February 6, 2024
The world of digital marketing isn’t easy to navigate since many claim to deliver remarkable results at dirt-cheap prices. Particularly in search engine optimization, many businesses and individuals with little to no experience scam startups and sometimes big firms. These scammers convince them to ignore the potential SEO can bring to their website or even their online presence.
Anyone with a maintained Upwork profile or a flashy website can title themselves as “SEO Experts”. However, hiring an SEO agency is the core business decision as it can impact your long-term success. According to BrightEdge, consumers are reaching search engines to find their desired service 20% more every year and as per Backlinko, less than 1% of them click on the second page of Google Search Results.
The real challenge is to differentiate the fake SEO experts from the real deal. For that, you only need to know the right questions to ask.
Let’s explore 13 impactful questions on how to hire an SEO agency like a professional, aligning your business needs.
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Finding the Right SEO Agency
Hiring an SEO agency isn’t a single-step process, with the vast pool of different SEO experts ready to give your ideal deal. You need to do your research and sift the real company from the scammers before choosing the right SEO agency. Here’s how:
Seek Recommendations: Start by reaching out to other business owners and marketing leaders in your network or a trusted LinkedIn group. Their firsthand experiences and recommendations can be very useful in finding reliable leads.
Conduct Online Research with Caution: Get the most out of online resources to expand your options. Ignore the blogs or guides written by SEO professionals who seem more focused on promoting themselves than assisting you. Look for unbiased information and genuine insights.
Question Shortlisted SEO Candidates: After shortlisting potential SEO experts or agencies, don’t hesitate to ask them a series of questions. Inquiring about their work methods with show that you want to hire an SEO agency that aligns with your goals and offers a collaborative approach. These questions will serve as your compass in making a well-informed decision.
13 Questions to Ask When Hiring SEO Agency
Questioning and inquiring about every dynamic of a company is important especially when hiring an SEO agency. Ask a few questions targeted at their work to avoid overwhelming them or missing key details.
Following are the questions that you can ask every agency you’re considering as it makes it easier in comparison.
Also Read: Customized SEO Solutions
What is Your SEO Approach?
When hiring SEO experts, knowing what approach they follow is essential to simplify your choice. Search engine optimization doesn’t work on one approach for all businesses and different agencies use various methods. Some focus on link building, while others emphasize content marketing. It’s essential to choose an agency that can explain and defend their methods tailored to your needs.
Be cautious of companies promising quick top rankings within weeks, as they may implement the Black Hat approach, violating search engine policies. The search engine approach working approach follows practices of technical SEO, user experience optimization, and off-page SEO.
How Do You Align SEO Strategy to Our Business Needs?
SEO services should align with your business goals. Ask the agency how they adapt their approach based on your specific needs, whether it’s immediate lead generation, top organic search rankings, increased website traffic, or region-specific SEO.
Since search engine protocols are evolving, the SEO agency that is adaptable and willing to change stays in the market. A reliable agency should be confident in its strategies, regularly testing and adapting based on your site and competitive analysis. Vague promises may indicate a lack of expertise.
What Software or Tools Do You Use for SEO Campaigns?
As SEO experts shape a campaign, they rely on tools to assess your site’s health, check your backlinks, study competitors, and more. The choice of tools can significantly impact the success of your SEO strategy. While popular tools like Moz and SEMrush are easy to research, it’s also a positive sign if the SEO company has its own software. This suggests they are a seasoned team using a unique approach. Even if you’re not familiar with tools, asking your SEO agency about their tools reveals their strategy and commitment to effective practices.
How Will You Keep Me in the Loop With the Changes Made to Website?
Transparency is crucial when it comes to changes on your website. A trustworthy SEO company provides regular reports, usually monthly. Make sure the agency asks for access to your website, and if you’re concerned, you can reduce risks by having changes handled by someone on your team.
As monitoring on-site changes can help track performance and troubleshoot issues, you should know all about the modifications made by the SEO experts. It emphasizes accountability and understanding in case of any unforeseen problems.
What Deliverables Will I Receive Every Month If I Hire Your Agency?
This question covers the specific actions the agency plans to take each month. While the extent of techniques may evolve based on your budget, they should outline typical actions for SEO clients. These key actions involve directory or citation submissions, Google profile setup, on-page SEO, keyword implementation, etc.
However, a robust SEO service goes beyond, including traffic analysis, keyword tracking, content creation, and backlink acquisition. These additional efforts are important for standing out in the competitive search engine market so paying attention to their response for a clear picture.
Can You Share Details of Past Clients and Results You’ve Achieved?
When choosing an SEO company, it’s essential to review their reviews, testimonials, and case studies. While you shouldn’t expect the agency to share its entire client list, it should willingly provide examples of a couple of well-known clients and showcase their results over a considerable time.
If they can’t highlight legitimate business clients or if their longest active client has been with them for less than a year, it’s a warning sign. A reliable SEO team is a valuable asset, consistently driving business growth by 5% to 15% monthly. Most clients won’t leave an SEO company that delivers excellent results unless they choose to create their in-house SEO team or if the SEO company decides to stop the collaboration.
How Soon Can I Expect to See Results After Hiring Your SEO Services?
After hiring an SEO agency, businesses often hope for quick results. While fresh content brings immediate benefits, significant and lasting results typically take time. Legitimate SEO techniques require a minimum of six months to show effectiveness. Various factors, such as baseline traffic, website design, competition, and geographic location, influence the speed of SEO results.
Be cautious if a company promises rapid results without citing technical factors. Quick fixes can lead to penalties. Genuine SEO multiplies over time, but beware of promises like achieving top rankings in three months, as true SEO involves calculated strategies, not guaranteed timelines.
What are Your Key Performance Indicators and How Do You Measure?
Most SEO experts use different metrics, like keyword rankings and bounce rate, to track how your site performs in search results and when visitors explore it. These metrics connect with your business goals. If they mention key performance indicators (KPIs) that directly benefit your business, it’s a good sign.
Google Analytics is a common tool for this, helping assess your site’s authority and the quality of search traffic. They might aim for any first-page ranking or specifically target the #1 position. Knowing if they commit to delivering a solid return on investment (ROI) is crucial for your decision.
Have You Dealt With Sites Facing Penalties And How Did You Fix Them?
Penalties in SEO are relatively recent. Previously, Google devalued backlinks instead of penalizing them for guideline violations. Since around 2011, both manual and algorithmic penalties have become more common. If your SEO has been around for a few years, they likely encountered penalized sites.
Recovering from a penalty is challenging, but skilled SEOs can often succeed. Inquire about their success in restoring penalized sites and their strategies for preventing future penalties on your site. Understanding their experience with penalties is vital for ensuring your website’s health and longevity.
Do You Keep Up With the Latest Algorithm Changes?
To check their expertise, ask about important Google algorithm updates. Not all of the 500 yearly changes are big, and most don’t affect much. Confirm their knowledge of key updates by reviewing the links they share and use websites like Moz for timelines as a reference. Moreover, a good SEO team stays updated via forums, filtering out inexperienced SEOs after quick results.
Have these talks on video communication platforms or in person for genuine responses.. Test them by asking about recent major algorithm updates; being accurate matters more than specific dates.
How Do You Determine the Pricing Plan?
Find out their payment approach and hire SEO agency accordingly, whether it’s monthly, results-driven, or based on specific tasks. Clear contract terms help you compare and choose services that fit your budget. SEO is an ongoing effort, so it is alarming if they suggest a one-time fee. If the pricing isn’t clear, ask for clarification or consider other options. Knowing their charging method ensures transparency and prevents surprises. When dealing with an SEO provider, you deserve a straightforward and easy-to-understand payment plan that suits your needs.
Why Should We Choose Your SEO Services Over Others?
This question is quite open-ended with no one right answer. However, watch out for red-flag responses like claiming to be cheaper, focusing on quantity rather than quality of backlinks, not knowing, or promising quick results. Good SEO is an investment that takes time to show significant results. If the SEO candidate suggests cutting corners or aggressive link building, it’s a warning sign. Ideally, a strong response would highlight their track record, past successes, satisfied clients, and the industry respect they’ve earned. Look for substance in their answer rather than shortcuts.
What If We are Not Happy With the Results?
Be cautious of SEO agencies promising specific natural search rankings within a fixed timeframe, as this is impossible to guarantee due to frequent algorithm changes. Instead, opt for an agency with a plan for handling unsatisfied customers. Acknowledge that not everything may work out, and having a clear recourse plan can ease concerns about investing in a significant undertaking like an SEO campaign.
It’s more realistic to focus on a well-thought-out strategy and continuous improvement rather than relying on impractical assurances about immediate rankings. A reliable agency should prioritize client satisfaction and have measures in place for any dissatisfaction.
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Summing Up
All-in-all, remember that SEO is not a quick fix but a long-term investment. Be aware that results in SEO might not show up for months, giving shady firms time to go unnoticed. Our questions act as your tool to tell apart trustworthy SEO providers from dubious ones. Use this tried-and-true wisdom to separate the good from the bad when seeking SEO help. Whether you pick a few or all questions, make sure they lead you to reliable SEO assistance.
At Vitruvian Agency (A full services digital marketing agency), we understand the importance of these considerations. We pride ourselves on being a reliable and transparent partner for businesses seeking effective and ethical SEO solutions.
