Does your website show on the top of search engines when you type the relevant keywords? Is your company visible on the first page of Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines? If the answer is no, then you are practically invisible for potential customers who are searching for your products. A good search engine visibility is key to business success. What your website is missing is proper SEO or Search Engine Optimization.
But not all website owners have the time to look after the SEO of their business. Many may lack the technical expertise needed to improve search engine rankings. Search Engine Optimization is not child’s play that anybody can easily do on their own. In such cases, one can go for hiring an SEO consultant or a professional company which is specializing in search engine optimizing. How do you get a trustworthy person to do the job? There are several SEO companies showing in search results—whom to choose? Here are some ways you can choose the right candidate:
1) What do you wish to achieve: Decide on the goals for hiring the SEO firm. You may want to have an online presence and hence get a website build. Or you may be having a website, but not getting good rankings. If you need a new website build, chances are the SEO firm may also be in the business of website creation. You have a better chances of getting a discount if the firm handles both your website creation and your website rankings.
2) Narrowing your search: The best way to find a reputed SEO company is by word of mouth publicity. This is a common method how small firms and companies source their suppliers. Ask your friends or business colleagues to give recommendations. Another way is to google it. If the company is good at SEO they themselves will be found on the top of the search rankings. Although this is not a foolproof way to determine as it also depends on the kind of keywords you have used for searching.
It is not necessary that the company you wish to hire has to be geographically close to you. SEO work can be even carried out through emails, phone calls, skype calls, video chats and other electronic options. So if you feel a particular SEO firm is good, but far, do not hesitate to hire them.
3) Ask for past clients list: If the SEO company has worked with previous clients they must be having a list of them. Check out the names on the list. Are they reputed companies? They may perhaps not be MNCs but at least they should be reasonably well placed. If the clients have good businesses, that means your consultants have a good reputation in the market. You can even go ahead and ask for testimonials from their clients just to be double sure.
4) Open to communication: Are you able to access the SEO company officials whenever you need to clarify some doubts? Do they provide you detailed explanation of the queries you are having? Being accessible is even more relevant when you have paid all their pending dues after work completion. A sign of a trustworthy and dependable SEO consultant is how they communicate 15 days after receiving their final check payment. Such people believe in maintaining good relations with their client even after the contract is ended.
5) Provide you detailed explanation: Hire someone who explains to you what are the basics of SEO. This way you know what is happening. Also note whether they are making unbelievable promises such as claiming to improve your website rankings within an unreasonably short period. SEO takes time and patience and anybody promising you the moon should be treated with suspicion. Perhaps they intend to utilize unethical strategies which might temporarily improve your rankings but will lead to penalties in the long run.
6) Size of the team: If you happen to visit their office note the size of their team. If you just see 1 or 2 members in the staff, you should wonder why. Though this might not be a hard and fast rule, but more staff means plenty of work and clients and a high demand because of quality work. More clients signifies more experience and knowledge.
7) Affordability: Last, but certainly not the least, can you afford the SEO company? If they are good but the SEO plans and pricing are expensive, it can toss your budget out. Hence, select those who are reputed but also offer affordable pricing plans.
