By employing the right SEO strategies, it is possible to get good ranking of your website. However, if you have an in-house SEO team, the digital marketing campaign can be worked out but if you have to hire the services of a professional, here lies the challenge as you have to zero-in on the right service provider. So, this article will deal with the same. You can go through the essential aspects that you need to keep in mind prior to signing up with an SEO firm.
Characteristics of a reliable SEO firm
Given below are the traits that will be followed by a reliable firm that will help you out in your SEO maneuvers. These are as follows:
Accreditation
First and foremost, the SEO firm will have to be accredited by the local authority or a body that is responsible for endorsing the credibility of the operating firm. For instance, it can be BBB or Better Business Bureau, Board of Trade and Commerce, or any local association that is an authority in approving the quality of activities of the SEO company.
Knowledgeable
The team members of the SEO firm should be well versed in their topic. Most importantly, the team should be abreast with the latest developments taking place in the field of search engine optimization. And for this it is mandatory that every team member should be sent for training on a regular basis so that they are able to employ their skills better and in turn rise up to the requirements of the clients in terms of SEO and its allied functionalities.
Expertise in on-page technology
It has been observed that knowledge in on-page optimization techniques helps to a great extent in getting desired ranking of any website. The SEO firm that you hire should be able to accurately use their on-page technical skills as far as internet marketing is concerned. This is even more important in the event you are developing a website or designing one for the first time. Prior to hiring the services, it is important to understand how the team will proceed with their on-page skills. As a client, you have the right to know their way of working. Watch out for stuff like structured data, page speed, meta descriptions and title, and responsive design. While optimizing, the above mentioned aspects ought to be taken into account.
Content and its importance
A good SEO company will definitely emphasize on the importance of content. As there is an old saying that “Content is King”, the same principle should be applied when content for the website is decided upon. As far as content is concerned, it is not just about writing fresh content but it will essentially depend on how the content is updated, the frequency at which content is updated, incorporation of images, videos, info-graphics, if any, and most importantly emphasis should be on quality content. Remember, a good company will always strive for quality and not depend on quantity alone.
Social presence
These days when SEO is talked about or discussed, it is just more than optimizing the website. The importance of so called “social signals” cannot be undermined. There has to be a strong working network among them. Most importantly, the presence of the SEO firm in social circles is not just enough; you have to find out whether or not the firm is active on the various social media platforms. You have to find out how well connected they are on the social media platforms and by staying active it means that they should be regularly updating their content. The presence of plug-ins as well as social icons is equally important.
Certification in Google Analytics
A good and dependable SEO company will always have team members that are certified in Google Analytics. Moreover, these firms will also provide you with reports on a monthly basis by employing the analytics and the marketing plans and campaigns that they have chalked out for you.
Remember, every digital marketing company online or operating from a brick and mortar office is here to do business at the end of the day. Amongst them, you have to be selective about whom to depend on.
