Small businesses are often approached by SEO agencies to enhance their online presence…However, it’s crucial for business owners to understand how to properly evaluate these agencies to ensure their long-term success. One common pitfall to avoid is falling for agencies that create separate landing pages or white-labeled sites instead of optimizing the client’s owned website. This blog post aims to equip business owners with the knowledge they need to vet SEO agencies effectively.
Keyword Research & Positioning
Effective keyword research and strategic positioning are fundamental to successful SEO campaigns. It’s essential to inquire about the tools an agency utilizes for keyword research and how they understand the positioning of products and services online. Agencies should demonstrate expertise in conducting competitor keyword research and consider factors like trends, relevancy, regionality, search intent, and brand positioning.
Website & Google Business Consideration
Optimizing Google Business listings is crucial for local businesses. Business owners should assess whether they want the agency to manage SEO for both their website and Google Business listing. Understanding the priorities between website optimization and Google Business listing optimization is key, especially for brick-and-mortar businesses.
Questions to Ask
When evaluating an SEO agency, asking the right questions is paramount. Business owners should inquire about how the agency sets SEO requirements, the frequency of updates, and the methods for analyzing SEO efforts. Additionally, it’s crucial to ensure ownership of analytics accounts and understand the level of insights the agency provides beyond mere reporting.
Conclusion
Transparency and understanding are central to a successful partnership with an SEO agency. Business owners should receive regular website analytics reports with detailed insights that aid in understanding organic traffic sources and identifying growth opportunities. In conclusion, vetting an SEO agency thoroughly and asking pertinent questions is vital to ensuring a fruitful collaboration that drives long-term business success.
Overall, understanding the way an SEO agency works is the most important thing you can do. If you feel that the agency isn’t transparent or wants to control certain areas of your business without giving you full access, that is a red flag. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and dig in deep when considering an agency relationship. As always, you can reach out to ASBTDC to help you vet an agency.
The University of Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development center offers free business and marketing consulting services to for-profit businesses. You can register here to become a client and schedule a meeting with one of our consultants.