Plenty of businesses these days use search engine optimization companies to get to page 1 on Google, but are all SEO consulting firms created equally? The short answer is no, and the longer answer is that there are several warning signs of bad SEO. SEO isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme, and SEO companies that promise fast results but won’t tell you how they’ve achieved them should be avoided at all costs.
Fortunately, however, there are also plenty of clear indicators that you have a good SEO management team on your side. Here are three things that you should definitely see when you hire an SEO company:
Transparency
A great SEO management service should never hide results or refuse to explain the methodology behind your company’s rankings. In other words, if you’ve hired a small business SEO company to help you improve your backlink profile, then they should be able to show you which sites are linking to your business’s website. You should be able to see the placements of your links — and see them go to quality websites, at that! Additionally, your SEO consultants should be honest about your progress rather than promising page 1 after a month or two. Those schemes may work in the short term, but over time these shady techniques can even get your site removed from Google’s index!
Accountability
In addition to staying honest about your backlinks and sending them to sites that would pass Google’s Webmaster Guidelines on quality, you should also have the ability to assess the overall progress of your campaign any time you want. Even though your SEO management is probably hands off for you, especially if you’re a small business owners, you should still get an insight into your rankings and other pertinent information. Make sure to ask about the software that your professional SEO services allow you access to.
Creativity
Finally, a big part of SEO isn’t just focused on links: it also comes down to content marketing. From blog posts and white papers to infographics and videos, expert SEO services should provide plenty of great content that is shareable and more likely to get clicks than old-fashioned article marketing or directory links. Some services will even take requests for content from you to provide you and your potential customers with great information that enhances your brand.
Have more questions about running an SEO campaign? Make sure to get in touch with an agency that provides the above services as soon as possible. You can leave a comment in the space provided with general questions or suggestions!
