5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Search Engine Optimization Company

Do you have a website and want to bring in more visitors but don't know which Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company is the best choice for you? There are many companies out there advertising SEO services. In fact, if you are like us, you probably receive regular advertisement emails from some of these companies saying that you will be first on Google if you choose them! Before making the decision to go with a particular SEO company, you might want to take a closer look at what the company is providing and what questions you might ask them. Below are a few the things you might consider:

1. What types of results does the company expect? What exactly will the firm be doing for you and what types of results do they expect to see from their work? How long do they expect the results to take? Many firms out there make unrealistic claims and misrepresent what they are doing for you. If a company guarantees that you will be #1 on Google or claims that they will submit your website to thousands of search engines, you might be a bit wary.

2. Is the company using ethical standards in their SEO techniques? There are techniques out there that are unethical and can lead to the website being removed from search engines. It is a good idea to make sure the company does not use any of these types of techniques.

3. Are your website design and content being considered? A successful website marketing campaign is created for results. Just because you are increasing traffic does not mean you will be keeping visitors on your website. If you are looking to increase sales - either through an online store or by bringing in qualified leads to go on to the next step, you will need to consider your website itself in addition to simply driving more traffic to it. The website design, SEO friendly structure, layout, navigation, and copy must all do their part for best results. If the SEO company is quick to charge for SEO services without discussing any of this (or what they will be doing) with you, you should ask questions or maybe try out a different company.

4. What results has the company provided to other customers? What has the company already done? Are there testimonials available? Are there websites online that you can search to see the results for yourself? Are the keywords only very long, specific keyword phrases (which are often easy to rank high anyways) or are they somewhat competitive terms? How effective were their previous SEO campaigns?

5. How does your SEO campaign line up with your business plan? In addition to doing research on website marketing before hiring a firm, it is also a good idea to review your business plan and have clear questions ready for the firm that you do contact. This way, your business goals will become the focus in planning your website marketing campaign and you can get a better idea of what your internet marketing plan will entail and how it will help you reach your goals.

SEO is a powerful marketing tool that can be used to drive more traffic to your website. When combined with an effective website design and compelling copy, you will start bringing in more visitors and converting more of them into customers! Just be sure to do your homework first before hiring a company for SEO services... and good luck!