09 Nov SEO Hertfordshire: What to Look For in an SEO Agency (2 min)
Businesses of all sizes require web traffic in order to increase exposure to their audience, and generate sales.
It’s not actually enough to have an attractive website – it needs to be found. If your website is failing to achieve high rankings in internet search results, then you are losing business to your competitors.
Increasing your rankings is certainly possible through search engine optimisation (SEO). Moreover, many agencies exist – including Ratio7 – who claim to specialise in this area. But which one should you choose?
Apart from finding a provider who fits your budget, here are a number of qualities you should look for when considering an SEO agency:
1. Honesty
Perhaps the first question you should ask an SEO agency is the following:
“Can you promise to get me onto the first page of Google?”
If an SEO agency answers “yes” to this question, then run a mile!
The fact is that it takes time to climb search engine results. Sometimes the competition is incredibly fierce between you and your competitors for that first place spot. A good SEO agency will be honest and up-front with you about this.
2. High Search Engine Results
If an SEO agency claims to be excellent at optimising websites for search engines, why would their own website appear low in search rankings?
For instance, if you’re based in Watford and looking online for a local SEO agency, then it’s worth paying attention to those firms appearing when you type in “SEO Hertfordshire.”
3. A Good Portfolio
Of course, the top result for “SEO Hertfordshire” might be great at promoting themselves – but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re great at serving the needs of their clients.
A quality SEO agency will also have a great portfolio of past and current clients, with compelling success stories. Favourable quotes and testimonials from these clients are also good things to look out for.
4. An Emphasis on Measurable Results
At the end of the day, it all comes down to sales. Any spending on SEO needs to result in a substantial return on your investment.
At Ratio7, the way we demonstrate results to our clients is to provide a free, monthly report to them; outlining the activities and performance of their SEO campaign. If their website has gone up or down for particular search terms, then they can see it on the timeline.
We use this system for our own website. For instance, if we’re dropping in the search engine rankings for a search like “SEO Hertfordshire,” then we can track this occurrence and put measures in place to push the keyword back up.
5. Great Skills in Communication
From the moment you first make contact with an SEO agency, all the way to becoming an ongoing client with them, the SEO agency should make you feel listened to.
They should be attentive to your needs and questions, and be good at maintaining contact. They shouldn’t be difficult to get hold of. You should feel like your company – and its online performance – actually really matters to your provider.
As the Marketing Coordinator at Ratio7, Phil is responsible for devising tailored marketing strategies for his clients; generating engaging and informative content; and ensuring brand consistency across all of Ratio7’s communications. Phil has a passion for creating powerful corporate brands, and suffers from a borderline-unhealthy addiction to Google analytics.
In his spare time, Phil can be found training for powerlifting competitions, watching Jason Statham movies, and playing acoustic guitar at open mic nights.