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4 Things To Look For When You Hire An SEO Agency

As a growing business, you want to take your online presence to the next level. Hiring an SEO agency sounds like a great next step, but how do you find the right provider for your needs?

Everybody wants to get on the first page of Google, but that’s a long journey. You need the right agency on your side to improve your search posture, grow your organic traffic, and boost revenue.

When it’s time to hire an SEO agency, make sure they tick these 4 boxes.

1 - Experience

How long has this agency been in business? Do they have some kind of track record? Do they have a website and active social media?

While some businesses go with newer, less-proven SEO agencies to keep costs low, that isn’t always the best option. We recommend working with agencies that have at least 5 - 10 years of SEO experience.

2 - Specialization

There’s a difference between a marketing agency and an SEO agency. Many marketing agencies try to be end-to-end providers, offering everything from blogs to social media to even SEO.

While you can still see results with a marketing agency, we recommend going with an agency that specializes in SEO. SEO agencies have a deeper knowledge and better processes for improving your search posture. Plus, they tend to be smaller than marketing agencies, which keeps overhead costs low.

You should also see if the SEO agency specializes in certain industries or niches, too. For example, if you own an HVAC business, work with an agency that specializes in local SEO.

3 - Reviews, references, or testimonials

You always want to choose an SEO agency with some kind of track record. After all, SEO is a big investment in your business, and you want to feel good about the agency you’re working with.

Look for things like:

  • Reviews: Does the agency have reviews on Google or Yelp? How many are there? Are they positive or negative? Were they written by real customers?
  • References: A trustworthy SEO agency should have no problem connecting you with current or past clients so you can ask about their experience working with the agency.
  • Case studies or testimonials: Look for SEO agencies that offer client testimonials or case studies that showcase the before-and-after. This will give you an idea of the agency’s capabilities.

4 - Ethics

It’s unfortunate, but some SEO agencies use underhanded tactics to artificially boost their clients’ SEO. This can ruin your good standing in the search engines, creating even more barriers to long-term SEO success.

Ensure your SEO agency follows white hat practices, like those outlined by Google. If an agency “guarantees” results or suggests other black-hat SEO strategies, that’s a red flag.
The bottom line
SEO isn’t something to take lightly. You need a trustworthy, effective partner backing up your strategy to see results in the long-term. Follow these 4 guidelines to choose an SEO partner you can trust.

But we know sourcing an SEO agency takes time. If you want to know your SEO status in as little as 1 minute, get your personalized recommendations now.