Unless your company’s in an extremely small niche, like teaching cats to knit, you’re fighting everyone else in the competition for consumers. While business competition is great news for consumers, it’s not so good for your company. There are only so many consumers to go around, and you want to get as many as possible—and this is exactly where SEO comes in.
However, there’s a right and wrong way to go about SEO, which is why businesses frequently turn to the experts. However, you don’t want to choose any SEO agency in Houston and potentially end up with poor results. So, how do you know which one is best for your business? Here’s what you should consider in an SEO agency.
Tips on Finding the Right SEO Agency for Your Business
Houston has a thriving business scene, and this includes multiple SEO agencies. You can also find online agencies, making it even more difficult to narrow down your options.
Deciding to work with the wrong SEO agency can have disastrous results. The agency may not be familiar with your industry, leading to confusing and even conflicting content. Suddenly, your website is ranking way down in the search engine results.
Ready to start working with an SEO agency? Here’s what you should look for.
Know Your Goals and Metrics
Your goals are what you’re trying to achieve using SEO best practices. Don’t forget to include a budget. The funds can come from your marketing budget, or you can create a separate one. Not only will creating a budget help you stay on top of your business’s finances, but it also makes it easier to measure your ROI (return on investment).
Why do ROI metrics matter? You want the SEO strategy to pay for itself and hopefully turn a profit. Some examples of what you may need from SEO can include engaging site visitors, producing more leads, or generating higher sales numbers.
Agency Size Matters
The size of the Houston-based SEO agency matters in more ways than one, and costs are typically higher for larger agencies. They tend to employ more professionals, earning a higher pay rate.
Larger agencies are a great option if you’re building your SEO strategy from the ground up. Instead of the process potentially taking months, you may start seeing results in weeks or even days.
However, there are also advantages to going with a smaller SEO agency, as you tend to get more personalized attention, which can help ease your mind. You know there’s always someone working on your business’s SEO marketing campaign. Often, it’s also easier to make changes to your strategy working with a smaller agency. If costs are a priority, smaller agencies tend to charge lower fees.
Ask Questions
Choosing an SEO agency is similar to interviewing a potential employee. You want to ensure they’re a good fit for your company, and the same applies to an SEO agency. Ultimately, not everyone you talk to will be right for your business.
Some of the questions you may want to ask can include the following:
- Will the agency stay in contact throughout the process?
- What SEO strategies is the agency familiar with?
- Does the agency share information about the various project stages?
- How much experience does the agency have on projects similar to yours?
- Does the agency stay current on the latest SEO trends?
Staying current on the latest SEO trends is a crucial question. SEO practices are constantly changing, sometimes weekly. There’s no point in paying for an outdated SEO strategy. Not only will it be ineffective at accomplishing your goals, but it can also be a waste of company funds.
Will Your Project Be Outsourced
This is a common practice with some SEO agencies, regardless of whether they’re located in Houston or overseas. Outsourcing SEO projects doesn’t mean you’re receiving sub-par work, but it’s always nice to know who’s doing the work.
If your SEO project is staying in-house, ask for the lead strategist’s contact information. Don’t expect a private number, but an email address is usually enough to help you stay in contact throughout the project. If the project is being outsourced, find out who is handling communication between the various teams.
Why is staying in contact crucial? You can stay up-to-date on the project’s process and easily make changes if needed.
Know What the SEO Team Expects From You
There will probably be times when the SEO team needs something from you. This can be anything from giving your opinion or providing additional performance measures. Depending on the scope of your project, the SEO team may ask you to write and publish content on your site.
Having a general idea of what is expected of you will help the project move along without any hiccups. You’ll also have some time to prepare, especially if the team will eventually need content.
Do Your Homework
Finding a Houston SEO agency is a breeze; a quick online search and you’ve got plenty of options. While settling on the top search engine result is often a safe bet, you don’t want to gamble with your marketing strategy. Even a high-ranking SEO agency can turn out work that doesn’t accomplish your goals.
A good place to start researching SEO agencies is by talking to others in your industry or niche. You’re probably not the only company utilizing SEO, so see which agencies other businesses are using.
Spend some time reading consumer reviews on the SEO agency’s website, as your fellow business owners can be a great source of information. In their reviews, you can find out more about the agency’s customer service skills. You can also learn more about whether the agency delivers quality work on time.
The more you know about the SEO agency, the easier it is to determine if they’re the best choice for your business.
Boost Your Business Profile with the Right SEO Strategy
Working with the right SEO agency is an effective way to boost your business profile. With the right agency behind you, you can generate more leads and drive consumers to your website, boosting sales and traffic in the process.
Because of the gravity of the situation, make sure you take your time, do some research, and make sure you ask plenty of questions. This way, you know you’re choosing the right SEO agency for your business.