Even though Google’s guidelines advise you to hire an SEO consultant to help you optimize your website, there’s actually not enough information about how to get the most value out of your partnership afterwards.
Everything in this world is trial-and-error – that much is true – however, when you’re working on a certain budget you can’t just hire a company, cross your fingers and hope for the best. Plus results aren’t everything, some people expect to get a certain type of support and service as well.
Some organizations want to have their own SEO teams, but that only means spending more money on finding and hiring new people. In order to help you recognize and hire the right SEO consultants, here are a few tips that will help you:
1. Learn What a Good Agency Looks Like
You can easily see a number of online ads on different forums and websites, offering SEO services. But how can you recognize which company is legit and which one isn’t? Well, you just need to ask around.
Most companies have client testimonials on their sites – just look at Cayennered.com for example – so you should definitely contact them and ask about their experience with the particular agency.
You should also talk with some people in your industry and see if they’ve had any experience hiring SEO agencies in the past. In the end, nothing beats good-old word-of-mouth.
2. Get Familiar with the SEO Industry
In addition to knowing the basics of SEO, you should also make a conscious effort to get familiar with the Industry as a whole. This will definitely help you find the right consultant for your organization.
You can start by looking for SEO professionals on LinkedIn. Ask your contact for referrals or simply look up SEO professionals that are connected with the same people you are.
What’s more, most cities in the United States have some type of SEO conventions or meetups. This a great place to meet more people in the SEO industry and find out more things about it.
3. Don’t be Afraid to Ask a Ton of Questions
When you find a few people you deem worth your time, you should start contacting them and asking them precise questions. Keep in mind that some tactics that work for certain businesses don’t work for others. So even if the SEO agency had some big clients in the past, it doesn’t mean its tactics will suit your business.
- Ask industry-specific questions: You need to see if the SEO agency is familiar with your particular industry and see if they can check your site and see what are some the challenges you’re facing.
- Ask about their experiences: Of course, you should know how many clients the company currently has and see how much experience they have in the SEO industry. Also, see if any of their clients has been penalized by Google before.
- Ask about logistics as well: Finally, you should ask about the pricing options, see how long the contract will last and how often they plan to report their activities.
Hiring the Right People Isn’t That Hard
With the tips above in mind, finding the right consultant won’t be such a hard job. You’ll be able to find a reputable company that will help your business rank on the first page and in turn, enlarge your customer base and earn more money.
