August 7, 2018

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an SEO Agency

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Michael Jenkins
Michael Jenkins

CEO - Shout Agency
[email protected]

Overview

You are ready for hiring an SEO agency. The only challenge is you don’t know the questions you should ask to find the right company to help you achieve your goals.

This challenge happens more than you think. That is why we will go through the top 10 questions to ask every SEO agency or web marketing agency before you start working with them.

10 Questions to Ask Your SEO Agency

#1. Previous Clients/Case Studies

If you don’t have a large budget, less than $1,000 per month, you might be limited in your options. The problem is that these agencies do not have the clients or case studies to prove their abilities.

However, if you have a larger budget, you want to know ahead of time what results you can expect. Therefore, it is advisable for a company to ask an SEO agency about their previous clients and case studies before hiring them.

#2. In which Industries do you specialise?

If you are in a specialised field like automotive repair or financial services, then you probably have different needs than a retail operation.

That is why you need an SEO agency that knows how to work with your specific industry. At Shout, for example, we have a great deal of experience helping retail (ecommerce) and automotive companies improve their organic and paid search results.

#3. What are three things to fix on a website?

While your SEO agency does not have all the answers, they should be able to answer most of your questions about how they can help you. Specifically, a leading digital marketing agency should know what to do first to fix your site’s search engine capabilities.

#4. How much does it cost? What is the ROI?

As an enterprise SEO agency, Shout understands that you have to work within your budget. At the same time, we know how much it costs to help you reach specified goals. Because of that, we strive to help you get the highest return on your investment.

Whether you work with Shout or someone else, you should have an idea of your ROI?

#5. Do you use PPC and SEO?

SEO can take a long time to garner results. PPC can help get you results faster. The key is that you need to balance the two strategies together. To work on both organic and paid traffic together, you need a team that knows how to operate both paid and organic traffic.

If you cannot manage both sides, you will struggle. To do it right, you need to onboard the right team.

Google PPC versus SEO

#6. How do you turn SEO into leads?

SEO is an excellent traffic generator. However, it is only the first part of the lead generation process. Therefore, you want an agency that understands how to use this strategy and convert leads.

Therefore, ask your agency what their plan is to turn your search traffic into leads.

#7. How do you update us on the progress of your campaign?

Since SEO takes time to see results, you want to know what work your agency does to get you to your goals. Therefore, it is vital to have regular updates and meetings with your marketing agency.

Whether a monthly report or weekly meetings with your agency, updates vary based on your chosen campaign. Either way, you need to deliver the actionable information they can use to improve the quality of your search results.

#8. What services are included in your agency’s SEO package?

While you do not need the nitty-gritty, step-by-step actions of an agency, you do need to know what they plan to do to grow your organic traffic. Common services include:

  • Keyword research
  • Link building
  • On-site optimisation
  • Reputation management
  • Content creation

#9. Who is the point of contact after the campaign starts?

In most SEO agencies, the salesperson is different from the project manager. Therefore, you want to talk to the project manager before you start the campaign to make sure you see eye to eye.

You do not have to be best buds, but you should be confident in the point person for your campaign.

#10. How much time do you need to give us?

Setting up search campaigns often requires some time from the customer. Your agency needs all the available background information on your company and access to your accounts.

The other key factor is freedom. In a new relationship, you might want to have more control over the approval process. However, as you continue to build the relationship with your agency, you can grant them more decision-making powers over the little details that come up daily.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right SEO agency requires asking the right questions. Use the one we discussed above to find the right online marketing services for you.

Do you want assistance from Shout? If so, schedule a free consultation with us today.

Book a free 45 minute consultation today.

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    Give us your email address and we promise to send you the best articles on a wide spectrum of digital marketing topics to help your business grow to the next level.

      Book a free 45 minute consultation today.

        Shout logo in grey

        As Founder and Director of Shout Web Strategy, Michael Jenkins is at the forefront of digital marketing. Since it’s inception in 2009, Shout has built a strong reputation as one of Australia’s leading strategic SEO agencies, assisting online businesses to formulate, implement and track successful marketing strategies. Michael is a respected thought leader and digital strategist, specialising in online strategy, corporate SEO, Google retargeting, email and conversion rate optimisation, and online reputation management. Follow Michael on Google+, connect with him through LinkedIn or visit the Shout Web Strategy website.

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