If you have ever heard the phrase, “build it and they will come” then you know by now that it is not the case in today’s online marketing world. If your Web site is not listed near the top of one of the first 3 pages of any search then it is highly likely that your customers are not finding you.
Mr. Thompson outlined the following search criteria for Website owners looking to hire a search engine optimization company.
1. Reporting
This is a must. Website owners should have access to monthly reports that illustrate the work being done and the progress being made each month. If a company does not provide monthly reporting, the site owners have no way of knowing if progress is being made, or worse yet, if any work is being done at all.
2. Guarantee
We are not talking about the "Guaranteed #1" type of promise, but something more realistic. This is where website owners may need to negotiate with SEO firms.
3. References
Website owners should ask for references, even if they don't plan to call them. If a company is shy about providing references, chances are they don't have many happy clients.
5. Established
SEO is a new field, but the real experts have been around for several years. Website owners should ask how long a company has been doing SEO, not just how long they have been in business. There are lots of marketing companies that have been in business several years but just started doing SEO. A good rule of thumb is to look for a company that has been doing SEO for at least 5 years.
6. A Company That Does the Work, Not Just Recommends Changes
Some SEO firms only provide recommendations and leave the actual work for website owners to do. This is a great way for SEO firms to escape responsibility for an unsuccessful optimization. Website owners should make sure that the SEO firm implements the changes so they will be accountable for their work, as well as the results.
7. Find Local SEO Firms
Using Google is often the easiest way to find the best SEO companies.... a search for "(your city, or nearest city) “search engine optimization Columbia SC" should yield very good results. By definition, the companies that come up near the top have demonstrated that they are good at SEO. When looking for an SEO company, website owners should NOT use the Sponsored (PPC) listings to find a company -- they want to find a company that is good at SEO, not PPC.
