Many business owners might feel overwhelmed at the thought of trying to grow a business with the help of an SEO company . How do you know who to trust? Or who will get the results you need, increasing your website traffic and overall online presence?
You’ve probably wondered if there’s a proven, repeatable process to move the search engine rankings needle. It probably feels pretty scary working with an SEO agency.
Thankfully, the process of securing such assistance is much simpler. By understanding the key factors and asking the right questions, you can find an SEO firm that’s the right fit for your business.
Table Of Contents:
- What to Expect from SEO
- Services of Top SEO Agencies
- Choosing an SEO Agency
- The ROI of SEO
- Evolving with Search
- Conclusion
What to Expect from SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), is the practice of growing a website’s organic search visibility on search engines. Think of these major platforms like Google, and even places like TikTok.
This involves a variety of techniques aimed at improving a website’s ranking in search engine results pages. This drives more organic traffic, leads, and hopefully revenue.
An SEO campaign starts with thorough keyword research. Then continues by refining site structure, content, and links from different places on the Internet.
Services of Top SEO Agencies
Top SEO agencies often bring a mix of services that include the foundational building blocks of on-page, technical, and off-page optimization strategies. These approaches can make a world of difference, especially when working with an SEO agency known for clear reporting and ongoing support.
But what does that actually look like in real life? Let’s explore some key services.
Keyword Research: Digging Deep
This isn’t about brainstorming. Proper keyword research gets to what potential customers type into search engines.
These could be new customers, existing customers, or the “Whales” everyone is on the hunt for. A solid SEO strategy always begins with keyword research.
SEO tools help analyze search volumes, competition levels, and trends, all to figure out your ranking opportunity. Without knowing that information, you’ll be left making an informed decision. And in business, guessing costs can be extremely expensive.
On-Page Optimization: The House Cleaning
Imagine your website is a storefront. Is it cluttered?
Or, is your storefront pleasing, inviting, and welcoming to a buyer, increasing the likelihood of an inbound customer turning into an advocate? On-page optimization is a crucial element for a digital marketing agency.
On-page optimization includes refining meta tags, headers, and improving content quality. Plus, making sure site navigation is very usable goes a long way in making both your human customer happy, as well as a search engines algorithmic needs.
Content Marketing: Building for Engagement
This is where many businesses miss out on connecting with their customers on another level. SEO goes well beyond keywords as great content marketing keeps the people you attract on-site and gives them reasons to connect and convert.
This approach involves writing high-quality content that appeals to users, but addresses and builds search engine authority. SEO Companies craft things like blogs, videos and various different downloadables.
Doing all this consistently helps show expertise. Consistent content creation will boost your online visibility.
Link Building: Your Digital Network
Think of quality backlinks as word-of-mouth referrals. When trusted sources connect back to a company, Google takes notice.
Quality, always over quantity. This practice takes time, especially with a national SEO campaign.
One strategy used to get those high quality, well established sites linking to your is called “outreach”. This means reaching out to businesses relevant to what you do and securing relationships to benefit the whole online ecosystem, perhaps offering quality, free to publish blog posts, or guest posting opportunities.
Technical SEO: Behind the Curtains
Technical search optimization is the foundational building block of improving how a site shows in search results. An important step before thinking about ranking improvements is simply figuring out where the site currently sits, in search, before an SEO expert ever steps foot in the digital room.
A thorough SEO audit will do that and help everyone working on it find an initial plan of action to move forward. The link building team can find areas for quick improvement.
It covers everything from making sites mobile-friendly, making them as speedy to the visitor and increasing security. Search engine robots look to make sure your website has its ‘technical house’ in good order. Plus, you don’t want to give human visitors any speed or ease of browsing frustrations when on your digital properties either.
Local SEO: The Power of Maps
Businesses want their physical locations found online too. This will include refining that ever critical ‘Google Business Profile’ or securing a higher ranking on ‘Google Maps’.
Local SEO takes all of that seriously. Local SEO services are vital for brick and mortar stores.
Focus on “hyper” localized searches and community-driven content. That can bring more of the “right” searchers that turn into buyers, boosting your lead generation.
Choosing an SEO Agency
Finding a good fit for a marketing partner isn’t just comparing checklists. How well has an agency served prior customers, businesses or otherwise?
Case studies are a helpful tool to use to evaluate an SEO company’s work. Marketing agencies will show off their proven strategies on their website.
Agencies should have transparent reporting systems, but it’s even more important to partner with an organization focused on helping your business, no matter what your niche may be. Also, check if their website itself is growing organically. For many agencies, “client work always comes first”, and this means an agencies personal website doesn’t actually get updated frequently.
What Makes a Great Agency?
Several things really matter. The top SEO agencies put emphasis on strong client communication, which has proven to be key to securing trust from those investing money to help their websites and content rank higher.
They prioritize practical, data-driven strategies. This is the polar opposite of outdated tactics, proving to get higher engine rankings.
The very best SEO agencies practice “what they preach”, which involves a growing and frequently updated business website, powered by blog posts, articles, FAQ content and many forms of other “content experiences”.
| Agency Feature | Description | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent Reporting | Regular updates with clear metrics | Shows clear results, builds trust |
| Custom Strategies | Tailored plans based on specific needs | Addresses unique challenges, avoids generic approach |
| Communication Focus | Prioritizing the Client and communicating clearly | Clear understanding to the goals of growth on search results |
| Experience | Multiple Case Studies on various digital platforms and industries | Secures the idea that no matter the industry or CMS a service provider is working with, there is history there to provide experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust |
| Ethical Practices | Avoidance of “black-hat” SEO tricks | Protects your site from Google penalties |
SEO Vs. Doing It In-House
Having an SEO person or even team working ‘in-house’ can seem to be convenient. A full marketing team will often include an SEO.
Working with agencies, as well as an ‘in-house’ marketer has turned out to work pretty well over time. It’s often referred to as ‘hybrid model’.
Bringing agencies and internal experts, like ‘in-house marketers’ is often a blend of experiences and skills, a collaboration of team members that make SEO campaigns better and much stronger for the brands leveraging the experience on both sides. Collaborating with the business owners is absolutely critical, when creating strong marketing strategy.
The ROI of SEO
It might surprise you how high SEO can convert to dollars, over and above traditional online ad investment. Search engine optimization (SEO) delivers far better than the return that many old, historical forms of media advertising deliver.
A recent analysis of a multi-family housing business, Respage, shared by SmartSites showed big returns, highlighting growth in all areas important to the site. This is a classic example of a great SEO case study.
Key points that are usually focused on, that search optimization usually benefits significantly are keyword rankings and raw site visitor counts. A digital strategist can evaluate these metrics.
Why “Quick Ranking Promises” are Warning Signs
SEO cannot force results. Many of the practices employed, are more an ‘art’ rather than just an item checked off from a to-do list.
Guarantees cannot reasonably account for so many variables. Some examples being things like site history, your existing link structure, how old the site content currently is and the level of the competitive landscapes a site competes with, online.
These quick result promises do not deliver and waste precious digital marketing budget dollars.
Evolving with Search
Search engine rules change regularly. Google admits to multiple core algorithm updates annually, let alone “weekly” changes to smaller ranking factors.
This forces site owners to try to “catch a moving target” in many ways. Successful SEO strategies depend on consistent adaptation.
You can’t settle into a groove or rhythm and hope to get predictable results. Your chosen digital agency should keep up with all changes.
Beyond Traditional Web Search
SEO covers more than “old school” Google Search these days. Ignite Digital reports that young audiences turn to social media and other non-traditional ‘Search Engines’ as their ‘go-to- source for information.
It is reported that in 2023, Gen Z showed they loved starting the search experience on TikTok as their number one source of content. You need to adapt to any and all algorithm updates.
This calls for broadening where a company might improve their rankings. Search experience has truly evolved and agencies stay connected with all the nuances, incorporating email marketing, ppc management and other services.
Conclusion
Working with a dedicated SEO Company offers access to expertise and approaches tailored to specific business demands. Instead of looking at SEO services as “magic,” realize how methodical these partnerships really are.
They combine creative SEO strategies and adapting frequently in the new normal of online “Google Search”. A great SEO company is a powerful partner.
The right agency, with its team, will help you grow your online visibility and ultimately achieve your business goals. Remember that it also must be a company you trust and have good chemistry with.
