Finding the right SEO agency for your business is much like finding a lifetime partner — you want someone who is stable, considers your welfare a priority and will stay with you through the ups and downs. Before you sign up for that internet marketing contract, you need to weigh things to make sure that every dollar will be spent well.
Why Do You Need Help With SEO?
SEO, which stands for search engine optimization is an action aimed to optimize your website or improve its performance in the search engine results. Your end goal in working on your SEO performance is to get your website to the first page of the search engine returned pages (SERPs). You can be a catering business for small parties in Toronto or an e-commerce company — there is no business SEO can’t help.
There is steep competition among businesses in different areas, whether locally or internationally. How do you gain leverage and best all other businesses in the same niche? The answer is in knowing which keywords to use, how to position them throughout your website, linking with the most credible websites, and using consumer data to provide comprehensive information on products and services. SEO is your way of telling search engines that your website deserves the attention of buyers.
As a business owner, you already have your plate full. Hiring a professional SEO team is the next best step to take. They are individuals who work together to help map out the game plan for you. Together, you can collaborate and steer towards the goals of your digital marketing campaign.
SEO Company Red Flags to Avoid
Like finding friends and partners, you will come across a lot of SEO companies who will utter a lot of sweet words just to seal the deal. Sadly, not a lot of them can deliver their promises. If you are meeting a few companies for a possible collaboration, here are some of the red flags you should be wary of:
- If they are more concerned about the number of links rather than the quality.
- If they encourage link exchanges or link schemes.
- Doesn’t propose changes to your website.
- If they only track changes internally, leaving you in the dark.
- If they use anchor text heavily.
- If they guarantee that you will get the top rank.
- If they provide you with the cheapest SEO packages.
If you’re a local business, let’s say a modern furniture store in Oakville, Ontario, your goal is to get the most reliable service for your business but SEO doesn’t come with any guarantees of taking the top spot in a short amount of time. If you are talking with anyone who offers you any of the things mentioned above, better back off. The top 10 SEO companies are never going to give you any false hopes or offer to perform shady tricks.
How to Choose the Right SEO Company
In selecting an SEO company, you need to review, interview, and collect data. Finalize the selection process with the help of these steps:
- Peruse the agency’s portfolio
Whether you are choosing from among the top 10 SEO companies in your locale or giving a start-up team a chance to pitch, you need to get a hold of their portfolio. Take a look at their works from the past and study how they were able to successfully optimize the site for search engines. If you find that they were not able to help others with their SEO campaign and online presence, the chances of them turning the tables for you would be quite slim.
- Choose an ethical company
One of the good qualities of the top 10 SEO companies in Toronto is the ethical standards they uphold. It is good for business owners to familiarize themselves with the SEO basics especially the ethical aspect of things. You need to know how it works, the driving forces behind it, and the realistic aspect of getting to the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).
Before signing a contract, make sure that they are adhering to the guidelines of search engines. There are some agencies that practice Black Hat SEO which is the collective term for unethical optimization practices. This trick works for some since traffic is produced quickly but because this is unethical, most of the efforts end up getting flagged and the website will be penalized.
- Choose a company that does not guarantee results
None of the top 10 SEO companies will ever promise you that they can put your site on top of the SERP in a matter of weeks. What they can guarantee though is they will craft a plan for your site which will be carried out for a few months until the targets are met.
Google’s search algorithm is always changing and tweaking. You need an agency that can stay on top of these updates and execute plans to cope up with the algorithm changes so that there will be very little effect on your rankings.
- Check for reviews
Testimonials and reviews for SEO service providers can help you. Just as aestheticians need the recommendations of others for the nail technician courses offered in Ontario, SEO services should also cement their reputation enough to gain positive reviews. Take time to look through the positive and negative reviews to narrow down your choice of SEO agency.
- Make sure they are transparent
Just as you don’t want anyone lying to you, an SEO agency should also be very transparent with their plans and where your money is going. The company should be willing to answer all questions that you have. If there are things you wish to clarify, they should also be available to give an explanation. If companies are telling you that they have secret recipes or plans, ditch them. A good SEO firm will always tell you where you are in the plan and show you the things to expect.
- SEO doesn’t come cheap and easy
The top 10 SEO companies will always give you value for your money. The initial investment may cause a dent in your pocket but the long term benefits of optimization will be worth what you will spend. Do not trust companies that promise the cheapest rates and the easy ways of SEO because if something sounds too good to be true, there is a high chance that it really is.
