By Felix Ofiwe
Founder, Febera Digital, Houston, TX
In today’s business environment, it is no longer just enough to have a website, you need an SEO company. You need an optimized website, a website that loads fast, is easy to remember, and easy for search engine bots to crawl through.
It is nearly impossible to get all that unless you are an experienced web designer and search engine optimization (SEO) expert. You may not know how to go about building and optimizing a website.
That is where an experienced SEO and web designer comes in. But not just any SEO or web designer, you need one that has been in the trenches for a long time. Google changes its algorithm daily and you need an SEO practitioner that stays on top of these algorithm updates.
When the time comes to choose an SEO company, there are many things to consider.
It’s essential to find a company that is knowledgeable, reliable, experienced, and can deliver results.
Here, we’ll discuss a few things you need to know when choosing an SEO company.
What to Look for When Choosing a SEO Company
- Understand Your SEO Needs
- Look for a SEO Company with Experience
- Check for Transparency
- Consider the SEO Company’s Reputation
- Look for Customized Strategies
- Check for White Hat Practices
- Look for a SEO Company with Analytical Skills
Understand Your SEO Needs
This is probably the most important thing you must know before choosing a SEO company. If you don’t know what you need it will be impossible to know if the search engine optimization and digital marketing company you are working with is doing everything necessary to help you reach your goals.
This bears repeating – before you start looking for a SEO company, you MUST understand your SEO needs.
So how do you go about understanding your SEO need when you don’t know anything about SEO? It’s really simple. Take a look at your website and identify areas that need improvement. Important areas to look at will include site speed, user experience, colors, product positioning, and more.
Go to Google and search for the products you sell or services you provide and see where Google ranks your website. Add your city name to your service, for example, “blue widget Dallas” and see where you rank. This will help you communicate your goals and expectations to the SEO company you choose.
I understand that you may not be a web developer, but you can tell if your website is easy to navigate, if it loads fast compared to those in your niche or industry, and if it meets the needs of your customers or clients.
As much as possible, analyze your website and write down issues you find as you go through the website.
Do you need help with on-page optimization, link building, or content creation? Do you want to focus more on local SEO – meaning do you principally want to be found by local customers only, or are you targeting a global audience? Global audience could mean visitors from other cities or states and outside of your current location.
Understanding your needs will help you narrow down your search and find an SEO company that specializes in the areas you need help with.
Look for a SEO Company with Experience
Experience is hard to fake and experience is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a SEO company.
Look for a company that has been in business for a few years and has a track record of success. You can also look for a company that may not have been around very long but whose senior managers have had years of experience in search engine optimization and web development.
Check the individual or company’s portfolio and case studies to see if they have worked with clients in your industry or niche, and helped them achieve their SEO goals.
An experienced SEO company will have a better understanding of how search engines work and what strategies are most effective in achieving higher rankings.
They will also be able to adapt to changes in search algorithms and adjust their strategies accordingly.
Check for Transparency
Have you ever spoken to someone and walked away wondering what that person was talking about? Most SEO companies will use industry jargon to try to confuse you. Look for a company or an SEO consultant who will talk to you in clear language and ways you can understand.
If they are using industry terms they know you probably don’t understand, that may be a sign that all is not well. Transparency is essential when working with an SEO company.
You should be able to get a clear understanding of the services they provide, the strategies they use, and the results they deliver. A transparent company will be willing to answer your questions and provide regular reports on their progress.
A word on strategies – don’t be too concerned if the company or SEO consultant you choose is unwilling to tell you everything they do. If you feel comfortable with them, and they are clear in their answers to your questions, that is more important than whether they are willing to reveal their secrets.
You should ask for a detailed proposal that outlines the services they will provide and the timeline for achieving your goals.
Make sure you understand the pricing structure and any additional fees that may be involved.
Consider the SEO Company’s Reputation
The reputation of an SEO company is another important factor to consider. Look for reviews and testimonials from past clients to get an idea of their level of satisfaction. You can also check online forums and social media to see if there are any negative comments or complaints.
A word on reviews – I’m sure you know it is not very difficult to manipulate reviews. Some companies pay for reviews. Others have their friends and families write reviews for them. So be wary of perfect reviews. No company or individual does everything perfectly so if a company or SEO consultant has nothing but 5 star reviews, that is a red flag.
But a reputable SEO company or consultant will have a good reputation in the industry and be known for delivering results. They will also have a high level of customer satisfaction and be willing to provide references upon request.
Look for Customized SEO Strategies
Every website is unique, and yours is no different. SEO strategies that work for one site may not work for another.
Look for a SEO company that offers customized strategies tailored to your specific needs and goals. They should be able to analyze your website and develop a plan that will improve your rankings and drive more traffic to your site.
Avoid companies that offer one-size-fits-all packages or use generic strategies that are not tailored to your site. Avoid companies based overseas promising everything for nothing. A customized approach is essential for achieving long-term success in SEO. Also avoid SEO companies that gives you a quote without spending time getting to know your company and what you are trying to achieve.
Check for White Hat SEO Practices
White hat SEO practices are ethical practices and follow the guidelines set by search engines. Black hat practices, on the other hand, use tactics that are frowned upon by search engines and can result in penalties or even a ban of your website by the search engines.
Make sure the SEO company you choose uses white hat practices and avoids any tactics that could harm your website’s reputation.
Ask about their link building strategies, keyword research methods, and content creation process to ensure they are using ethical practices.
Do they buy links? Are they promising everything in a short time without putting in the efforts needed to achieve the goals? Are they quoting you low prices and promising to do everything for you? Be wary. SEO takes time and results are only achieved through hard work. Cutting corners won’t work.
Look for a SEO Company with Analytical Skills
SEO is not just about ranking higher in search results; it’s also about analyzing data and making informed decisions. Look for a SEO company that has strong analytical skills and can provide insights into your website’s performance.
They should be able to track your rankings, analyze your traffic sources, and identify areas for improvement. This data can help them adjust their strategies and improve your SEO performance over time.
If you are looking for a SEO company with years of experience, consider Febera Digital, the Houston SEO and web design company. Our founder and managers have been practicing White hat SEO and web design for nearly 50 years.
Our founder was a Senior SEO Manager with The Home Depot and has managed SEO for other Fortune 500 companies as well as small and medium-sized companies. Call us today at 281-972-8883 to speak to one of our experienced SEO managers.
