5 Things To Ask Your SEO Company

Any business owner, no matter what the size of their organisation, will want to know that they're getting value for money from the products and services they invest in. With SEO it seems there is such a variety in the prices SEO companies are charging and yet this doesn't necessarily correlate to the work they are doing. So what questions can businesses put to their SEO providers to make sure they are getting the best possible service or to help them make the decision of whether or not to sign up for their services?

1. Is the SEO done in house?  Many providers will outsource work overseas where the quality of SEO content and backlinks may suffer
2. Do they offer flexibility in keywords and packages - a static service simply won't fit the majority of companies, who themselves need to be flexible and adaptable to survive in the current economic climate
3. Do they promise you will be on page 1?  It might sound like a good guarantee but basically there is none and as any professional SEO company will tell you there is no set in stone rule or guarantee that keywords will reach page one in a set period of time.  Their placings all depend upon keyword relevance and competition, the quality of the website and its content, social interaction, the age of the domain and the nature of the optimisation being carried out.
4. Can they provide reports? There isn't much use in paying for a service when you cannot see any evidence of the work that has been done.  Most online marketing companies should at the bare minimum provide monthly ranking reports and many will also offer bespoke reports to demonstrate the nature of the optimisation carried out.
5. Are they approachable?  If your company depends upon the internet to generate new business then it is important you can approach your SEO company to ask them questions if you are unsure about their services or are worried about Google algorithm updates or the impact of new competitors within your industry.

And perhaps I should have put a 6th one in - what prices do they charge and are there any hidden extras?  As with any service it is important to know up front what you are going to be paying in the long run - this helps businesses to budget more easily and keep track of expenditure.  Watch out for hidden costs and make sure you clarify from the beginning what is included in the price.

By keeping your wits about you and asking the right questions you can make a informed decision about which SEO company to choose and also gain a better understanding of what you are getting in return for your investment.

Posted by Frances Berry