If the recent JCPenney scandal taught us anything, it was that companies can no longer take a “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” philosophy to SEO. Are your SEO marketing activities in good hands?
When retailer JCPenney was penalized by Google earlier this year for engaging an SEO marketing company that used black hat SEO techniques to artificially boost their ranking, they claimed they didn’t authorize the anchor-text-based paid links which are against Google’s terms of service. It showed the importance of not only choosing an SEO company wisely but also managing the relationship and monitoring all SEO activities. Here are 5 ways to work with your SEO agency and get the most of your SEO.
Educate yourself about SEO
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make when outsourcing their SEO activities is they don’t have a basic understanding of the principles of Search Engine Optimization. While no one is asking you to become an SEO expert, that’s what you pay your SEO marketing company top dollars for, you should have a general idea of how SEO works and how it can improve your business.
Share your knowledge
Ideally you should employ an SEO consultancy which is familiar with your online business and the parameters of the industry you operate in. However, as the business expert, you should also be sharing information about your company and products with your SEO marketing company to close the knowledge gap and assist them with creating a successful campaign tailored to your business and industry. This may include:
- sharing information about your target audience
- defining your deliverables for the campaign
- suggesting keywords and keyword phrases
- giving an overview of any previous SEO and marketing activities
- providing recent statistics and reports
Insist on transparency
If you choose to work with an SEO company, make sure that they are involving you in their process and taking the time to explain how it all works and where your traffic and links are going to be coming from. Your SEO agency is like an extension of your company, you need to ensure they are a good representation of your brand and not associating your business with dubious websites or SEO marketing practices.
Be responsive
It is important that you are allocated a dedicated SEO consultant to manage your business and work with you one-on-one; however you must also hold up your part of the deal and be responsive to their calls, emails and requests for further information or meetings. Your role as the client in helping to formulate successful SEO campaigns and monitoring your SEO company includes:
- responding to requests for further information or clarification
- approving keywords and keyword phrases
- approving all copy changes
- approving any changes made to the site
- reviewing reports and providing feedback
Review your SEO strategy
An effective SEO internet campaign needs time to really build up however it will need to be reviewed periodically to assess whether the SEO goals for the campaign are still relevant to the business – campaigns need to be dynamic and adjust to the changing landscape of an enterprise. Your business may have begun on a Kick Start Plan but in time may need to change to SEO Growth Plans or SEO Maintenance Plans. An SEO plan should be reviewed every 6 to 12 months to:
- assess keywords and keyword phrases and expand your keyword portfolio
- review SEO copywriting
- analyse link building strategies
- evaluate statistics and reports
Understanding your role as the client is an important aspect of a successful Search Engine Optimization campaign and ensuring the best return on investment with SEO strategy. Contact our SEO marketing company to find out more about our SEO processes, our proven track record in delivering successful SEO campaigns for high-profile clients and how we can achieve similar results for your online business.
