The Importance Of Hiring An SEO Firm
The Importance Of Hiring An SEO Firm
Greg Walthour, Co-CEO • Intero Digital • March 31, 2017
In today’s world, everybody seems to be an expert when it comes to digital marketing. I’m sure Jimmy’s grandma will tell you all about how her grandson knows everything about the internet, just ask her. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Now that Jimmy’s grandma is done telling you how brilliant he is and that he said anyone can do SEO, let me introduce Maile. Everybody say hi to Maile (it’s pronounced my-lee for anyone that’s suffering the “oh my god what if I meet her and I have no idea how to say her name” scenario as you read this).
Maile is a tech lead over at Google who just helped produce a video about hiring someone to do your SEO. Contrary to what little Jimmy told you, it’s not as simple as it may sound. There are a lot of things that you should consider when looking for someone to do your SEO. It’s important to note that anyone who tells you that they can provide results overnight is telling you worse lies than the greasy-headed car salesman at that back alley car dealership trying to convince you that the 1971 Ford Pinto doesn’t spontaneously combust when being driven down the highway.
SEO is a long-term strategy that can take anywhere from 4 to 12 months before seeing any positive, tangible results. If someone is guaranteeing you page one rankings over the weekend, chances are those rankings are going to be for terms that are not relevant to your company and not of any true value, like “underwater basket weaving” or “Cleveland Browns”. So, make sure that when you’re talking to a prospective SEO company they are being honest about the potential timelines you are going to face.
Let’s get back to Maile. Google has three major recommendations when it comes to hiring an SEO company. They suggest you conduct a 2-way interview with the potential company to ensure that they genuinely care about you and your business’s success. This is one of the most important things to do when making a decision about whom to hire to take care of your SEO. Your business is your baby and you want to leave your baby with someone that is going to feed them and change their diaper, not just leave them outside and hope for the best.
Second, they recommend that you check their business references. This may come as a surprise, but some SEO companies are the equivalent of that Chinese knock off Coach bag that Janice from accounting bought thinking no one would notice, but then the bottom ripped out and now the contents of her purse are rolling around on the break room floor.
A reputable company will be happy to provide you with a list of references, not to mention you can always check out their Google reviews and other reviews out there on the internet. Chances are if they aren’t willing to provide you with references, you won’t want to take them on a second date.
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The third and final recommendation that Google has is to request a technical and site audit. Now, this is something that you may possibly have to pay for, but the small investment up front is well worth knowing whether the next number of years is going to be a blossoming, fruitful relationship with your SEO provider. Some companies, such as Intero Digital, will provide you with a FREE site audit. You can click the image below to check out our site.
The purpose of these site audits is to see if the company truly has the chops to handle your business and follow Google’s best practices. This gives you an opportunity to really see what the company is about and how they approach their SEO strategy. An SEO company should be focused on what strategies will bring more, qualified customers to your site and help increase your business.
In the end, you want to make sure that you pick the company that is going to best fit your needs and understands the proper steps to improving your site’s SEO. Never rush into a relationship with an SEO company without first doing your research and making sure that they are as invested in your success as you are. If you follow these steps as outlined by Google, you will find your way into a long-lasting, bountiful SEO relationship. The type of relationship that puts even penguins to shame.
