick the right SEO agency for your business:

When you pick an SEO agency for your business, think of shopping for a perfect pair of shoes. You wouldn’t grab the very first pair of shoes that you saw, would you?

Chances are, you’d browse through the shoe racks.  You’ll keep looking to find a pair your heart is set on. And once you find it, you’ll try it on, walk around the store and see how it fits on your feet.

The same goes when picking the right SEO firm. You don’t hop into any agency that shows up on the first page of your search results (although them being on the first page is a good sign!) You have to do your homework well.

Having the right systems in place will do you and your business good. When choosing an SEO agency, you must have the right process in place as well.

Keep in mind that the SEO agency will do a big chunk of work to make your business visible and searchable online.

But what is SEO, anyway?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) involves steps that increase your online visibility. That means improving exposure to your brand on search engines.

Nowadays, customers search for products via Google, Bing, or other search engines. What SEO can do is increase and improve your website’s visibility on the SERPs.

The processes in SEO include making changes to the design of your website or your content. These changes are essential to make your website attractive to people and search engines.

It seems easy, but it requires effort. You need a well-rounded team that’s well-versed in the latest updates and trends of search engines. These specialists have the skills and strategic knowledge to meet your business goals.

How to find an SEO agency that’s right for you

To pick the right SEO agency, you need to determine why you need it for your business first. Once you have defined what you want to achieve, your next step is to map out the outcome you desire.

Make sure your goals are already in place when you reach out to an SEO agency. This will help you avoid wasting the time, money, and hard work you put into the business.

Do your research about the SEO company

Don’t fall down into the rabbit hole thinking all SEO agencies know what they’re doing. Not all SEO agencies that show on the first page of search results are credible and experts in the field. Some SEO agencies are on the first page because of Google Ads. Some are on the first page because they practice unethical strategies.

Take time to dive deep and know each SEO agency you find. If a colleague or a business partner referred you to an SEO agency, prepare questions for them ahead of time.

Ask the agency if they can provide information about their past performances. Ask about their case studies, their recognition or awards, or any of their past campaigns.

Ask their past and current clients about their experiences

Their past and current clients can help you identify the agency’s professionalism.

Check out the agency’s website for clients’ testimonials or in-depth reviews.

You may also reach out to two or three of their current clients. Ask about their experiences with the SEO agency you’re eyeing.

Learn about the SEO agency’s work process

Any SEO agency that tells you there’s one fail-proof strategy to rank high on the web is a fraud.

Different businesses have different goals and needs at different times. A credible SEO agency wouldn’t give you ready-made strategies. Why? Because different businesses have unique needs.

Be wary that some SEO agencies use unethical work processes. A black hat SEO strategy is the unethical practice of increasing your website’s ranking in the shortest time. Keyword stuffing, hidden links, and paid links are examples of black hat strategies. When search engines find you’re ranking because of such practices, it’s going to cost you and your business a lot.

Here at SEO Hacker, we make use of purely white-hat strategies. None of our clients have ever gotten penalized by search engines for the work we’ve done for them.

Here are a few helpful tips for learning about an SEO agency’s process:

• The right SEO agency offers a  website audit to identify opportunities for your business

Website audits help you and the agency find opportunities for website improvement. This is where transparency comes in.

SEO Hacker offers website audits to evaluate your website’s SERP. We grade your website’s design, user experience, and content. We also identify issues that need improving and provide recommendations to increase your website’s ranking. 

We don’t charge for website audits and set up Google Analytics as some agencies do.

We also consistently track campaigns, promptly correct irregularities, and frequently provide updates. Our team have open communication that demonstrates sincerity in meeting your goals.

• Check out how the SEO agency tracks result for their clients.

Campaigns aren’t pre-arranged because businesses have different needs. But, there are crucial metrics in SEO that need a steady check from the agency. These are:

• Organic traffic
• Subscriber size and user retention
• Conversion rate
• Page Loading Speed
• Device Used
• Page Errors

The best SEO firms know which metrics to check out based on your business goals. SEO Agencies only gather data that are relevant to you.  They must know how to provide an update that’s easy to understand.

• They have a qualified team of specialists dedicated only to your business.

Most SEO agencies will have a dedicated team of specialists who will work on your campaign. Their only focus is on creating strategies, overseeing the process, and execution. This is to avoid confusion and who you’re going to reach out to for updates.

• The right SEO company ranks on its own supposed keywords

One of the most sure-fire credentials of a reputable SEO agency is when you find them on the first page of SERPs. If the agency you’re looking at can’t even rank for their own keywords, how can you be sure they can help you rank with yours?

 

They must be knowledgeable in using the right tools. But more importantly, they must have the skill to do manual keyword research as it involves intuition. You must have a genuine insight into what your customers usually search for.

Give the SEO company’s website a visit

Most SEO Agencies’ websites provide information about their work culture and their process.  Their website also shows their authoritativeness in the field with their content.

When you pay the agency’s website a visit, look for information of the following:

• All relevant information about the latest trends and updates on search engines’ algorithms

Their content must be relevant and updated with the latest trends on search engines. The only thing that’s constant with Google is their algorithm updates. In SEO Hacker, we update our blog every Tuesday with algorithm updates, important SEO news, and tips, tricks, and strategies that you can use to improve your website’s SEO.

• The company’s values and work culture

An SEO firm’s work values and culture reflect how they manage their clients. If they have an extensive list of clients who work with them, chances are they have a good history of work ethics.

In SEO Hacker, we’re transparent about our work culture and ethics. We want our clients and potential customers to know what kind of agency we are.

• Their contact information

Any SEO agency that’s transparent has contact information available online. This way, you can inquire or reach out to them  with ease.

• Their clients’ feedback or review

Clients’ feedback is legit social proof of an SEO agency’s work excellence. One cannot fake how their clients actually see the work they’ve done for them. Besides, what agency wouldn’t want to showcase their masterwork anyway?

Key takeaway

It’s important for any business to establish goals first before they find the right SEO agency. Do you want to increase your visibility to get more leads? Do you want to improve your search rankings to get more sales? Once you have the answer it’ll be easy for you to pinpoint which SEO agency in the Philippines can help in reaching your goal.

It’s also important to meet with the SEO agency first. A discovery call helps in determining whether the agency is able to help meet your goal. Prepare questions that will help you identify if you have the same work values. Once you’re settled to work with them, prepare all the information they will need to meet your goal.