We show you seven ways to tell the difference between a reputable SEO company from the snake oil salesmen.
In Hollywood, it can take decades to become an overnight success. Thankfully it won’t take that long in SEO but it may take a couple of months for your new website or web page to start ranking – it’s a bad sign if an SEO company guarantees immediate results. A reputable SEO agency will set realistic expectations about campaigns and be transparent and honest about their methods – here are seven signs of a professional SEO company.
Transparency and honesty
Ideally, you want to work with consultants from an SEO company that are transparent and honest about the methods they are using to boost your site’s ranking, why they are using those tactics and how long it should take your website to rank (see setting realistic expectations below). Some information may be proprietary but in general, be wary of a consultant who is unwilling to share their methodologies with you.
Respected as industry experts
Ideally you want to work with SEO experts at a company who are considered to be authorities in their field and have a high industry profile. Look for an online marketing professional that has an SEO blog, a social media presence, speaks at industry conferences and writes guests posts for industry blogs. A sign of a good SEO company is one that is willing to share information and has a good reputation in the industry.
Setting realistic expectations
It’s easy for an unscrupulous SEO agency to overpromise and under deliver, taking a huge chunk of your budget with them. An ethical and professional SEO company may not tell you what you want to hear however, they will set realistic expectations of what can be achieved and in what timeframe even if this means losing prospective clients who want to achieve results quicker than can be achieved. SEO is a cost-effective strategy that yields long term results.
Search Engine rankings
You want to work with an SEO agency who practise what they preach and have the SEO rankings to prove it. As we always say, how do you judge which is the best SEO company? By their very own SEO results of course! Search for Google SEO-related terms such as ‘SEO company’, ‘SEO companies’, ‘SEO consultants’, ‘SEO experts’ in your local area and write down a shortlist of the first five to ten companies that appear on the results pages. Or check our our lists where we have done some research for you.
High-profile client lists
Again some companies may not want to publically disclose or share their SEO client lists on their website but a list should be available on request. Look for a professional agency that has formed long term business partnerships with clients to optimise their website and who are willing to endorse and recommend the agency to others. Some companies may also have SEO case studies that you can look at to help you in your initial research stages.
Great customer service
Feedback and reporting is a large part of an SEO expert’s role so you want to work with an SEO expert who replies back to you in a timely manner. It’s a very bad sign if a consultant is too busy to return your phone calls when you are making basic enquiries about their packages and services. You want to find someone that makes you feel comfortable and that you are an important priority. They should also respond in a swift manner.
No heavy discounting of services
Like anything in this world, you get what you pay for. Search Engine Optimisation is a profession like law or accountancy. You would not expect a lawyer or an accountant to discount or guarantee their services so why would you expect this of an SEO consultant? A professional company will charge what they believe their SEO services are worth and do not have to resort to discounting their packages. Hiring a cheap SEO company is not always the better option.
An SEO agency can make or break your online marketing campaign. seoWorks is an SEO consultancy that has a proven history of working with high-profile clients across the tourism, retail, telecommunications and medical industries and contributing to their bottom line. If you are ready for the next step in hiring an SEO company or you are thinking of changing agencies, contact one of our SEO consultants today.
