Most people who own small businesses and run an SEO strategy need the professional help of an SEO agency that will help them to keep their business growing. Finding a good and affordable SEO agency takes work, especially because every business has its requirements and needs to be addressed. A good and affordable SEO company should have expertise in digital marketing, be able to analyze complex algorithms, and help you drive organic traffic to generate more leads.
In this post, we will discuss choosing the right SEO agency based on your budget, needs, and factors you should consider before hiring an SEO agency.
What Should You Consider Before Trusting an SEO Agency?
To successfully work with an SEO agency and achieve the desired results, you need to trust the agency. This is exactly what makes choosing an SEO company so complicated. To help you with this, we have created a list of things you should consider before trusting an agency.
- Mutual understanding. You, as a client, and the agency should understand each other very well. Mutual understanding is crucial because long-term partnerships and successful work are impossible without it. If you understand the agency and the agency understands what your needs, concerns, and goals are, it is a good sign.
- Adhering to standards. A reliable and professional SEO agency will always ensure that search engines follow all the guidelines and regulations. Many agencies promise fast results, but you should beware of these promises. You should understand that implementation of a successful SEO strategy takes time.
- Well-designed strategy. SEO requires proper and detailed planning. When choosing an agency to work with, discuss your needs and expectations with them and see if they will present you with a step-by-step strategy and plan. A professional SEO company should always have an understanding of what will be done and how it is going to be done.
- Asking questions. Before hiring an agency, interview them and ask them questions. Examples of the questions you should ask include “What is your work experience?” “What companies and businesses did you work with?” “Can you share with me any of your past clients you worked with?”
How to Choose the Perfect SEO Agency?
It is time to choose an SEO agency to grow your business. You should first understand that there is no need to rush. If you rush, you may end up signing an agreement with the agency that does not meet your expectations. Therefore, it is important to understand that choosing the right agency is a very serious process, and here are some tips that will help you find the SEO company you need:
Choosing The Right SEO Agency: The Steps
Follow these steps for choosing a great, affordable SEO agency:
Step 1: Create a Seed List
Your search should start with creating a seed list. You may wonder what a seed list is. It is a collection of SEO agencies that you could work with. If you add an agency to the list, it does not mean that you need to get a quote from them. It is an initial step that will help you understand better what agency you are looking for and what can be a good fit for you and your business.
There are two techniques to create a seed list. First, use a pre-made list of agencies. And second, create your own list based on your research. If you want to use a pre-made list, you can find them easily by searching for “the best agencies in Baltimore,” for example. Creating your own is more difficult and more time-consuming. You will have to track down those agencies that work with your type of business and industry from the start. However, your list will likely have better candidates than a pre-made list from a third party.
To start creating a list, ask yourself, “What is the most important to you in an SEO agency?” Answering these questions will help you create specific keywords that you will use when searching for an SEO agency. For example, if the price is the most important factor, you should search for “Affordable/ Cheap/ Inexpensive SEO agencies in [Your city].”
Step 2: Check the Websites of All Agencies
When the seed list is ready, it is time to take the next step and look at the websites of all the agencies on your list. You do not have to study their websites thoroughly – in most cases, looking at the four main pages is enough to understand whether an agency is a good fit for you. Here are the pages you should pay attention to:
- Homepage. This page should be the best-looking page on an agency’s website. It should be easy for you to find elements such as the agency’s name, the navigation bar, and contact options. The homepage should reflect an agency’s price, even if it might sound a bit egotistical.
- “About us” page. The About page is another page that shows how an agency presents itself. Usually, a good “About us” includes an agency’s success story and photos of happy employees. This page should also reflect the values of an agency. It is important to see and understand these values because they will help you understand whether your partnership with this agency will be successful. If an SEO agency’s values differ from yours, it is better to look for a different agency. The About page should also list an agency’s awards, if there are any. Awards might seem insignificant, but they reflect determination, success, and experience.
- Testimonial page. This page will help you to understand how you are going to be treated by an agency and its employees. If an agency has many reviews, it is a good sign because it takes a long time and effort to get a good review from a client, especially if a client has permission to post this review.
- Blog page. Not all agencies have blogs, but it is a good sign if they do. A blog page with many recent posts means that an agency stays up to date. However, if there are only a few posts and they are posted months apart, it is a sign that this agency is not good with its own SEO strategy.
Step 3: Evaluate the Strengths
After checking the websites of agencies, it is time to evaluate their SEO strengths and knowledge. Here is what you can do by simply using Google search:
- Search for an agency’s name. You can trust this company if an agency ranks first in its own name. If not, you should cross it off the list.
- Major keyword search. One example of a major keyword is “SEO agency in [your city].” Good SEO agencies always rank for major keywords in search engines, which indicates their professionalism and good SEO strategy. If they cannot rank, you should look for someone else.
Step 4: Contact the Agencies from Your List
The next step is contacting agencies from your list directly. Finding their contact details should not be a problem because reliable agencies always post their emails and phone numbers on either their homepage or a contact page. You should contact agencies via email or phone and set up an in-person meeting.
Step 5: Setting up an in-person meeting
An in-person meeting lets you discuss your goals and expectations and set everything in order. Usually, it is not a problem to set up a meeting unless an agency is far away. However, even a long distance is fine because many agencies agree to pay to have their representative fly out to your business for a meeting.
You should ask them questions during the meeting to help decide whether you want to work with this agency. Here is a list of the most important questions you should ask them during your meeting:
- How are you going to improve the rankings of my website? Their answer should cover what the agency will do, the methods and tools it is planning to use, why they want to use those tools, and how long it will take them before you see the first results.
- How are you planning to keep me posted? It is important to ask these questions because the answer will indicate how they will communicate with you. Most agencies use email for communication, but they can also be flexible with phone calls and meetings.
- Do you use any tools for work? Knowing what tools an agency uses is important because some tools have a bad reputation. You should write down all the tools that an agency uses and then do your own research. It is also important to remember that all reliable SEO agencies use tools. If they do not, it is a bad sign.
- How do you deal with algorithm changes? It is important to know that Google and other search engines update their algorithms regularly. Sticking to the same outdated algorithms will not help or improve your rankings. Therefore, when hiring an SEO agency, you need to know how they are planning to deal with these changes and what they will do. Good and experienced SEO agencies are always ready for these changes and know how to optimize websites when they come.
Finding an Affordable SEO Agency For Your Business: FAQs
Here are the answers to the common questions about SEO agencies and their costs.
How much do SEO agencies charge?
SEO agencies usually charge between $500 and $1000 per month in the United States. Hiring an SEO consultant will cost you between $2,500 and $5,000 per month. Hiring a freelancer is the cheapest option, as they charge between $250 and $500 per month.
Is it even worth paying an SEO agency?
As mentioned above, SEO agencies charge $500 – 1000 per month. However, with their professional help, you may generate $10,000 per month, which is a really good deal. Therefore, it is definitely worth paying a highly qualified and experienced SEO company.
How much should you spend on SEO?
In order to answer this question, you should also ask yourself, “How fast do you want to see the results?” Quick results mean a higher budget. However, on average, businesses spend 5% to 10% of their revenue on SEO.
BizIQ – Digital Marketing Agency in Phoenix, AZ, That Will Help Your Business Thrive
Are you searching for an affordable and trustworthy SEO agency in Arizona? Do not look any further – BizIQ is a company with expertise in SEO and digital marketing that has already helped over 26,000 small businesses all over the United States. At BizIQ, we offer different SEO and marketing services, including local SEO, organic SEO, PPC advertising, local brand management, e-commerce, social media management, and more. If you have any questions or want to know more about our services, you are welcome to visit our website or contact us via phone or email.
